​Neonatal Nurse Practitioner

The advanced practice provider in the Neonatology department at Comer Children's Hospital delivers direct patient care in collaboration with consulting physicians and the multidisciplinary health team. This role involves identifying, managing, and referring health problems for critically ill newborns in one of Chicago’s largest Level III NICUs, a major referral center for complex neonatal conditions across Illinois and Northwest Indiana.

About the Department

Comer Children's Hospital houses a 71-bed NICU with nearly 850 admissions annually, totaling over 21,000 patient bed-days. The unit is a state-of-the-art facility offering innovative interventions, including Illinois’ first Small Baby Unit dedicated to infants born at or before 28 weeks. The Neonatology team collaborates with the Maternal-Fetal Service to manage the University of Chicago Perinatal Network, which includes over 10 affiliated community hospitals.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct patient care and formulate plans of care in collaboration with physicians, nursing staff, and the multidisciplinary team.
• Communicate follow-up plans and dispositions with healthcare providers.
• Prescribe and evaluate pharmacological therapies according to protocol.
• Attend high- and low-risk deliveries; initiate CPR and perform stabilization techniques in the delivery room, NICU, emergency room, and referring hospitals.
• Stabilize and transport patients as needed.
• Demonstrate in-depth understanding of professional and legal trends, concepts, and issues related to practice.
• Identify and address educational needs of family members; assist with teaching as appropriate.
• Ensure systems and resources are in place to maintain established standards of care.
• Participate in self and peer evaluations to improve quality of care.
• Contribute to the development, review, and evaluation of policies and procedures.
• Engage in quality improvement (QI) monitoring and implementation.
• Participate in in-service and outreach education programs.
• Serve as a clinical resource for staff on or off the unit.
• May participate in clinical research projects led by supervising physicians.
• Act as a preceptor to advanced practice provider (APP) students.
• Evaluate goals and outcomes, considering benefit-versus-burden, safety, quality, and cost-effectiveness for patients and families.
• Develop diagnostic strategies and therapeutic interventions for patient care plans.
• Respond to adverse drug reactions, with special attention to vulnerable populations such as infants, children, pregnant and lactating women, or older adults.
• Develop and coordinate APP training and professional development activities.
• Perform other related duties as needed.

Requirements

• College or university degree from an accredited school/college.
• Minimum of 2 years of relevant work experience in a related job discipline.
• Current and/or eligible for State of Illinois licensure/registration.
• Eligibility to be privileged and credentialed through the Medical Staff Office (MSO).

Qualifications

• Advanced nursing degree from an accredited school/college of nursing (preferred).
• Completion of approved Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) training (preferred).
• Two years of clinical experience in a related specialty (preferred).
• NCC certification as a neonatal nurse practitioner (preferred).
• Ability to obtain Illinois advanced practice nurse license by start date.
• Current license as a registered nurse.
• Post-licensure: Apply for a mid-level practitioner-controlled substance license and DEA number.

Skills

• Proficiency in resuscitation, intubation, and line placement.
• Proficiency in EPIC and computer systems.
• Excellent clinical, management, and organizational skills.
• Ability to conduct physical examinations and health assessments.
• Detail-oriented with strong independent judgment.
• Ability to work effectively under pressure.
• Strong communication skills, including facilitation across practitioner levels.
• Ability to interview and obtain medical information.
• Willingness to enter into a written collaborative agreement with a collaborating physician upon hire.
• Ability to properly document and bill for services provided.

Working Conditions

• Clinical care setting with exposure to human blood, blood components, and infectious materials.
• High-stress environment.

Pay

Salary range: $141,200.00 - $180,400.00.

Benefits

The University of Chicago offers a comprehensive benefits program for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Additional details are available in the Benefits Guidebook.