Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse at St. Lukes Orthopaedics & Trauma Hospital

Job Purpose

The Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) Nurse will provide comprehensive, high quality, and specialized nursing care to critically ill, premature, or low-birth-weight neonates. The successful candidate will ensure safe, evidence-based clinical practices, provide immediate lifesaving interventions, support neonatologists and pediatricians in multidisciplinary teams, and deliver compassionate, family-centered care across the continuum of neonatal health.

Key Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide advanced, specialized nursing care to critically ill, premature, or low-birth-weight neonates in the NICU. 
• Continuously monitor and assess neonatal vital signs, cardiac rhythms, respiratory status, and neurological parameters. 
• Manage, titrate, and troubleshoot specialized NICU equipment including incubators, mechanical ventilators, CPAP machines, phototherapy units, and infusion pumps. 
• Administer specialized neonatal medications, intravenous fluids, total parenteral nutrition (TPN), and blood products accurately in accordance with prescribed protocols. 
• Assist neonatologists and pediatricians with advanced clinical procedures, including endotracheal intubations, umbilical line insertions, lumbar punctures, and surfactant administration. 
• Coordinate and conduct immediate resuscitation and stabilization of neonates experiencing acute distress or life-threatening emergencies. 
• Perform routine and emergency nursing interventions such as non-invasive ventilation maintenance, oxygen therapy, gastric tube feeding, and meticulous skin and umbilical care. 
• Provide supportive, empathetic family-centered care, educating parents on neonatal health, breastfeeding, kangaroo mother care (KMC), and safe home-discharge guidelines. 
• Interpret diagnostic investigations including neonatal arterial blood gas (ABG) panels, laboratory values, and bedside radiological findings to initiate timely nursing actions. 
• Maintain precise, up-to-date, and confidential clinical documentation, nursing care plans, and comprehensive handover records. 
• Participate in multidisciplinary ward rounds, clinical audits, neonatal mortality reviews, and departmental quality improvement projects. 
• Mentor, supervise, and orient junior nurses, nursing interns, and student attachments rotating through the neonatal unit. 
• Promote and enforce strict infection prevention and control (IPC) standards, aseptic techniques, and patient safety protocols within the sterile NICU environment. 
• Participate actively in the hospital’s nursing shift schedules, emergency response protocols, and on-call rosters. 
• Undertake any other clinical duties assigned by the Nursing Officer in Charge or hospital management.

Qualifications and Experience

• Diploma or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (KRCHN / BScN) from a recognized institution.
• Higher Diploma in Neonatal Nursing or Critical Care Nursing (specializing in Neonatal Care) from a recognized training institution. 
• Valid registration and current Annual Practising Licence from the Nursing Council of Kenya (NCK). 
• Minimum of three (3) years’ post specialization clinical experience working in a busy NICU within a Level 4, Level 5, or Level 6 hospital environment. 
• Valid certifications in Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) will be a highly distinct advantag. 
• Certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) is required.

Competency

• Excellent clinical and technical nursing skills specifically tailored for high-acuity neonatal intensive care and resuscitation. 
• Profound decision-making and rapid problem-solving abilities during acute neonatal emergencies and critical status changes. 
• Strong situational leadership, interpersonal capability, and multidisciplinary team collaborative skills. 
• Outstanding communication skills, demonstrated by the ability to explain complex clinical conditions compassionately to anxious families. 
• High standards of medical ethics, professionalism, and strict adherence to nursing practice standards. 
• A patient-centered, highly compassionate, and empathetic approach to neonatal nursing and family care. 
• Proven resilience and ability to work efficiently under pressure while managing high-stress emergency environments. 
• Meticulous organization, with accurate documentation, clinical report writing, and data collection habits. 
• Unwavering commitment to continuous professional development (CPD) and evidence-based clinical quality improvement.