NICU CHECKLIST
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Job Description: Neonatal Intensive Care Registered Nurse
Provides professional nursing care for assigned patients in the neonatal intensive care unit. Performs assessments, evaluation and documents the nursing process as needed. Education requires a minimum of an associate's degree and is licensed as a registered nurse with at least 2 years of clinical experience. Must be familiar with standard concepts, practices, and procedures within the critical care nursing field as it applies to neonatal care. Performs a variety of tasks and demonstrates critical thinking skills and scientific judgment. Works under general supervision; typically reports to a supervisor and/or manager. A certain degree of creativity and latitude is required.
KEY: For each criteria
Score 1: Two plus years Expert Experience
Score 2: One-Two Years Current Experience
Score 3: Less than one year or Intermittent Experience
Score 4: Theory, no experience

CRITERIA SCORE
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A. Neurological
1. Assessment 
a. Intracranial pressure monitoring
b. Neurological status
2. Care of the neonate with 
a. Brain death/organ procurement
b. Externalized VP shunt/reservoirs
c. Increased intracranial pressure
d. Seizures
3. Medication 
1. Anticonvulsant
B. PULMONARY
1. Assessment 
a. Breath sounds
b. Rate and work of breathing
2. Interpretation of lab results 
a. Blood gases
b. Interpretation of x-ray reports
3. Equipment & procedures 
a. Airway management 
         - Assist with intubation
         - Bulb syringe
         - CPAP (nasal prongs)
         - Endotracheal tube stabilization
b. Endotracheal tube suctioning 
         - In-line suction
         - Open ET catheter suction
         - Extubation
         - Intubation
         - Nasal airway/suctioning
         - Oral airway/suctioning
         - Tracheostomy/suctioning
c. Apnea monitor
d. Cardiac resuscitation
e. Chest tube (assist with) 
         - Insertion
         - Removal
         - Set-up
f. O2 therapy delivery systems 
         - Bag (anesthesia) & mask
         - Bag (self-inflating) & mask
         - Nasal cannula
         - Nebulizer
         - Oxyhood
         - Tent
         - Trach collar
g. Obtaining blood gases 
         - Arterial
         - Heelstick
         - Peripheral
         - Umbilical line
h. Thoracentesis
i. Use of artificial surfactant
j. Ventilator care 
         - CPAP/PEEP
         - High frequency jet ventilator
         - Home ventilator
         - IMV
         - Oscillating
         - Pressure ventilator
         - Volume ventilator
         - Weaning
4. Care of Neonate with 
a. Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)
b. Cardiogenic/hypovolemic shock
c. Diabetes mellitus
d. Diaphragmatic hernia
e. Drug addiction/withdrawl
f. Fresh tracheostomy
g. Meconium aspiration
h. Persistant pulmonary hypertension (PPHN)
i. Pneumothorax
j. Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)
k. Systemic infection
l. Respiratory failure
m. Tetralogy of Fallot
5. Medications 
a. Aminophylline
b. Prostaglandin
C. CARDIOVASCULAR
1. Assessment 
a. Auscultation (rate, rhythm, volume)
b. Blood pressure/invasive (arterial line)
c. Blood pressure/non- invasive
d. Heart sounds/murmurs
e. Perfusion
f. Pulses
2. Equipment & procedures 
a. EKG interpretation
b. Defibrillation/cardioversion
c. Invasive hemodynamic monitoring
d. Central venous pressure
3. Care of neonate with: 
a. Cardiac arrest
b. Congenital heart disease/defects
c. Hemodynamic instability
d. Hypovolemic shock
e. Post cardiac surgery
f. Post interventional cardiac cath
4. Medications 
a. Dobutamine
b. Dopamine
c. Epinephrine
d. Nipride
e. Sodium bicarbonate
D. PHLEBOTOMY/IV THERAPY
1. Equipment & procedures 
a. Administration of blood products 
         - Cryoprecipitate
         - Packed red blood cells
         - Plasma/albumin
         - Whole blood
b. Delivery systems 
         - IV pump
         - Syringe pump
c. Drawing blood from central line
d. Drawing venous blood
e. Hyperalimentation/TPN
f. Intralipid
g. Managing IV therapy 
         - Discontinuing
         - Dressing & tubing change
         - Rate calculation
         - Site & patency assessment
h. Starting IVs 
         - Angiocath
         - Butterfly
         - Heparin lock
2. Care of the neonate with 
a. Central line/catheter/dressing 
         - Broviac
         - Groshong
         - Hickman
         - Portacath
         - Quinton
b. Percutaneous arterial line
c. Percutaneous venous line
d. Peripheral line/dressing
e. PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter)
f. Umbilical artery line
g. Umbilical venous line
E. INFECTIOUS DISEASES
1. Interpretation of lab results 
a. CBC/differential
b. Culture reports
c. Maternal lab results
2. Equipment & procedures 
a. Assist with lumbar puncture
b. Collect culture specimens
c. Isolation techniques
d. Standard (universal) precautions
3. Care of neonate with 
a. Hepatitis surface antigen+ mother
b. HIV positive mother
c. neonatal sepsis
4. Medications - Immunizations 
a. HBIG
b. HBV
c. HIB
d. Polio
e. DPT
f. RespiGam/synergis prophylaxis
F. ENDOCRINE/METABOLIC
1. Assessment 
a. Finnegan
b. Fluid & electrolyte balance
2. Interpretation of lab results 
a. Bilirubin
b. Test urine and interpret 
         - Glucose
         - Labstix
         - Occult blood
         - pH
         - Specific gravity
3. Equipment & procedures 
a. Collection of urine specimens 
         - Assist with supra pubic tap
         - Catheter
         - Diaper/bag
b. Phototherapy for jaundice
c. Post circumcision care
4. Care of Neonate with 
a. Acute renal failure
b. DIC (disseminated intra vascular coagulation)
c. Disorders of internal/external organs
d. Drug addiction/withdrawl
e. Hypo/hyperkalemia
f. Hypo/hypernatremia
g. IDM (infant of a diabetic mother) 
         - Hyperglycemia
         - Hypoglycemia
h. Malformations of the GU tract, kidney
i. Peritoneal dialysis
G. GASTROINTESTINAL
1. Assessment 
a. Abdominal girth
b. Bowel sounds
c. Palate
d. Suck/swallow
2. Equipment & procedures 
a. Care of gastrostomy tube
b. Feedings 
         - Assist with breast feeding
         - Bottle
         - Breat milk handling/storage
         - Gavage
c. Hospital grade breast pump
d. Placement of intestinal tubes 
         - jejunal gastro
         - Nasogastric/orogastric
e. Test for occult blood
3. Care of neonate with: 
a. Cleft palate
b. Colostomy/ileostomy
c. Gastroschisis/omphalocele
d. GI bleeding
e. Inguinal hernia
f. Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
g. Post abdominal surgery
h. Reflux precautions
i. Tracheoesophageal fistula (TEF)
H. MISCELLANEOUS
1. Assessment 
a. Apgar scoring
b. Eye exam (r/o retinopathy)
c. Gestational age 
         - Ballard
         - Dubowitz
         - Other (specify)
d. Maternal history