HEATHER FITCH

NNP Responsibilities in both Level IV NICU (60 beds) and Maternity Tower NICU (45 beds):

• Assess, evaluate, and care for neonate and pediatric patients under physician supervision.
• Coordinate care for critically ill neonates, collaborating with specialists and advocating for necessary medical interventions.
• Performs advanced procedures such as intubation, central line placements, and lumbar punctures
• Manages ventilator support and prescribes and adjusts medications while closely monitoring for therapeutic effectiveness and potential adverse effects.
• Optimize patient outcomes by staying current with advances in neonatology research and integrating findings into practice.
• Reduce hospital readmission rates by providing thorough discharge education and follow-up support to families of high-risk neonates.
• Provide compassionate end-of-life care for terminally ill infants, supporting families through the bereavement process.

• Deliver highly skilled nursing care to critically ill neonates
• Assess and observe symptoms and behaviors to determine priorities of nursing care.
• Provide assistance to physicians in procedures and treatments
• Maintain fully updated and concise records and reports on a regular basis
• Collect and safely handle specimens and blood samples
• Properly administer medications and treatments based off clinical assessment and physician orders
• Assist in the maintenance of a clean and safe professional environment
• Collaborate and establish rapport with families to better care for neonates

• Provide care and support to patients before, during, and after surgery
• Assist the surgeon and the surgical team in their tasks, and serves as the communication liaison to family and members of the operating team
• Responsible for taking, assessing, and monitors patients’ vital signs
• Administer and records prescribed medications, and reports adverse effects
• Respond to life-saving situations based upon nursing standards and protocol
• Assists in positioning of the patient and providing accurate care and handling of specimens
• Observes and enforces strict standards of asepsis
• Selects and handles instruments and supplies used for the operation and passing them to surgeon
• Preceptor and mentor to new staff members

• Responsible for cleaning and sterilizing surgical instruments for procedures in the OR and other departments in the hospital
• Perform inventory of all the surgical instrument sets and ensure that instruments and other supplies are available to meet the needs of the doctors, nurses, surgical technicians, and surgeons
• Communicate directly with surgeons prior to each procedure to ensure correct instrumentation and supplies are provided on their case cart
• Perform biological testing on all steam autoclaves, plasma, and ETO sterilizers
• Maintained a safe work environment by strictly adhering to established safety protocols and guidelines.