Neonatal Nurse

Job Purpose

The Neonatal Nurse provides safe, high-quality, evidence-based nursing care to newborns, including preterm and ill neonates requiring specialized care. Working within a multidisciplinary maternal and newborn health team, the nurse is responsible for comprehensive assessment, monitoring, and management of neonatal conditions, including stabilization, thermoregulation, feeding support, and early detection of complications. The position also contributes to clinical teaching, mentorship of nursing staff and students, and continuous quality improvement to ensure patient safety and adherence to neonatal care standards and protocols.

Specific Responsibilities:

Clinical nursing care

• Develop, implement, and evaluate neonatal nursing care plans in collaboration with the maternal and newborn health and multidisciplinary team.
• Conduct comprehensive neonatal assessments upon admission and throughout care, ensuring early identification of risks, complications, and care needs, including maternal history review.
• Monitor neonatal vital signs and clinical parameters, responding promptly to any deterioration and escalating concerns to the neonatal or medical team
• Assist healthcare providers during neonatalogy procedures and interventions, ensuring aseptic technique and patient safety in the neonatal unit.
• Provide safe and effective neonatal care, including thermoregulation, feeding support, infection prevention, respiratory support monitoring, and management of common neonatal conditions.
• Educate mothers and families on newborn care practices, danger signs, feeding, hygiene, and discharge care instructions to promote continuity of care at home
• Ensure accurate, timely, and complete neonatal documentation, including nursing records, monitoring charts, and care plans in line with hospital standards and protocols.

Patient Safety & Quality Improvement

• Participate in neonatal adverse event reporting and root cause analysis processes in compliance with hospital patient safety and neonatal care quality standards.
• Contribute to neonatal unit continuous quality improvement initiatives, including neonatal mortality and morbidity reviews, infection prevention audits, and newborn outcome monitoring.
• Adhere to Rwanda Hospital Accreditation Standards and support neonatal unit preparedness for accreditation assessments and compliance with newborn care safety standards.
• Ensure proper use, sterilization (where applicable), maintenance, and inventory management of neonatal equipment, consumables, and supplies (e.g., incubators, radiant warmers, oxygen delivery devices); report any deficiencies to the unit in charge.
• Report neonatal incidents, adverse events, and near misses promptly in line with hospital policies and neonatal safety reporting systems.

Teaching, Mentorship & Professional Development

• Mentor and support orientation of new staff and students during clinical rotations on the ward.
• Participate in ward-based in-service training, case presentations, and nursing grand rounds.
• Engage in continuing professional development (CPD) activities and apply new knowledge to clinical practice.
• Support the implementation of evidence-based nursing practice guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

Collaboration & Communication

• Participate actively in daily team rounds, handover reports, and care coordination meetings.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families, and team members, maintaining dignity, confidentiality, and cultural sensitivity.

Required Qualifications

• Master of science in Neonatal Nursing with a valid nursing license of practing in Rwanda 
  Minimum of 5 years of clinical nursing experience in Neonatal nursing in a hospital setting; experience in a teaching or referral hospital is an added value.
• Demonstrated experience in clinical teaching, mentorship, and supervision of nursing staff and students in the operating theatre environment.
• Familiarity with Rwanda national clinical protocols, infection prevention and control (IPC) standards, and surgical safety checklist systems.
• Strong clinical assessment, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in perioperative patient management.
• Proficiency in basic computer skills and willingness to use electronic medical record and theatre documentation systems.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary surgical and anesthesia team.
• Ability to support basic data collection, quality improvement tracking, and perioperative outcome analysis.
• Fluent in English and Kinyarwanda; knowledge of French is an advantage.
• Ability to live PIH/IMB values: Ubumuntu-Compassion, Ubupfura-Integrity, Ubunyangamugayo-Honesty, Ubwubahane-Mutual respect, Ubufatanye-Solidarity, Agaciro-Dignity, Kugira ishyaka-Determination.
• At Partners In Health, we are committed to ensuring that those who benefit from our work- including our patients, families and community members – as well as our staff are treated with dignity and respect and protected from sexual exploitation, abuse and sexual harassment. By signing this Job Description, the employee confirms their understanding of this commitment, their readiness to follow it, and adhere to it.