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Registered Nurse - 8E Observation

Magnet Recognized logo, ribbon in the color green with the words "Magnet Recognized American Nurses Credentialing Center".

Job Description

About Us

CoxHealth is a leading healthcare system serving 25 counties across southwest Missouri and northern Arkansas. The organization includes six hospitals, 5 ERs, and over 80 clinics. CoxHealth has earned the following honors for workplace excellence:

  • Named one of Modern Healthcare’s Best Places to work five times.
  • Named one of America’s Greatest Workplaces by Newsweek in 2024.
  • Recognized as a Greatest Workplace for Women in both 2023 and 2024.
  • Listed as one of the Greatest Workplaces for Diversity in 2024.
  • Acknowledged by Forbes as one of the Best Employers for New Grads in 2023.
  • Ranked among the Best Employers by State for Missouri.
  • Healthcare Innovation's Top Companies to Work for in Healthcare in 2025.

Benefits

  • Medical, Vision, Dental, Retirement Plan with employer match, and many more!
  • For a comprehensive list of benefits, please click here: Benefits | CoxHealth

Overview of Unit/Department

The 8E Observation Unit coordinates a seamless patient care process, typically accommodating stays of approximately 24 hours. Serving as a bridge between the emergency department, inpatient wards, and outpatient facilities. It guarantees smooth transitions and efficient resource allocation. Renowned for its dynamic environment and high staff retention, the unit nurtures a vibrant culture. It assumes responsibility for delivering personalized, goal-directed nursing care to patients needing further monitoring, diagnostic evaluations, therapy, and assessment to ascertain the necessity for inpatient treatment or readiness for discharge based on medical stability.

Additional Information About the Position for Qualified Candidates

  • Up to $10,000 Sign-On Bonus
  • Up to 80 hours of front-loaded Paid Time Off
  • Up to $3,000 Relocation bonus
  • $1.00 Certification pay
  • $1.00 BSN pay
  • Career Ladder Bonus eligible up to $5,000

Job Summary

  • The Clinical Decision Unit nurse is responsible for providing individual goal directed nursing care of patients who may require additional monitoring, diagnostic testing, therapy and assessment to determine whether the patient requires further treatment as an inpatient or is deemed medically stable for discharge. The CDU nurse utilizes the nursing process of assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation to provide care and teaching of patients and families.

Job Requirements

Education

  • Required: Graduate of an accredited nursing program or NLN approved program
  • Preferred: Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing

Experience

  • Preferred: Previous nursing experience

Skills

  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills

  • Demonstrate effective leadership abilities

  • Exhibits valuable time management skills

  • Strong critical thinking/problem solving skills.

  • Flexibility and ability to work in a multi-tasking environment.

Licensure/Certification/Registration

  • Required: RN license active in the state of Missouri
  • Required: BLS must be obtained within 90 days
  • Required: Must obtain ACLS within one year of hire

Specialties:

  1. Nursing

Why CoxHealth?

Our health system includes six hospitals, over 100 clinics, and 530+ primary and specialty providers serving 25 counties. CoxHealth takes pride in being southwest Missouri’s first hospital system accredited by DNV Healthcare, a distinction awarded for our commitment to quality and patient safety. All six hospitals, along with our outpatient centers and provider-based clinics, have received this national accreditation through DNV’s National Integrated Accreditation for Healthcare Organizations® program.  

Cox Medical Centers is the only facility in the region to receive the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Magnet® designation, which recognizes excellence in nursing. We’re consistently identified among U.S. News & World Report’s Best Regional Hospitals for Equitable Access. Additionally, in 2025, CareChex by Quantros® ranked Cox Medical Centers in the top 10% of hospitals nationwide, as well as in our region and state, for medical excellence in overall hospital and surgical care.