Emergency Room RN Jobs in Iowa

Emergency Room RN jobs in Iowa are concentrated in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City, where major systems like UnityPoint Health, MercyOne, and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics maintain busy level I and level II trauma centers. Demand is strongest for emergency room rns with experience in trauma triage, pediatric emergencies, and critical care stabilization, and openings range from new graduate positions to senior charge nurse roles. Iowa's relatively stable healthcare economy keeps emergency departments actively recruiting across both urban medical centers and regional community hospitals. Scan the live roles below and apply to whichever ones fit.

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Overview

Open roles13
Top employerMercyOne
Top cityDenison, IA
Cities hiring12
Top credentialBachelor of Science
Companies hiring8

Showing 5 of 13+ Emergency Room RN jobs

Registered Nurse | PRN | Emergency Room
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Registered Nurse | PRN | Emergency Room
Great River Health
Fort Madison, Iowa
Compliance & Risk
Health & Safety
Project Management
Bachelor of Science
1,001-5,000

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Travel RN Emergency Room
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Travel RN Emergency Room
Voyage Health
Mason City, Iowa
Healthcare Administration
Nursing
Patient Services & Wellbeing
$1,989 - $2,094/yr

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PATIENT REGISTRAR- Overnight Emergency Room
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PATIENT REGISTRAR- Overnight Emergency Room
Pella Regional Health Center
Pella, Iowa
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Public Health
High school diploma or GED

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Patient Care Technician-Emergency Room
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Patient Care Technician-Emergency Room
UnityPoint Health
Waterloo, Iowa
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Public Health
10,000+

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Travel RN Emergency Room
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Travel RN Emergency Room
Voyage Health
Denison, Iowa
Healthcare Administration
Patient Services & Wellbeing
Public Health
$2,234 - $2,352/yr

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Emergency Room RN Jobs by City in Iowa

Where Iowa roles are concentrated, by current openings.

Denison
2 jobs
Pella
1 job
DeWitt
1 job
Clinton
1 job
Dubuque
1 job
Waterloo
1 job
Davenport
1 job
Des Moines
1 job
Mason City
1 job

Emergency Room RN Job Market in Iowa

A snapshot from current Iowa openings, updated as new roles post.

Who's Hiring

MercyOne4 open roles
Voyage Health2 open roles
UnityPoint Health2 open roles

What Iowa Employers Look For

The qualifications that appear most often in emergency room RN jobs across Iowa.

  • Active Iowa RN license or a Nurse Licensure Compact license recognized in Iowa
  • Current BLS certification and ACLS certification required at time of hire
  • Minimum one to two years of emergency department or acute care nursing experience
  • Completion of an accredited associate or bachelor of science in nursing program
  • Proficiency with electronic health record systems such as Epic or Cerner
  • Ability to work rotating shifts including nights, weekends, and holidays as scheduled

Emergency Room RN Jobs in Iowa: Frequently Asked Questions

How do you become a emergency room rn in Iowa?

To become an emergency room rn in Iowa, you must hold an active Iowa RN license issued by the Iowa Board of Nursing, which requires passing the NCLEX-RN after completing an accredited nursing program. Iowa participates in the Nurse Licensure Compact, so nurses already licensed in a compact state can work in Iowa without obtaining a separate license. Most Iowa emergency departments then expect new hires to complete a department-specific orientation and earn ACLS certification within a set timeframe after starting.

How much do emergency room RNs make in Iowa?

Emergency room RNs in Iowa earn a median of about $78,630 a year, based on May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, ranging from around $63,840 for the lowest 10% to over $100,500 for the top 10%. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and employer.

Which companies hire emergency room rns in Iowa?

Companies currently hiring emergency room rns in Iowa include MercyOne, Voyage Health, and UnityPoint Health, per current listings on Migrate Mate as of October 2026. Iowa's largest emergency department employers are typically anchored in the Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, and Iowa City metro areas, where major health systems operate the state's busiest trauma centers.

Which Iowa cities have the most emergency room rn jobs?

The Iowa cities with the most emergency room rn openings are Denison, Pella, and DeWitt. Des Moines leads because it is the state's largest metro and home to the flagship campuses of UnityPoint Health and MercyOne, while Iowa City's concentration of openings is driven by the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, one of the region's only academic level I trauma centers, and Cedar Rapids benefits from a dense cluster of regional medical facilities serving a large surrounding population.

How can I get hired as a emergency room rn in Iowa with little or no experience?

The most realistic entry path is applying directly to a new graduate RN residency program at a large Iowa health system such as UnityPoint Health or MercyOne, both of which run structured residencies that include emergency department rotations for nurses without prior ED experience. Candidates who have worked as an emergency department technician, patient care technician, or in a high-acuity med-surg or ICU role are particularly competitive. Earning your ACLS certification and completing any available TNCC coursework before applying signals readiness and helps offset limited direct ED hours.

Where can I find and apply to emergency room rn jobs in Iowa?

You can find and apply to emergency room rn jobs in Iowa on Migrate Mate, which lists current Iowa openings from employers hiring right now. Search the listings, find the roles that match your experience and preferred location, and apply directly to whichever ones fit your situation.

See All 13 Emergency Room RN Jobs in Iowa

Find roles in Iowa that match your experience and apply in just a few clicks.

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