Registered Nurse- NICU

Role Overview

Registered Nurse – NICU at NMC Healthcare. The post holder will work in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, providing specialized care to newborns and supporting their families throughout admission, treatment, and discharge.

Company Overview

NMC Healthcare is committed to providing clinical excellence through safe, compassionate, and individualized care. The organization's nursing vision centers on exemplifying clinical excellence, being patient advocates, delivering safe and compassionate care, recognizing the uniqueness of each patient, and contributing to a learning culture. Core organizational values include Safety, Excellence, Ethics, Trust, and Collaboration.

Role Purpose

To provide safe, outstanding, and compassionate care to neonates and their families by performing comprehensive nursing assessment, implementing individualized care plans, operating specialized NICU equipment, managing complex clinical interventions, and supporting families through education and emotional support.

Key Responsibilities

Patient Assessment & Care Planning

• Perform systematic patient assessment, re-assessment, and collection of pertinent data about the patient's health or situation.
• Understand and analyze assessment information and data.
• Determine actual and potential nursing diagnoses, problems, and issues.
• Define the predicted and expected outcomes of the patient's planned care.
• Create and evaluate patient care plans with the interprofessional team, in collaboration with the patient and patient's family members.
• Record vital signs, recognize, address, and escalate all abnormalities.

Neonatal Reception & Stabilization

• Receive the newborn promptly and safely from the labor room or operating theatre, ensuring a smooth transition to NICU care.
• Perform thorough initial assessment and stabilization of the newborn, including initiation of continuous hemodynamic monitoring, thermoregulation, and glucose monitoring.
• Record newborn anthropometric measurements, including weight, length, head circumference, and chest circumference, accurately in the designated chart or Electronic Medical Record.
• Apply the correct identification band to the newborn and obtain a footprint as part of newborn safety protocols.

Immediate Newborn Care Procedures

• Demonstrate proficiency in immediate newborn care procedures in accordance with hospital policies and guidelines, including clamping of the umbilical cord, insertion of nasogastric or orogastric tubes as required, gastric lavage and airway clearance, administration of Vitamin K injection, and assessment of anal patency.
• Demonstrate clinical knowledge and skill in the assessment and care of neonates with congenital abnormalities, initiating appropriate interventions and escalation as necessary.

Neonatal Screening & Assessment

• Perform competent neonatal screening tests, including newborn metabolic screening and hearing assessments.
• Understand different diagnostic tests and laboratory examinations.

Specialized Equipment Operation

• Operate and monitor specialized NICU equipment: incubators, ventilators, radiant warmers, infusion/syringe pumps, cardiac monitors, bilirubin meters, and phototherapy overhead and blankets.
• Ensure all equipment is appropriately cleaned, decontaminated, and stored after use in line with infection control standards.

Respiratory & Ventilation Support

• Provide specialized care to neonates on mechanical ventilation, including ventilator parameter monitoring, suctioning, and respiratory assessment.
• Assist with invasive procedures such as endotracheal intubation and central lines insertion.
• Demonstrate proficiency in neonatal resuscitation and participate in resuscitation efforts and Code Blue events.

Phototherapy & Nutritional Support

• Administer and monitor phototherapy for neonates, ensuring appropriate exposure, protective eye covering, and regular hydration assessment.
• Assist with and monitor the administration of intravenous fluids, observing for signs of infiltration, fluid overload, or adverse reactions.
• Administer Total Parenteral Nutrition and ensure safe handling, accurate calculations, and continuous monitoring of nutritional and metabolic status.

Blood & Blood Product Management

• Administer blood and blood product transfusions in accordance with institutional protocols, ensuring patient identification, monitoring for reactions, and completing necessary documentation.

Surgical & Wound Care

• Provide comprehensive pre-operative and post-operative nursing care for surgical neonates, including pain management, wound care, and coordination with surgical team.
• Provide wound care management.

Medication & Treatment Administration

• Administer medications and monitor patients for any side effects and reactions.
• Administer treatments such as IV fluids or blood products and monitor patients for any reactions.
• Prepare patients for medical examination and treatment.

Patient Safety & Environment

• Employ strategies to promote patients' health and a safe environment.
• Facilitate the process of safe patient admission, transfer, and discharge.
• Assist in safe intra-hospital transfers and act as a transport nurse for neonates requiring inter-facility ambulance transport.

Family Education & Support

• Provide education to parents on newborn care, including breastfeeding techniques, immunization schedules, safe home practices, and appropriate responses to emergency situations.
• Provide emotional, psychological, and educational support to families, addressing their concerns and promoting involvement in care.
• Be the patient's advocate and provide advice and emotional support to patients and their family members.

Professional Responsibilities

• Maintain and update technical and clinical skills related to nursing practice.
• Be responsible for providing and coordinating patient care, educating patients and the public about various health conditions.
• Practice economical use of supplies and assist the Charge Nurse in managing unit inventory and stock levels.
• Perform essential life support as per regulatory requirements and scope, including but not limited to Basic Life Support, Pediatric Advanced Life Support, Advanced Cardiac Life Support, and Neonatal Resuscitation.
• Work collaboratively with other team members and uphold and live the NMC Nursing Strategy.

Qualifications & Experience

• Hold an appropriate license to work as a registered nurse in the relevant regulatory health authority with all the qualifications and experience these credentials mandate.
• Manage own professional re-licensure.
• Hold a valid American Heart Association Basic Life Support Provider card.

Skills & Competencies

• Demonstrate ability to work as part of an interprofessional team.
• Possess organizational and administrative skills for use of the Electronic Medical Record platform for clinical documentation.
• Communicate clearly and effectively in English (spoken and written).
• Communicate effectively in Arabic (desirable).

Additional Information

• Be willing to work across departments when necessary.