Critical Care Nurse-Emergency Department (Open & Promotional)

At San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC), our Emergency Department nurses provide skilled, compassionate care in a fast-paced environment where sound judgment, adaptability, and teamwork are essential. Serving a diverse community, including many underserved and underinsured patients, our Emergency Department operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week and cares for patients with a wide range of urgent and complex medical needs.

We are currently seeking one full-time, one part-time, and one Relief Registered Nurse to join our Emergency Department on evening/night shifts.

This opportunity is well suited for nurses who bring a strong foundation in emergency or critical care nursing and are ready to continue developing their skills in a supportive, team-oriented environment. We recognize that relevant experience can be gained through professional nursing practice as well as substantive emergency or critical care clinical rotations. Successful candidates will demonstrate the clinical foundation, critical-thinking skills, judgment, and willingness to learn needed to grow successfully in the Emergency Department.

The Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate will be a collaborative and adaptable nurse who can assess changing patient needs, think critically, communicate effectively, and remain composed in a busy emergency care environment. Candidates should be prepared to clearly demonstrate their knowledge and experience during the selection process.

Highly desirable qualifications include:

• At least one year of direct Emergency Department and/or Critical Care nursing experience or a minimum of 300 clinical rotation hours in an Emergency Department and/or Critical Care setting.
• A strong foundational understanding of emergency nursing, including patient assessment, triage, prioritization, workflow, and response to changing patient conditions.
• Demonstrated critical-thinking and clinical decision-making skills.
• Experience caring for patients with multiple co-morbidities and complex care needs.
• Experience working with diverse and underserved populations.
• Knowledge of current regulatory requirements.
• A willingness to learn, receive feedback, and develop emergency nursing skills within a reasonable orientation and training period.

Critical Care Nurse Salary

$75.52 - $89.24 Hourly

$6,041.60 - $7,139.20 Biweekly

$13,090.13 - $15,468.27 Monthly

$157,081.60 - $185,619.20 Annually

Relief Nurse Salary

$74.98 - $93.71 Hourly

$5,998.40 - $7,496.80 Biweekly

$12,996.53 - $16,243.07 Monthly

$155,958.40 - $194,916.80 Annually

NOTE: The eligible list created from this recruitment may be used to fill current and future permanent, extra help and/or temporary vacancies.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Complete patient assessments and triage; record patient histories, symptoms, and observations.
• Establish, implement, and evaluate individualized nursing care plans.
• Administer treatments and medications and operate medical equipment.
• Assess and monitor patient progress, reactions, symptoms, and changes in condition.
• Determine medical or psychiatric emergency needs and provide appropriate intervention.
• Monitor life-support equipment and patients requiring restraint or seclusion while maintaining patient safety.
• Participate in patient case conferences and rounds.
• Serve as a team leader by organizing and assigning work and assisting with the orientation and training of nursing staff and students.
• Provide nursing care in accordance with established policies, protocols, and procedures.
• Identify patient care or quality concerns, assist with data gathering, propose solutions, and participate in quality assurance activities.
• Educate patients and families and coordinate referrals, resources, and discharge planning to support continuity of care.
• Maintain required records and prepare reports.
• Participate in educational programs and other activities to maintain clinical expertise.
• Participate in non-clinical assignments, including special projects and committees, as needed.
• Perform related duties as assigned and as required by the work setting.

Licensure/Certification: 

• Possession of a California license as a Registered Nurse is required.
• Possession of current Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certificates are all required to be employed in the Emergency Room. Crisis Prevention Intervention (CPI) certification within three months of hire.

Education and Experience: 

• Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge, skills and abilities is qualifying.

Knowledge of:

• Nurse Practice Act.
• Current nursing and related medical theory and skills necessary to administer nursing care within assigned clinical settings.
• Safety and infection control practices.
• Clinical systems, supplies and equipment.

Skill/Ability to:

• Nurse Practice Act.
• Perform nursing procedures required for assigned clinical setting.
• Comply with clinical procedures and policies.
• Maintain professional nurse-patient relationships.
• Communicate with and educate patients, families, and the public who come from a diverse background.
• Work harmoniously with other personnel.
• Follow safety practices.
• Assist in the instruction of other nursing and paraprofessional personnel.
• Bend, kneel and squat as needed.
• Occasionally use upper extremities to exert force to push and pull patients/objects weighing up to 50 pounds or more.
• Work in a busy environment.

Open & Promotional. Anyone may apply. Current County of San Mateo and County of San Mateo Superior Court of California employees with at least six months (1040 hours) of continuous service in a classified regular, probationary, extra-help/limited term positions prior to the final filing date will receive five points added to their final passing score on this examination.
 
The examination process will consist of an application screening (weight: pass/fail) based on the candidates' application and responses to the supplemental questions. Candidates who pass the application screening will be invited to a panel interview (weight: 100%). Depending on the number of applicants, an application appraisal of education and experience may be used in place of other examinations or further evaluation of work experience may be conducted to group applicants by level of qualification. All applicants who meet the minimum qualifications are not guaranteed advancement through any subsequent phase of the examination. All examinations will be given in the County of San Mateo, California and applicants must participate at their own expense.

IMPORTANT: Applications for this position will only be accepted online. If you are currently on the County's website, you may click the "Apply" button above or below. If you are not on the County's website, please go to https://jobs.smcgov.org/ to apply. Responses to the supplemental questions must be submitted in addition to our regular employment application form. A resume will not be accepted as a substitute for the required employment application and supplemental questionnaire. Online applications must be received by the Human Resources Department before midnight on the final filing date.

TENTATIVE RECRUITMENT TIMELINE

Final Filing Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 11:59 PM PST

Application Screening: Week of October 19, 2026  
Panel Interviews: Week of November 2, 2026

 About the County

San Mateo County is centrally located between San Francisco, San Jose, and the East Bay. With over 750,000 residents, San Mateo is one of the largest and most diverse counties in California and serves a multitude of culturally, ethnically, and linguistically diverse communities.

The County of San Mateo, as an employer, is committed to advancing equity to ensure that all employees are welcomed in a safe and inclusive environment. We seek to hire, support, and retain employees who reflect our diverse community, and we encourage applicants with diverse backgrounds and lived experiences to apply. Eighty percent of employees surveyed stated that they would recommend the County as a great place to work.

The County of San Mateo is an equal opportunity employer.

Analyst: Priscilla Bermudez (09302026) (Critical Care Nurse - F022)