NICU RN
Wilmington, NC
Wayward Medical
3x12 hrs, Days
Relocation Bonus
$1,805/weekOverview
- Start Date12/14/2026
- Shift Breakdown3x12 hrs
- ShiftDays
- Duration13 weeks
Pay
Benefits
- Guaranteed Hours
- Relocation bonus
- Retention bonus
- Weekly pay
- Medical benefits
- Vision benefits
- Dental benefits
- 401k retirement plan
- Holiday Pay
- Discount program
Description
There are a lot of travel nursing agencies.
Most of them can submit you to a job.
The difference is what happens after you click apply.
At Wayward Medical Staffing, you get one point of contact, straight answers, permission before submission, and real check ins that are not just disguised extension calls.
We do the boring stuff well.
We answer fast.
We tell the truth.
We get your permission before putting your name in front of a facility.
And when something gets weird on assignment, we pick up the phone.
We’re not a billion-dollar staffing machine with five departments and four handoffs before someone learns your name.
We’re a Mom and Pop shop who puts relationships first. We’re built for travelers who want to be treated like humans, not chart numbers.
That means we stay with you through the full assignment, help you navigate the messy parts, and start thinking about your next contract before this one ends.
Our rule is simple:
No one gets burned.
If you want an agency that communicates clearly, follows through, and actually sticks around after you start, apply with Wayward.
We’ll walk you through the details and help you decide if this assignment is the right fit.
NICU Registered Nurse
Overview
- Location: Wilmington, North Carolina
- Employment type: Travel/Contract
- Contract length: 13 weeks
- Shift: Day, 12-hour shifts (3x12 hours, 36 hours/week), 6:45 to 19:15
- Scheduling: Manager determines
- Weekends: Every other weekend
- Locals accepted: Yes
- Scrubs: Navy blue
- Orientation: 24 hours, two 12-hour clinical shifts
Unit Details
- Unit: 45-bed NICU, all private rooms, average daily census of 41
- Level of care: Levels of care are not separated. Patients include critically ill neonates requiring Level III NICU care.
- Ratio: 1:2–3
- Patient diagnoses: Prematurity (22 weeks gestation to term), persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), neonatal therapeutic hypothermia/whole-body cooling, and surgical neonatal patients
- Physician and provider coverage: Neonatologist on call 24 hours; two NNPs provide overnight coverage; pediatric surgery available in-house 24/7
- Support services: Interpretation services, IV teams, pharmacy, physical therapy, respiratory services, social services, and unit secretary
- Unit systems: Medication: Pyxis; Documentation: EHR; Communication: SBAR
Float Scope
- May float to Mother/Baby, Labor, and Pediatrics to care for appropriate patients.
Required Qualifications
- Valid RN license in North Carolina
- NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care (2 years of experience)
- NICU - Neonatal Intensive Care experience within the last year
- BLS issued by American Heart Association or American Red Cross
- NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation Procedure
- Associate of Science in Nursing / Associate Degree in Nursing
- Experience working with NICU Level 3 patients
- Experience working with Neonate patients
- Experience with phototherapy for severe hyperbilirubinemia
- Experience with umbilical line (UAC/UVC) management
- Experience with arterial lines
- Experience with central line management
- Experience with PICC lines
- Experience with IV vasopressors
- Experience with surfactant administration
- Experience with antiseizure medications
Assignment Expectations
- Contract staff will be assigned to and expected to work a Storm Team and/or Hurricane Team.
- Contract staff may be required to report during a catastrophic event, mass casualty, or disaster.
- Consolidation to a centralized office mid-contract may occur, and staff may be preassigned to units as needed.
Compliance and Onboarding
- Background check: Required within 90 days of start, covering all locations lived in the last 7 years (county, federal court, national criminal database, DOJ sex offender search). Education verification for the highest degree specific to the profession. Also required: EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks, and a transcript or diploma for RRT, ER, and Cath Lab roles.
- Certifications: BLS and NRP, as listed above. Certifications must be from AHA or American Red Cross for BLS.
- Competency exams: Dysrhythmia/EKG exam is not required for NICU. Medication test/pharmacology competency exam is required as applicable. Skills checklist is required as applicable.
- Education and orientation: Confidentiality agreement; education roster (2 hours 45 minutes); tobacco-free campus acknowledgement; hospital policies acknowledgement; annual compliance training (40 minutes); medication safety certificate (35-minute long version for clinicians who prepare, dispense, and administer medications); bloodborne pathogens review; company phone agreement; and the job description.
- Non-facility education checklist: Required for North Carolina travel candidates only. Modules take 8–10 hours for acute candidates.
- Health documents:
- Physical exam within 1 year of start
- TB test (PPD, QuantiFERON, or T-spot) within 1 year of start. If positive, a clear chest X-ray within 5 years, a physical within 30 days, and a signed TB questionnaire are required.
- Drug screen: negative 10-panel, within 30 days of start
- Immunity: measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (titer or 2 vaccines; declinations not accepted), and Hepatitis B (titer, vaccine series, or facility Hep B declination if titer is negative or equivocal)
- Flu vaccination for 2026–27 is required. Intranasal vaccines are acceptable. Approved exemptions require masking at all times on campus.
- Fit testing: an N95 fit test within 1 year of start, or completion of PAPR training. Fit testing can be done onsite if there is no record.
- References and history: Two professional references within 3 years of start, and an employment application. A performance evaluation is required if the candidate has worked with the agency for over a year.
Application Notes
- Please provide the candidate's interview availability for the next 72 hours when submitting.
- The manager will not offer without first speaking to the candidate.
- Include references with applications.
- Level III NICU experience is required for consideration.
Employer
Wayward Medical
Wayward Sounds...
Like a Travel Nursing Agency that zigged while everyone else zagged.
Most agencies fight over the same giant hospitals.
We chose the places where travelers are remembered, not rotated through.
Critical Access Hospitals are where nurses get autonomy, community, and stories worth telling.
Less factory-line healthcare. More human healthcare. That’s the road we chose.
Built for travelers who want:
- Rural adventure
- A Recruiter who actually picks up the phone
- A career that feels meaningful
About Wilmington, NC
As a Travel Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse in Wilmington, NC here's what you should know:- The cost of living in Wilmington is slightly higher than the national average, with housing costs being the primary factor.
- Wages may not fully match up with the higher cost of living.
- Summer average high: 89°F, average low: 70°F.
- Winter average high: 58°F, average low: 36°F.
- Short term rentals are available in Wilmington, and they can be relatively easy to find, especially in the off-peak tourist seasons.
- Wilmington is car-friendly, with relatively low traffic congestion.
- Public transportation options are limited, but there are some bus routes available.
- Wilmington has a diverse population with a mix of age ranges.
- Common health issues may include allergies due to the pollen from the many trees and plants in the area.
- There is a growing population of travel nurses in Wilmington.
- Wilmington offers a variety of activities including exploring the historic downtown area, visiting museums, enjoying fresh seafood at local restaurants, and engaging in outdoor activities such as golfing and fishing.
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