Nurse Practitioner - NICU

Job Summary

Provide direct patient care including assessment, diagnosis, treatment and technical procedures to a group of normal to high risk infants. Manages neonatal case load with physician consultation and collaboration. Serves as a patient and family advocate in identifying healthcare needs and actions for neonatal cases. Coordinates pre- and post-operative care activates for normal to high risk infants. Supports neonatal units during crisis situations. Utilizes planning, implementation, and evaluation in formulating neonatal diagnosis and intervention.

Essential Responsibilities

• Interprets antenatal/perinatal health history. Assesses gestational age.
• Performs resuscitations of newborns in delivery room and in Neonatal units with bag and mask, laryngoscopy, endotracheal intubation, cardiac compressions, intravenous access and emergency medications.
• Ability to provide care for infants on the well newborn units including assessments, admissions, discharges, physical exams and evaluations on infants in the Delivery, Neonatal and Mother-Baby units.
• Performs specialized procedures on high risk infants to include: umbilical artery and vein catheterization, endotracheal intubation, suprapubic bladder tap, lumbar puncture, peripheral central venous catheterization, peripheral arterial catheterization, needle aspiration of pneumothorax, sepsis work ups and other procedures following clinical competencies for advanced practice.
• Orders and interprets lab tests, radiographs and routine diagnostics to include Newborn Screening head ultrasounds, ophthalmic retinal and outpatient evaluations.
• Manages adjustment of inspired oxygen concentration and mechanical ventilation per arterial blood gas measurement, physical exam, and/or clinical course.
• Prescribe phototherapy, antimicrobial therapy and enteral parenteral nutrition and supplements.
• Performs rounds on designated patients. Evaluates care and progress. Develops plan of care and writes orders.
• Documents admission history and physicals, resuscitations, assessments, procedures, progress notes, and discharge summaries.
• Collaborates with attending MD regarding treatment plan of assigned infants.
• Develops, implements, reviews and revises standards/procedures/protocols for Neonatal care. Develops practice guidelines that reflect current research, trends, and tech ology in the Neonatal units.
• Keeps current with standards/issues/implications for advanced practice nursing. Provides educational programs for staff to support quality improvement activities. Participates in Perinatal Quality Management Program.
• Serves as clinical resource to staff. Identifies learning needs for staff and implements formal and informal educational programs. Maintains current knowledge and skills to the neonatal area.
• Utilizes resources in a cost-effective manner.
• Provides input to Hospital/Regional committees for planning, policy development, patient care, and quality improvement issues and activities.
• May perform patient care to the extent necessary to maintain clinical expertise, competency, and licensing necessary to fulfill job responsibilities and to direct provision of care on the unit.
• Provides direct patient care on an as needed basis. Provides services that are within the scope of license and in compliance with all legal, regulatory, and policy requirement relevant to clinical role performed.
• Incorporates the KP Nursing Vision, Model and Values throughout their nursing practice.