The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit is a 70 bed Level IV NICU. Care is delivered to infants and families transported from approximately 40 regional community hospitals in three states. The patient ages typically range from 23 weeks gestation to 37 weeks gestation, term infants and older children with multiple disease processes. Comprehensive services include medical-surgical care for infants with conditions including but not limited to pre-maturity, genetic disorders, pulmonary disorders and cardiac disorders. The unit also provides for the inter-hospital transportation of infants as well as ECMO services.

The NICU is ranked nationally every year by in neonatology, and we are the only top 10 ranked program in the Washington D.C. metropolitan area. We treat more than 800 babies every year. Our success is rooted in our dedication to providing family centered care in a collaborative and respectful interdisciplinary environment.

Children's National NICU is a regional referral center for neonatal patients requiring ECMO therapy for respiratory failure, and for neonatal patients requiring whole body cooling for treatment of birth asphyxia/hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy.

As a Level IV NICU, we offer the highest level of care for premature and ill newborns, as designated by The American Academy of Pediatrics. This means we can:

• Offer the full range of pediatric medical subspecialists, pediatric surgical subspecialists, and pediatric anesthesiologists on site.
• Perform complex surgical procedures to repair complex congenital or acquired conditions.
• Coordinate all aspects of care for conditions and associated complications including: coagulation defects, congenital heart defects, Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) gastrointestinal disorders, genetic and/or metabolic disorders, prematurity, respiratory distress and failure, pulmonary hypertension, renal disorders and sepsis and septic shock.

The department utilizes a multi-disciplinary approach to care utilizing the services of physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, unit specific pharmacist and dietitians, and other support services necessary to provide quality care. A full-time Neonatal Transport Team consisting of specialty trained neonatal transport nursing personnel, neonatal Respiratory Therapists, and for complex cases, a Neonatology fellow or attending physician conducts transport. The team can transport via ambulance, helicopter, or fixed wing air transport as needed.

Children's National Hospital, based in Washington, DC, celebrates 150+ years of pediatric care, research and commitment to community. Volunteers opened the hospital in 1870 with 12 beds for children displaced after the Civil War. Today, it is among the nation's top 10 children's hospitals. Children's National is transforming pediatric medicine for all children. Children's National has been designated a Magnet hospital, demonstrating the highest standards of nursing and patient care delivery. Our pediatric academic health system offers expert care through a convenient, community-based primary care network and specialty outpatient centers in the D.C., metropolitan area, including the Maryland and Northern Virginia suburbs. Children's National is home to the and , and a top NIH-funded children's hospital. It is recognized for its expertise and innovation in pediatric care, and as a strong voice for children through advocacy at the local, regional and national levels.

All nursing practice is based on the legal scope of practice, national and specialty nursing standards, Children's National Policies and Procedures, and in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. The Professional Model of Care requires registered professional nurses to be responsible and accountable for their own practice. Children's National supports the development of RN relationships within the community; specifically those relationships associated with the health and well being of the community at large.

Minimum Education
ADN Required, BSN Preferred

Minimum Work Experience
1 year RN experience (Required)

Required Skills/Knowledge
The licensed Registered Nurse will successfully complete the hospital and nursing orientation at Children's National.
Keep knowledge base current with new information or changes in specialty area.

Required Licenses and Certifications
Registered Nurse in District of Columbia Registered Nurse licensed in the District of Columbia, Maryland or Virginia dependent upon location of practice. (Required)Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) .

Functional Accountabilities
Transformational Leadership

• Contribute to Magnet re-designation as evidenced by independent updating of professional profile and initiation of council involvement, committees, task forces and /or community outreach.

• Demonstrate critical thinking skills by problem solving appropriately during patient care.

• Communicate to reflect development of plan of care and ability to advocate to meet patients' needs.

• Independently initiate escalation of issues utilizing chain of command.

• Demonstrate proper use of the currently identified hand off processes.

• Demonstrate a collegial and respectful relationship with ancillary staff.

• Participate in implementing change and support management decisions.

• Role model behavior that reflects empathy, concern and a desire to help others.

Structural Empowerment

• Independently maintain regulatory requirements e.g. license, BLS.

• Plan for attendance at mandatory education and professional activities to enhance nursing practice.

• Demonstrate professional review of peers through timely participation in evaluations.

• Seek out opportunities to participate in enhancing departmental goals by ensuring adherence to national safety standards and service excellence standards; support advancement of education and certification as well.

• Collaborate with members of the healthcare team and role model professional behavior and teamwork with coworkers.

• Utilize resources as needed and know when to escalate to next level.

Exemplary Professional Practice

• Utilize assessment data gathered from patient and family to ensure completion of data base and plan of care within identified timeframes.

• Demonstrate clinical skills with complex patients that reflect analysis of patient status and appropriate interventions.

• Role model skill in prioritization and organization for complex patient with rapidly changing needs.

• Documentation exemplifies adherence to the highest standards of practice.

• Anticipate and proactively plan for educational needs verified with patient and family throughout the hospital/outpatient stay and prior to discharge.

• Role model organizational skills, adjust for changes and is able to complete assignment on time.

• Demonstrate caring in all encounters with patient and family as evidenced by feedback from parents and an increase in patient satisfaction scores.

Safety

• Speak up when team members appear to exhibit unsafe behavior or performance

• Continuously validate and verify information needed for decision making or documentation

• Stop in the face of uncertainty and takes time to resolve the situation

• Demonstrate accurate, clear and timely verbal and written communication

• Actively promote safety for patients, families, visitors and co-workers

• Attend carefully to important details - practicing Stop, Think, Act and Review in order to self-check behavior and performance

Organizational Accountabilities
New Knowledge, Innovations, and Improvements

• Identify ways to improve operations through quality improvement and assist in implementation of solutions.

• Identify self learning needs and take initiative to meet those needs.

• Ensure care is based on evidence with the literature and benchmarking

Organizational Commitment/Identification

• Partner in the mission and upholds the core principles of the organization

• Committed to diversity and recognizes value of cultural ethnic differences

• Demonstrate personal and professional integrity

• Maintain confidentiality at all times

Customer Service

• Anticipate and responds to customer needs; follows up until needs are met

Teamwork/Communication

• Demonstrate collaborative and respectful behavior

• Partner with all team members to achieve goals

• Receptive to others' ideas and opinions

Performance Improvement/Problem-solving

• Contribute to a positive work environment

• Demonstrate flexibility and willingness to change

• Identify opportunities to improve clinical and administrative processes

• Make appropriate decisions, using sound judgment

Cost Management/Financial Responsibility

• Use resources efficiently

• Search for less costly ways of doing things