Inpatient RN NICU

UW Health

Rockford, Illinois

UW Health is an academic medical center.

Eligibility: Sign-on bonus

Posted Oct 27

Shift and hours: Nights
Unit and setting: NICU
License: RN licenseCurrent RN licensure to practice in the State of Illinois.

Do you qualify?

License: Current RN licensure to practice in the State of Illinois. Check your license
Certification: Basic Life Support/CPR Certification.
Certification: NRP by end of orientation.
Certification: STABLE certification within 1 year.
Certification: RNC certification within 3 years of hire.
Education: Must provide copy of HS diploma or equivalent, or highest level of completed degree obtained.
Education: Graduate from an accredited school of nursing program.
Education: ADN Job Description
Education: BSN Job Description
Education: MSN Job Description
Experience: No minimum experience required.
Also asks: Our Commitment to Social Impact and Belonging
Also asks: UW Northern Illinois benefits

What it pays

Against similar roles: Rockford staff RN median is $36/hrRockford staff RN postings that state pay run $31/hr to $39/hr, the middle half $35/hr to $38/hr, across 99 postings. This posting's $39/hr to $66/hr is wider than that, so where you land depends on the offer.
Sign-on bonus: $15,000

Support on this unit

The posting does not state the assignment size, and nothing published names it for this unit.

rn_hours_per_patient_day: 22.8 hours_per_patient_day Total RN Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NICU) 2025: 22.80 hoursNICU unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
total_nursing_hours_per_patient_day: 22.82 hours_per_patient_day Total Nursing Hours per Patient Day (NICU) 2025: 22.82 hoursNICU unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
contract_rn_hours_share: 9.18 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Contractual RNs (NICU) 2025: 9.18 %NICU unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
employed_rn_hours_share: 90.82 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Hospital Employed RNs (NICU) 2025: 90.82 %NICU unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_hours_per_patient_day: 7.07 hours_per_patient_day Total RN Nursing Hours per Patient Day (Medical-Surgical) 2025: 7.07 hoursMedical-Surgical unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_hours_per_patient_day: 15.83 hours_per_patient_day Total RN Nursing Hours per Patient Day (Critical Care) 2025: 15.83 hoursCritical Care unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_hours_per_patient_day: 12.99 hours_per_patient_day Total RN Nursing Hours per Patient Day (Mother/Baby) 2025: 12.99 hoursMother/Baby unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
total_nursing_hours_per_patient_day: 9.51 hours_per_patient_day Total Nursing Hours per Patient Day (Medical-Surgical) 2025: 9.51 hoursMedical-Surgical unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
total_nursing_hours_per_patient_day: 16.82 hours_per_patient_day Total Nursing Hours per Patient Day (Critical Care) 2025: 16.82 hoursCritical Care unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
total_nursing_hours_per_patient_day: 13.11 hours_per_patient_day Total Nursing Hours per Patient Day (Mother/Baby) 2025: 13.11 hoursMother/Baby unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
contract_rn_hours_share: 20.91 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Contractual RNs (Medical-Surgical) 2025: 20.91 %Medical-Surgical unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
contract_rn_hours_share: 4.73 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Contractual RNs (Critical Care) 2025: 4.73 %Critical Care unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
contract_rn_hours_share: 0.2 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Contractual RNs (Mother/Baby) 2025: 0.20 %Mother/Baby unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
employed_rn_hours_share: 79.09 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Hospital Employed RNs (Medical-Surgical) 2025: 79.09 %Medical-Surgical unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
employed_rn_hours_share: 95.27 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Hospital Employed RNs (Critical Care) 2025: 95.27 %Critical Care unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
employed_rn_hours_share: 99.8 percent Percentage of Nursing Hours Worked by Hospital Employed RNs (Mother/Baby) 2025: 99.80 %Mother/Baby unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_turnover_rate: 19.05 percent RN Turnover Rate in the Medical-Surgical Unit 2025: 19.05 %Medical-Surgical unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_turnover_rate: 7.5 percent RN Turnover Rate in the Critical Care Unit 2025: 7.50 %Critical Care unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_turnover_rate: 8.41 percent RN Turnover Rate in the Mother/Baby Unit 2025: 8.41 %Mother/Baby unit, 2025, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_vacancy_rate: 14.4 percent RN Vacancy Rate in the Medical-Surgical Unit 2026: 14.40 %Medical-Surgical unit, 2026, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_vacancy_rate: 2.6 percent RN Vacancy Rate in the Critical Care Unit 2026: 2.60 %Critical Care unit, 2026, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)
rn_vacancy_rate: 6.8 percent RN Vacancy Rate in the Mother/Baby Unit 2026: 6.80 %Mother/Baby unit, 2026, Illinois Hospital Report Card (IDPH)

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Your fit

Questions to ask

Can you walk me through sign-on bonus repayment terms?
What should I expect for weekly hours, weekend, holiday, call, and rotation?
What orientation, preceptor time, and ongoing unit support are included?
How are patient load, floating, and staffing support handled day to day?

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On your path

NICU / Neonatal is open from year one. Residencies hire in directly, and the unit's level sets the work.

See your route →Check first: New-grad residency fine print

Original listing

Posted on UW Health’s careers page.

Read full text

Work Schedule

90% FTE, 7:00pm-7:30am, you will work at UW Health Swedish American Hospital 1401 E State St. You may be eligible for up to a $15,000 sign on bonus. Additional components of compensation include impressive

shift differentials - $4/ hr evening, $5 hr night, and $4.25/ hr weekend
shift differential as applicable for hours worked.

Additional components of compensation may include overtime and on-call pay.

At UW Health in northern Illinois, you will have

Competitive pay and comprehensive benefits package including: PTO, Medical, Dental, Vision, retirement, short and long-term disability, paternity leave, adoption assistance, tuition assistance
Annual wellness reimbursement
Opportunity for on-site day care through UW Health Kids
Tuition reimbursement for career advancement--ask about our fully funded programs!
Abundant career growth opportunities to nurture professional development
Strong shared governance structure
Commitment to employee voice

Qualifications Graduate from an accredited school of nursing program. Required Must provide copy of HS diploma or equivalent, or highest level of completed degree obtained. Required Work Experience No minimum experience required.

Licenses & Certifications Current RN licensure to practice in the State of Illinois. Required Basic Life Support/CPR Certification. Required NRP by end of orientation.

Required STABLE certification within 1 year. Required RNC certification within 3 years of hire. 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. ADN Job Description BSN Job Description MSN Job Description UW Northern Illinois benefits

What's around it?

In Rockford, IL

Rockford, ILFrom Census ACS 2024.

Living costs about 8% below the US average

Median rent: $985/mo
Household income: $54,752/yr, all local households, not nurse pay

Life in Rockford, IL

NeighborhoodsLocals map the city on an east-side hierarchy: east of Mulford is treated as the best in-city pocket, east of Alpine as merely okay, and east of the Rock River as the least desirable. Many nurses and families skip city proper altogether for Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago—named as nice communities within 30 minutes or less of Rockford—plus Machesney Park and Cherry Valley as family-oriented suburban alternatives. Those towns function as short-drive bedroom communities rather than a long metro commute.

Locals map the city on an east-side hierarchy: east of Mulford is treated as the best in-city pocket, east of Alpine as merely okay, and east of the Rock River as the least desirable. Many nurses and families skip city proper altogether for Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago—named as nice communities within 30 minutes or less of Rockford—plus Machesney Park and Cherry Valley as family-oriented suburban alternatives.

Those towns function as short-drive bedroom communities rather than a long metro commute.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: facebook.com Source 2: reddit.com

Getting aroundThe average commute in Rockford is about 17.29 minutes, and daily life is car-dependent rather than transit-based, oriented around Interstate 90 and US Route 20. Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago are routinely described as 30 minutes or less from the city, which is how many professionals trade a short drive for quieter towns. Sources do not detail hospital-campus parking, shift-change traffic, or named bus lines to the main medical campuses.

The average commute in Rockford is about 17.29 minutes, and daily life is car-dependent rather than transit-based, oriented around Interstate 90 and US Route 20. Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Stillman Valley, and Winnebago are routinely described as 30 minutes or less from the city, which is how many professionals trade a short drive for quieter towns. Sources do not detail hospital-campus parking, shift-change traffic, or named bus lines to the main medical campuses.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: realestate.usnews.com Source 2: reddit.com Source 3: theurbanlivingguide.com

OutdoorsAnderson Japanese Gardens is a 12-acre oasis often described as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America, minutes from Midway Village. Rock Cut State Park, just northeast of the city, is the default for hiking, boating, camping, and wildlife; smaller favorites include Rotary Forest Preserve, Sinnissippi Park, and the Sinnissippi Riverwalk along the Rock River, plus Klehm Arboretum. Summer means Volcano Falls; fall means regional apple orchards with festive activities.

Anderson Japanese Gardens is a 12-acre oasis often described as one of the most authentic Japanese gardens in North America, minutes from Midway Village. Rock Cut State Park, just northeast of the city, is the default for hiking, boating, camping, and wildlife; smaller favorites include Rotary Forest Preserve, Sinnissippi Park, and the Sinnissippi Riverwalk along the Rock River, plus Klehm Arboretum.

Summer means Volcano Falls; fall means regional apple orchards with festive activities.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: midwayvillage.com Source 2: redfin.com Source 3: reddit.com Source 4: facebook.com Source 5: theurbanlivingguide.com

Others hiring in Rockford, IL

Check licensing in IL

See Rockford, IL

Moving for this role?

Living in Rockford

Rockford, the Forest City on the Rock River, is a manufacturing-rooted midsize Illinois city where an $80k-$150k nursing salary stretches unusually far: median homes sit around $135,000-$136,785, rents are commonly cited near $778, and monthly housing for a single adult is sketched at $810-$1,180. What is distinct is the combination of that price, a roughly 17-minute average commute, and serious outdoor and cultural inventory—Anderson Japanese Gardens, Rock Cut State Park, Sinnissippi Riverwalk, the 1920s Coronado Performing Arts Center, Burpee Museum's Jane the T. rex, and Discovery Center. Locals are blunt about geography: live east of Mulford if you stay in the city; otherwise look at Roscoe, Rockton, Cherry Valley, Machesney Park, Byron, Stillman Valley, or Winnebago, all within about 30 minutes. Tradeoffs are real. Crime comes up constantly, shopping is mostly CherryVale Mall and strip centers, winters are sub-freezing and heat-expensive, and daily life is car-dependent via Interstate 90 and US Route 20. Dining has named keepers—Lucha, Embassy rooftop, Woodfire—plus downtown's Rockford City Market. For a nurse, the pitch is purchasing power and short drives, not nightlife density or urban polish.

AI area guide

Sources

As of 2026Source 1: realestate.usnews.com Source 2: theurbanlivingguide.com Source 3: facebook.com Source 4: reddit.com Source 5: midwayvillage.com Source 6: redfin.com Source 7: facebook.com Source 8: facebook.com

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What it pays

Support on this unit

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Questions to ask

On your path

Original listing

Work Schedule

At UW Health in northern Illinois, you will have

What's around it?

Rockford, ILiFrom Census ACS 2024.

Life in Rockford, IL

Moving for this role?

Nurses on this role

Nurses on this role

Life in Rockford, IL

Moving for this role?

Nurses on this role

Rockford, ILFrom Census ACS 2024.