RN Care Manager NICU Inpatient

Location: On-site at Burnet Campus, Cincinnati Children’s Hospital

Schedule: Full time, Monday–Friday day shift (40 hours/week, 1.0 FTE). Weekend/holiday requirement: approximately 2–3 weekend shifts per year plus rotating holiday call coverage from 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

Expected starting pay range: $81,723.20 – $104,208.00. Starting pay is based on experience, skills, and equity; exceptions may apply for highly qualified candidates. Additional pay (e.g., shift, on-call, or weekend differentials) and benefits may apply.

About the Role

The Registered Nurse Care Manager plays a critical role in coordinating complex care and supporting infants and families throughout their hospitalization and transition home. Working closely with physicians, nurses, social work, therapy, case management, and other interdisciplinary partners, the Care Manager identifies barriers to care progression, coordinates resources, and helps ensure safe, timely, and well-planned transitions from the hospital to home or the next level of care. NICU Care Managers round with their assigned clinical teams to remain closely connected to patient and family needs.

Responsibilities

• Partner with interdisciplinary teams to assess patient and family needs and identify barriers to care progression.
• Participate in daily rounds and collaborate with the care team to develop and implement individualized plans for transition and discharge.
• Facilitate safe and timely transitions of care for medically complex NICU patients.
• Coordinate home care services, durable medical equipment (DME), supplies, and other resources needed after discharge.
• Assist with coordinating follow-up appointments and connecting families with appropriate community and healthcare resources.
• Advocate for patients and families throughout the hospitalization, ensuring their needs, preferences, and concerns are incorporated into the plan of care.
• Assess family readiness for discharge and identify educational, psychosocial, logistical, or resource needs that may impact a successful transition home.
• Collaborate with families and interdisciplinary partners to develop realistic and achievable discharge plans.
• Optimize resource utilization while maintaining high-quality, patient- and family-centered care.
• Identify potential discharge barriers early and proactively develop solutions with the healthcare team.
• Facilitate communication and coordination across inpatient, outpatient, home care, and community-based services.
• Support continuity of care and help reduce avoidable delays in discharge.
• Provide education and guidance to families regarding available resources and the transition to home.
• Evaluate the timeliness and availability of treatments and services, adjusting level of service according to changing needs.
• Evaluate actual patient outcomes in relation to expected outcomes for the care-managed population; identify quality improvement opportunities and communicate them to leadership with supporting data and evidence-based practice.
• Monitor patient progress toward health goals using Critical Pathways and/or Clinical Guidelines; follow through on diagnostic and treatment tests to ensure continued progression.
• Interact with involved departments and team members to negotiate and expedite scheduling of tests and procedures; document and communicate barriers to the plan of care.
• Serve as the contact person for the multidisciplinary team to manage resource usage and utilization.
• Facilitate communication and coordination between members of the healthcare team across all phases of care, involving the patient, family, and caregivers in decision-making to minimize fragmentation.
• Lead coordination of care, setting priorities and encouraging appropriate and timely use of healthcare services.
• Ensure key components of the plan of care and patient needs are communicated to subsequent care providers to facilitate smooth transitions.
• Demonstrate understanding of legal and regulatory issues (HIPAA, EMTALA, CMS, etc.) impacting care delivery and reimbursement.
• Negotiate and advocate for patient services and resources; provide education regarding post-acute services and community resources.
• Integrate patient safety goals into daily practice based on the patient’s age and population served.
• Implement the agreed-upon plan of care, providing self-management support to high-risk/complex patients and families.
• Utilize collaborative communication to establish working partnerships with patients, families, caregivers, treatment teams, and community resources.
• Educate patients, families, caregivers, and healthcare team members about treatment options.
• Empower patients, families, and caregivers to problem-solve by exploring care options and alternative plans when necessary.
• Encourage appropriate use of healthcare services to improve quality of care and maintain cost-effectiveness.
• Support and facilitate all care transitions from inpatient to outpatient, practice to practice, and from pediatric to adult systems of care.
• Plan with the patient, family, caregivers, and providers to maximize health outcomes and ensure quality, cost-effective care.
• Establish treatment goals that meet the patient’s healthcare and safety needs, integrating patient and family decisions into the planning process.
• Coordinate and document the plan of care, including updates and discussions involving individuals responsible for patient welfare.
• Identify the need for patient/family team meetings, participate in meetings, and document outcomes.
• Proactively identify medical and psychosocial services needed by the patient.
• Reassess and adjust the plan of care according to patient needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) from an ACEN/CCNE accredited program.
• Current Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in the state of Ohio; may be required to obtain other state licensure.
• Minimum of 5 years of professional nursing experience.
• Strong clinical assessment, communication, organization, and care coordination skills.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with patients, families, and interdisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience caring for neonatal or medically complex pediatric patients.
• Experience in care management, case management, discharge planning, or care coordination.
• Experience coordinating home healthcare, DME, and community resources.
• Experience working with interdisciplinary teams in an acute-care setting.

Benefits

Cincinnati Children’s is recognized as:

• A top 10 best Children’s Hospital in the nation by U.S. News & World Report for more than 15 years.
• Among the top 3 Children’s Hospitals for National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding.
• One of America’s Best Large Employers (2025) and America’s Best Employers for New Grads (2025).
• One of the nation’s Most Innovative Companies (Fortune).
• A Leading Disability Employer (National Organization on Disability).
• Magnet® designated for the fourth consecutive time by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC).

The hospital fosters an environment of dignity and respect, empowering teams with tools to work smarter and care better, including responsible use of artificial intelligence. Cincinnati Children’s is committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees, patients, and families.