Description
Provide inpatient care for premature and critically ill newborns in the neonatal intensive care unit and related nurseries. Admit, stabilize, monitor, and treat infants; coordinate multidisciplinary care; communicate with families and referring providers; and manage care transitions from delivery through discharge.
- • Admit and triage newborns to the NICU from the delivery room, well-baby nursery, emergency department, or transport.
- • Diagnose and manage neonatal conditions such as prematurity, respiratory distress, sepsis risk, jaundice, hypoglycemia, and feeding intolerance.
- • Prescribe neonatal medications, fluids, nutrition plans (including TPN), phototherapy, and respiratory support per protocols.
- • Order and interpret neonatal labs, blood gases, cultures, bilirubin levels, and imaging such as chest x-rays and cranial ultrasounds.
- • Perform or assist with common neonatal procedures (e.g., intubation, umbilical line placement, lumbar puncture, surfactant administration) as credentialed.
- • Participate in delivery room resuscitation and initial stabilization of high-risk newborns with the obstetrics and neonatology teams.
- • Coordinate daily multidisciplinary rounds and supervise the care provided by nurses, respiratory therapists, APPs, and trainees.
- • Communicate with and counsel families about diagnoses, treatment plans, and prognosis; obtain informed consent when necessary.
- • Consult and refer to pediatric subspecialists, lactation services, social work, palliative care, and developmental follow-up programs.
- • Write NICU progress notes and discharge summaries and ensure timely transmission to outpatient pediatricians and subspecialists.
- • Plan and execute safe discharges, including feeding regimens, medications, home equipment (e.g., oxygen, monitors), and early intervention referrals.
- • Provide inpatient consultations for at-risk infants on maternity units or in the emergency department.
- • Maintain continuity of care through structured handoffs and communication with referring obstetricians, community pediatricians, and transport teams.
- • Lead or support NICU quality improvement and patient safety initiatives such as CLABSI reduction and antibiotic stewardship.
- • Educate and mentor residents, students, and staff; maintain NRP certification and participate in continuing education.
- • Assist with unit operations, including bed management and coverage for step-down or special care nurseries.
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Tasks & skills:
O*NET occupational data (work activities, skills, knowledge).
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
