NICU Registered Nurse
Kansas City, MO
Access Healthcare
3x12 hrs, Nights

NICU Registered Nurse Travel/Contract Position

Location: Kansas City, Missouri
Employment Type: Travel/Contract
Shift: Night (3 shifts per week, 12 hours each, 7:00 PM – 7:00 AM)
Contract Length: 13 weeks

Job Description

• Work in a Level II NICU with a 5-bed capacity, admitting infants 34 weeks gestation and above. Lower gestational age infants are transferred to higher-level NICUs.
• Nurse-to-patient ratio: 1 nurse to 2-3 patients.
• Responsibilities include attending high-risk deliveries, neonatal resuscitation, and providing 1:1 recovery care of newborns.
• Cross-training preferred: NICU nurses often float to well newborn nursery/postpartum units; travelers are not required but preferred to have couplet care experience.
• Expect to stabilize and transfer higher acuity or lower gestational age newborns, assisting with procedures such as needle aspiration, chest tube placement, UVC/UAC line placement, lumbar puncture, intubation, surfactant administration, resuscitation, and initiation of passive cooling.
• Use of standard NICU equipment including IV pumps, syringe feeding pumps, phototherapy equipment, incubators/isolette/Omnibed/radiant warmers, and neonatal echo. Telemetry support available for neonatologist consultation.
• Floating within scope to meet facility needs is required.

Required Qualifications

• Valid Registered Nurse (RN) license in Missouri.
• Minimum 2 years of recent NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care) nursing experience, with experience within the last year.
• Completion of at least one travel nursing assignment in NICU.
• Associate of Science in Nursing (ASN) or Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN).
• BLS (Basic Life Support) certification issued by the American Heart Association.
• NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification issued by the American Heart Association or American Academy of Pediatrics.

Skills and Patient Population

• Work settings: Mother/Baby, NICU II.
• Patient types: Neonates 29-34 weeks and >34 weeks gestation.
• Clinical skills include:

  • Blood glucose monitoring
  • Feeding methods (bottle, breast, gavage)
  • Isolation precautions
  • IV therapy including Central Line/Implanted Line Care, Umbilical Artery Catheter (UAC), Umbilical Vein Catheter (UVC)
  • Management of Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
  • Patient and family teaching
• Assist with well newborn assessments and procedures when NICU census is low.

Compliance and Documentation Requirements

• Government-issued ID required.
• Criminal background check within 6 months, including statewide and nationwide searches, sex offender registry, and international checks if applicable.
• Quarterly EPLS/GSA/SAM and HHS/OIG checks required.
• Education verification of highest nursing degree required before start.
• Professional license primary source verification and NURSYS verification required.
• Drug testing within 1 year of start, including a comprehensive panel (amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines, cocaine, methadone, opiates, oxycodone, PCP). Must be current throughout assignment.
• Physical exam within 1 year of start.
• Fit mask (N95) testing required annually; facial hair must allow proper fit.
• Immunizations and titers required:

  • Tdap vaccine or declination (expires every 10 years)
  • Negative TB test or chest x-ray within 1 year (2-step PPD or equivalent)
  • Measles (Rubeola), Mumps, Rubella, Varicella immunity or vaccination with boosters as needed; no exemptions allowed for NICU/newborn units.
• Seasonal flu vaccination or approved exemption required during flu season (September 30 – April 1).
• Completion of facility-specific compliance training modules annually, including HIPAA, hand hygiene, dress code, confidentiality, latex allergy questionnaire, and regulatory compliance education.
• Badge photo required within 6 months of start.

Additional Information

• Guaranteed minimum of 3 shifts per 13 weeks.
• Floating between departments, units, and facilities may be required.
• Block scheduling is not accommodated.
• Must complete unit-specific competency exams and skills checklists within 1 year of start.
• Two professional references required, preferably supervisors within the last year.
• Employment application must be submitted and uploaded for facility review.

This position is ideal for experienced NICU RNs with strong neonatal critical care skills, who are comfortable working night shifts and meeting weekend and on-call requirements in a Level II NICU setting.