Mercy Cedar Rapids has been recognized on the Forbes list of America’s Best-In-State Employers 2025, earning a spot in the Top 10 for Iowa. Mercy was also the highest-ranked healthcare employer on the state’s list.

Shift Supervisor (RN) – Short Stay Observation

Up to $15,000 Sign-On Bonus | Opportunity to combine Shift Supervisor (0.3) FTE with Staff RN (0.6) for full time schedule (0.9)!

Looking for a nursing role that’s fast-paced, diverse and rewarding? Mercy Cedar Rapids is hiring Registered Nurses — experienced or new graduates — to join our 28-bed Short Stay Observation Unit.

Not every hospital has a unit like this. This unique unit cares for patients who need brief hospital stays (24–48 hours) after the Emergency Department or surgery. You’ll work with a wide variety of patients including post-op, ortho, urology, cardiology and acute pain. It’s an opportunity to build a broad skill set across multiple specialties while helping patients transition safely and confidently back home.

Schedule That Fits Your Life

• 3 weekly shifts 7p-7:30a!
• 36/hrs per week with Full-Time Benefits

Why Mercy & the Short Stay Observation Unit

• Opportunities to grow across multiple specialties
• A supportive team environment where your voice matters
• Mercy Cedar Rapids is an independent, locally managed healthcare system that has served the community for 120+ years.

What You’ll Do

As an RN in the Short Stay Observation unit, you’ll:

• Deliver safe, high-quality, patient-centered care
• Monitor patients recovering from surgery, illness, or acute pain
• Educate patients and families so they feel confident at discharge
• Collaborate closely with physicians, techs, and fellow nurses
• Document accurately and communicate clearly at hand-offs
• Respond quickly to changes in patient condition and emergencies
• Foster a respectful, compassionate, and team-focused environment

Take the Next Step

Keep reading for the full-length job description and continue to create/login to your Mercy Workday account and complete an application.

Work Shift

Night Shift

Scheduled Weekly Hours

12

Summary

This position supports Mercy's philosophy of patient centered care by providing support to customers, physicians and staff of Mercy Medical Center. The Shift Supervisor will serve as a patient care nurse and charge nurse. The Shift Supervisor will help guide staff through their Mercy Medical Center journey and help demonstrate leadership skills by being a clinical expert and successful role model of the unit.

Job Description

Job Duties

• Ensures that accurate and clinically relevant information is communicated with patients, their families, and co-workers at hand offs and other times as needed. Take all measures necessary to ensure that the appropriate and involved parties have communicated necessary information in order to allow for the best possible patient outcome
• Provides and ensures high quality and safe patient care using evidence-based practice, performance improvement, and service excellence.
• Manages customer complaints in a timely and caring manner in the absence of the Director or ANM.
• Assists with department staffing to meet daily census needs and modifies staffing to meet departmental needs as necessary.
• Participates in regular department meetings as applicable.
• Assists with recognizing outstanding individuals or teams in their department.
• Collaborates with others to implement key initiatives and demonstrate performance improvement within the department based on quality metrics.
• Practices cost containment efforts on a shift to shift basis by efficient use of time and resources, i.e., man-hours, patient charges, equipment, supplies.
• Fosters interdisciplinary, collaborative relationships within the department and organization.
• Serves as a positive role model and mentor for department and hospital staff, establishing and reinforcing expectations of cooperation, collaboration, and respect.
• Participates in the orientation and mentoring of new employees.
• Observes and evaluates staff performance, providing regular performance feedback, and completing annual performance appraisals as delegated.
• Follows Mercy's safety guidelines, carries out job- specific safety duties and responsibilities, and promptly reports any unsafe conditions, situations, incidents and injuries.

Department Specific Duties

Short Stay Observation Unit:

• Serves as a role model for staff by demonstrating clinical expertise when providing direct patient care.
• Displays support for and awareness of Department Business Plan and assists with implementation of Action Plans toward meeting goals.
• Participates in holding unit staff accountable by comprehensively investigating and then providing feedback when there are opportunities for performance improvement; followed by written details to Nurse Manger, which include employee response.
• Provides consultation, upon request, within area of clinical expertise to nursing staff or other health professionals throughout the organization.
• Participates in monitoring and maintaining unit compliance with regulatory, accrediting, and policy standards/expectations, as evidenced in both mock and actual surveys.
• Demonstrates skills and assists others in computer navigation to access essential information effectively and efficiently.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Demonstrates effective leadership skills (i.e. coaching, counseling, prioritization, decision making and conflict management).
• Utilizes effective coordination, collaboration, and facilitative skills.
• Helps to foster a culture of accountability, creative and critical thinking, and staff development.
• Possesses skill in staffing, staff development and change management.
• Maintains a positive, professional demeanor in emotionally charged situations and serves as a role model for staff.
• Committed to ongoing self-development and learning.
• Excellent Nursing skills with rapid critical thinking.
• Role Models exemplary customer service skills including verbal and non-verbal skills and proper phone etiquette.
• Creates a welcoming environment for all healthcare team members.

Professional Experience

• Demonstrated leadership skills required.
• Two years clinical experience preferred.

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) preferred.
• Certification in clinical specialty preferred.

Licensure, Certification, Registration

• Current license to practice as a registered nurse in the state of Iowa or compact state required.
• Current certification in Basic Life Support, in accordance with the American Heart Association required.
• Iowa Dependent Adult Abuse/Iowa Child Abuse Mandatory Reporter training required.  Employee must submit certification of completed training to Human Resources prior to start or transfer date.

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

Mercy is an independent, community-based organization supporting the Cedar Rapids area for over 120 years.

Mercy is an equal-opportunity employer. We value diversity, equity, and inclusion and therefore evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, civil union status, parental status, religion, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.