NICU Registered Nurse
Newark, NJ
Access Healthcare
3x12 hrs, Nights

NICU Registered Nurse Travel/Contract Position

Location: Newark, New Jersey
Shift: Night (3 shifts per week, 12 hours each, 7:00 PM – 7:30 AM)
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Summary

Provide specialized nursing care in a Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for neonates, including those with neonatal abstinence syndrome and premature infants (29–34 weeks and >34 weeks gestation).

Required Qualifications

Licenses & Certifications

• Valid RN license in New Jersey
• Basic Life Support (BLS) certification issued by the American Heart Association
• Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification

Education

• Associate of Science in Nursing / Associate Degree in Nursing

Experience

• Minimum 2 years of NICU nursing experience with Neonatal Intensive Care
• NICU experience within the last year
• Experience working with neonate patients

Clinical Skills

• Phlebotomy
• Management of ventilated/intubated patients
• Respiratory support including High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC)
• Care for hyperbilirubinemia and phototherapy
• Developmental care

Additional Skills

• Ability and willingness to float within skillset across Neonatal, Pediatric, and Pediatric ICU units
• Experience with EPIC electronic health record system

Scheduling & Work Requirements

• Weekend shifts required every other weekend (Saturday/Sunday), subject to change
• Must work 1 of 2 or 2 of 3 holidays as needed by the unit
• Facility allows calling off 1 shift per 2 weeks
• Accepts first-time travel nurses and local nurses at the same rate

Unit Details & Floating

• Nurse-to-patient ratios: 1:1 to 1:3; 1:4 in Intermediate Care Unit (IMCU)
• No assignment to high-risk deliveries, Level IV patients, ECMO, or fresh post-operative patients
• Scrubs color: Navy Blue
• Floating required within skillset to Neonatal, Pediatric, and Pediatric ICU units depending on patient volume and acuity

Required Health & Compliance Documents

• Government-issued photo ID (Driver’s License) required within 48 hours of signing
• Criminal background check within 30 days of start, including alias and multi-level searches
• Drug screen within 30 days of start (10-panel urine test)
• Negative TB test or chest X-ray per facility protocol
• Physical exam within 12 months confirming ability to perform essential job functions and free of communicable disease
• Respiratory medical clearance and on-site fit testing mandatory prior to start
• Annual influenza vaccination or approved medical/religious exemption required
• Immunity or vaccination proof for Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, Hepatitis B, and Tetanus/Diphtheria/Tdap
• Color vision test if job tasks require color discrimination
• Completion of facility-specific annual education and safety training

Competency & Testing Requirements

• Medication/Pharmacology competency exam within 72 hours of signing
• Dysrhythmia/EKG competency exam (required for telemetry and critical care units)
• IV Therapy/Infusion competency exam (not required for OR specialties)
• Pass/fail testing for EKG and medication knowledge with remediation policy
• Skills checklist updated annually

References & Work History

• Two professional references within the last 2 years, including at least one managerial reference
• Employment application or resume with 7 years of work history
• Work history verification required for New Jersey candidates (minimum 1 year prior to start, allowing 30-day gaps)

Additional Notes

• Must complete facility floating policy for each new assignment
• Must be confident and competent to float within NICU, Pediatrics, and PICU units
• Facility provides advanced neonatal care including ECMO, nitric oxide treatment, and rapid genome sequencing
• The NICU is staffed by board-certified neonatologists and specialized teams available 24/7

This position offers an opportunity to work in a high-acuity Level III NICU with advanced neonatal care technologies and a supportive multidisciplinary team.