Clinical Nurse Specialist/Nurse Specialist - Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Madison, Wisconsin
RN
Posted Aug 25 · Not open to new grads
- Shift
- Days
- Unit
- NICU
What the listing says
Role
- Schedule
- Days · 5 a week
- Weekends
- Weekends required
- Term
- Permanent
- On the floor
- Precepting expected
- Setting
- Hospital
- Accepts
- RN
More role details
- Experience
- 3+ years
Ratio not posted. Ask in the interview.
Pay
- Against the board
- Relocation
- Help offered
The median for nursing in Wisconsin is $38/hr, across 352 postings. It covers every nursing role in the state, so it is a bearing, not a like-for-like comparison.
About this role
Work
Schedule
Join our team as a Clinical Nurse Specialist or a Nurse Specialist and bring your neonatal nursing expertise! This unique opportunity is a 100% FTE position scheduled to typically work Monday through Friday, day shift hours, however some off hours or weekends may be required. Hours may vary based on the operational needs of the department. You will primarily work at American Family Children’s Hospital located in Madison, WI.
Be part of something remarkable
Read the full posting
Advance your professional nursing career at the #1 hospital in the state of Wisconsin!
Join our team as a CNS or NS
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS): An APRN with advanced education and specialized clinical expertise who integrates care across direct patient care, nursing practice, and organizational/system levels.
Nurse Specialist (NS): An RN with specialty expertise who serves as a clinical expert, mentor, consultant, and leader in evidence-based practice and quality improvement across patient care, nursing, and organizational settings.
We are seeking a Registered Nurse (RN) to
- Lead evidence-based practice and quality improvement initiatives within American Family Children's Hospital's nationally ranked, Level IV Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, improving outcomes for critically ill newborns and their families.
- Serve as the neonatal clinical expert by mentoring nurses, advancing nursing practice, implementing new technologies, and providing consultation for the care of medically and surgically complex neonates. Three or more years of NICU nursing experience is highly preferred.
- Support one of Wisconsin's highest-acuity NICUs, caring for premature infants and newborns with complex surgical, cardiac, neurologic, genetic, metabolic, and congenital conditions in collaboration with nationally recognized multidisciplinary teams.
- Drive innovation in neonatal care by identifying opportunities to improve care delivery, removing barriers to optimal patient outcomes, participating in research, and leading evidence-based practice change across the NICU.
- Join a nationally recognized neonatal program featuring a 26-bed Level IV NICU and close collaboration with the UW Health Fetal Diagnosis and Treatment Center, providing the highest level of care for newborns requiring advanced medical and surgical interventions.
Collaborate with nursing leadership, physicians, educators, and interdisciplinary teams to advance professional nursing practice, support staff development, and shape the future of neonatal care at UW Health.
At UW Health, you will have
- An excellent benefits package, including health and dental insurance, paid time off, retirement plans, two-week paid parental leave and adoption assistance.
- Options for a variety of schedules and shifts that offer flexibility and allow for work-life balance.
- Access to great resources through the UW Health Employee Wellbeing Department that supports your emotional, financial, and physical well-being.
- Acuity based staffing ratios for optimal safety.
- A strong shared governance structure which assures every nurse has a voice.
- A place where nursing excellence is recognized and celebrated in our inpatient and outpatient settings through several award programs.
- Tuition benefits eligibility - UW Health invests in your professional growth as a nurse by helping pay for coursework associated with career advancement.
- The opportunity to earn a referral bonus for referring friends, former colleagues or others to apply for open, posted positions.
Pay
Pay range is based on a full-time (100%) position.
Salary is prorated based on FTE.
Relocation assistance may be available for qualified applicants.
*This position may be filled as either a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) or Nurse Specialist (NS), based on the candidate's education, licensure, and qualifications. Please note that qualifications have recently been updated.
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Qualifications
Education
Master’s Degree or doctoral degree in Nursing Required
Work Experience
3 years of relevant clinical nursing experience Required
Previous experience as a clinical nurse specialist or other nurse leadership role Preferred
Experience in an academic medical center Preferred
Licenses & Certifications
Licensed as Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the state of Wisconsin Required
Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) certification in areas of specialty or population focus Required
Basic Life Support CPR/BLS certification Required
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification within 6 months Required
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification within 6 months Required
Certification in specialty area of practice Preferred
Nurse Specialist
Qualifications
Education
Bachelor of Science – Nursing (BSN) Required and
Must obtain Master’s degree in Nursing or doctoral degree (DNP) in relevant specialty within five (5) years of start date in the Nurse Specialist title Required
MSN or DNP within six (6) months of start date Preferred
Completion of graduate program for Clinical Nurse Specialist Preferred
Work Experience
3 years of relevant clinical nursing experience Required
Previous experience in a nursing leader role Preferred
Experience in an academic medical center Preferred
Licenses & Certifications
Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Wisconsin or holds a license issued by a jurisdiction that has adopted the nurse licensure compact Required
Basic Life Support CPR/BLS certification Required
Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification within 6 months Required
Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification within 6 months Required
Certification in specialty area of practice Preferred
Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging
UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day. It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin—also a Magnet®-designated facility—provides specialized care in a healing environment designed especially for pediatric patients and their families. American Family Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive pediatric medical and surgical center, with nationally recognized pediatric specialists in a wide range of fields. It is also home to our Level One Pediatric Trauma Center and Level IV NICU, which cares for the tiniest patients throughout Wisconsin and beyond.
Sourced from a public job board.
“Master’s Degree or doctoral degree in Nursing Required Work Experience 3 years of relevant clinical nursing experience Required Previous experience as a clinical nurse specialist or other nurse leadership role Preferred…” · from this posting
Requirements
- Master’s Degree or doctoral degree in Nursing Required
- Work Experience
- 3 years of relevant clinical nursing experience Required
- Previous experience as a clinical nurse specialist or other nurse leadership role Preferred
- Experience in an academic medical center Preferred
- Licensed as Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN) in the state of Wisconsin Required
- Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) certification in areas of specialty or population focus Required
- Basic Life Support CPR/BLS certification Required
- Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) certification within 6 months Required
- Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) certification within 6 months Required
- Certification in specialty area of practice Preferred
- Nurse Specialist
- Bachelor of Science – Nursing (BSN) Required and
- Must obtain Master’s degree in Nursing or doctoral degree (DNP) in relevant specialty within five (5) years of start date in the Nurse Specialist title Required
- MSN or DNP within six (6) months of start date Preferred
- Completion of graduate program for Clinical Nurse Specialist Preferred
- Previous experience in a nursing leader role Preferred
- Licensed as a Registered Nurse (RN) in the state of Wisconsin or holds a license issued by a jurisdiction that has adopted the nurse licensure compact Required
- Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging
- UW Health is committed to fostering a workplace that creates belonging for everyone and is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. Our respect for people shines through patient care interactions and our daily work practices as we work to embrace the knowledge, unique perspectives and qualities each employee and faculty member brings to work each day. It is the policy of UW Health to provide equal opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.
- American Family Children’s Hospital in Madison, Wisconsin—also a Magnet®-designated facility—provides specialized care in a healing environment designed especially for pediatric patients and their families. American Family Children’s Hospital is a comprehensive pediatric medical and surgical center, with nationally recognized pediatric specialists in a wide range of fields. It is also home to our Level One Pediatric Trauma Center and Level IV NICU, which cares for the tiniest patients throughout Wisconsin and beyond.
Place
- City
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Median rent
- $1,413/mo
- Local household income
- $78,050/yr
- Metro price level
- 3% below the national average
rent and tenant-paid utilities · Census ACS 2024
all local households, not nurse pay · Census ACS 2024
Madison area index 97.3, where 100 is the national average.
Madison blends college-town energy with Midwestern warmth, offering a laid-back yet vibrant lifestyle. Wisconsin's capital sits between Lakes Mendota and Monona and is home to the University of Wisconsin. Outdoor recreation, farmers' markets, and a friendly, health-conscious community make it an appealing destination for an RN seeking a welcoming relocation spot.
Cost figures from U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · 2024 metro Regional Price Parities · Census ACS 2024.
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UW Health is the integrated health system affiliated with the University of Wisconsin–Madison, serving more than 867,000 patients each year across the Upper Midwest and beyond. With more than 2,000 physicians and 26,500 dedicated staff, the system provides care through…
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