Neonatal Nurse Practitioner - Iowa

Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP)

The Neonatal Nurse Practitioner provides advanced practice nursing care to neonates in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and/or newborn nursery. This role focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, and management of high-risk and critically ill newborns in collaboration with neonatologists and multidisciplinary care teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive care to premature, critically ill, and medically complex neonates
• Perform neonatal assessments, admissions, and daily patient management
• Diagnose and manage acute and chronic neonatal conditions
• Develop and implement individualized plans of care
• Perform procedures within scope of practice, including intubation, line placement, and resuscitation as credentialed
• Monitor patient response to treatment and adjust care plans as needed
• Participate in neonatal resuscitations and high-risk deliveries
• Collaborate with neonatologists, nursing staff, respiratory therapy, and ancillary services
• Educate and support families regarding neonatal conditions and care plans
• Participate in discharge planning and continuity of care
• Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant documentation in the electronic health record
• Support quality improvement, patient safety, and regulatory compliance initiatives

Practice Setting

• Neonatal intensive care unit and/or newborn nursery
• Level II–IV NICU depending on facility
• Shift-based coverage, including days, nights, weekends, and holidays as required

Patient Population

• Premature and term neonates
• Infants with respiratory, cardiac, neurologic, infectious, and congenital conditions

Qualifications

• Master's or Doctoral degree in Nursing
• Graduate of an accredited Neonatal Nurse Practitioner program
• National board certification as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
• Eligible for unrestricted nurse practitioner licensure in the practicing state
• DEA registration or eligibility
• NRP certification (or ability to obtain)

Skills & Competencies

• Advanced neonatal assessment and critical thinking skills
• Ability to manage high-acuity neonatal patients
• Strong procedural and clinical decision-making abilities
• Excellent communication and family-centered care skills
• Ability to work effectively in a high-intensity, team-based environment

Work Environment

• Hospital-based neonatal care setting
• Multidisciplinary NICU care model
• Fast-paced, high-acuity clinical environment