Registered Nurse - Newborn Special Care Unit

Hawaii Pacific Health

Honolulu, Hawaii

You'll care for newborns up to three months old in the Newborn Special Care Unit, along with their families.

Posted Jul 16

Shift and hours: 12-⁠hour shifts · day or night shifts Work Schedule: Day/Night - 12 Hours
Unit and setting: Newborn Special Care Unit · Hospital The Newborn Special Care Unit provides continuous care to newborns of up to three monthsnewborns up to three months old
License: RN license Current Hawai‘i Registered Nurse License.current Hawai‘i RN license
Term: Permanent FTE: 0.9000000.9 FTE, full time regular

Do you qualify?

License: current Hawai‘i RN license Current Hawai‘i Registered Nurse License.
Certification: AHA BLS and NRP CPR cards Current American Heart Association Health Care Provider Basic Life Support (BLS) and Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) CPR cards.
Experience: 1 year recent acute care RN experience One (1) year recent acute care Registered Nurse experience in a Special Care Nursery (NICU II).
Experience: special care nursery (NICU II) experience

Preferred

Certification: ACLS and PALS CPR cards Current Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatrics Advanced Life Support (PALS) CPR cards.
Education: bachelor's degree in nursing or related field Bachelor’s degree in Nursing or related field.
Experience: more than 2 years recent NICU II experience More than two (2) years recent acute care Registered Nurse experience in a Special Care Nursery (NICU II).

What it pays

Against similar roles: Top of Honolulu staff RN payHonolulu staff RN postings that state pay run $59k/yr to $112k/yr, the middle half $83k/yr to $107k/yr, across 32 postings.
Pay reviews: pay set by knowledge, skills, experience, training and internal peer equity Rate of pay for selected candidates will be determined by various factors including knowledge, skills, abilities, relevant experience and training, as well as internal peer equity.

The role and schedule

Union: Hawaii Nurses Association bargaining unit Bargaining Unit: Hawaii Nurses Association
Charge: associate to a charge nurse, then charge nurse duties You would also function as an associate to a charge nurse, and eventually assume charge nurse responsibilities.
Day to day: support and education for patients and families Support and education are delivered to patients and family in an atmosphere that promotes bonding of the family unit.
Details: 253-bed hospital, about 6,000 births a year With 253 beds, the not-for-profit hospital delivers 6,000 babies a year

The workplace

Hawaii Pacific Health

Health system employer

Hawai'i Pacific Health (HPH) is a not-for-profit healthcare system serving communities across Hawai'i and the Pacific region. Anchored by four medical centers — Kapi'olani, Pali Momi, Straub Benioff, and Wilcox — and more than 70 locations statewide, HPH provides coordinated…

Organization profile Employer website

Ask Mira

Your fit

Questions to ask

Can you walk me through the pay period for the posted $110,594–$147,451 range and differentials?
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?

Build questions for this role

[data-job-fit-skeleton]{display:none}Answer a few questions to see your fit

On your path

NICU / Neonatal Residencies hire in directly, and the unit's level sets the work.

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

Original listing

Read full text

Kapi'olani Medical Center for Women & Children is Hawai'i's only maternity, newborn and pediatric specialty hospital. The Newborn Special Care Unit provides continuous care to newborns of up to three months, including meeting the complex psychosocial needs of both the child and their family. The RN provides nursing services through assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation and documentation of patient care in the NSCU.

Functions as an associate to a charge nurse, eventually assuming charge nurse responsibilities. Work Schedule: Day/Night - 12 Hours. Work Type: Full Time Regular.

FTE: 0.900000. Bargaining Unit: Hawaii Nurses Association. Minimum Qualifications: Current Hawai'i Registered Nurse License, Current AHA BLS and NRP CPR cards, One (1) year recent acute care RN experience in a Special Care Nursery (NICU II). Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in Nursing or related field, ACLS and PALS CPR cards, More than two (2) years recent acute care RN experience in a Special Care Nursery (NICU II).

What's around it?

In Honolulu, HI

Honolulu, HI

Living costs about 10% above the US average

Life in Honolulu, HI

NeighborhoodsYoung professionals and in-town workers often land in Manoa, a green Koʻolau valley about three miles from Downtown with cooler evenings, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa energy, and average one-bedrooms around $1,364 versus $1,788 citywide. Apartments.com also flags Waikiki, Kaimuki, Nuuanu-Punchbowl, and Kakaako as strong renter neighborhoods; Extra Space groups Diamond Head-Kapahulu (families and young professionals), Hawaii Kai (more retiree-oriented), Kaimuki, Kaneohe, and Manoa as safer, relatively affordable Honolulu-area choices. Facebook locals repeatedly name Salt Lake/Aliamanu, Manoa, and Pearl City as safe and convenient. Reddit prefers Kaneohe over pricier Kailua for a sleepier pace and better traffic than commuting from the west side; stretch further to Waipahu (old-Hawaii mix plus Waipio Shopping Center, on H-1), Ewa Beach (actual yards and a less-crowded beach), or Kalihi (closer-in and cheaper, tight-knit, rougher around the edges).

Young professionals and in-town workers often land in Manoa, a green Koʻolau valley about three miles from Downtown with cooler evenings, University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa energy, and average one-bedrooms around $1,364 versus $1,788 citywide. Apartments.com also flags Waikiki, Kaimuki, Nuuanu-Punchbowl, and Kakaako as strong renter neighborhoods; Extra Space groups Diamond Head-Kapahulu (families and young professionals), Hawaii Kai (more retiree-oriented), Kaimuki, Kaneohe, and Manoa as safer, relatively affordable Honolulu-area choices.

Facebook locals repeatedly name Salt Lake/Aliamanu, Manoa, and Pearl City as safe and convenient. Reddit prefers Kaneohe over pricier Kailua for a sleepier pace and better traffic than commuting from the west side; stretch further to Waipahu (old-Hawaii mix plus Waipio Shopping Center, on H-1), Ewa Beach (actual yards and a less-crowded beach), or Kalihi (closer-in and cheaper, tight-knit, rougher around the edges).

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: facebook.com Source 2: extraspace.com Source 3: reddit.com Source 4: livinginhawaii.com Source 5: apartments.com

Getting aroundOahu traffic is the decision locals say can outweigh a cheaper rent; living closer to work is often worth paying more. Manoa is a 10- to 15-minute drive to Downtown, Ala Moana, and Waikiki, with a drivability score of 90 but walkability 40 and transit 30, so most errands still assume a car. Kaneohe is described as having far better traffic than commuting in from the west side, while Waipahu sits on H-1 so getting into town is not terrible. Honolulu’s geography means a rainforest valley and a high-rise waterfront district can be only about 15 minutes apart, but west-side drives remain the daily stress people warn about; sources do not spell out hospital-campus parking or named bus lines to specific medical centers.

Oahu traffic is the decision locals say can outweigh a cheaper rent; living closer to work is often worth paying more. Manoa is a 10- to 15-minute drive to Downtown, Ala Moana, and Waikiki, with a drivability score of 90 but walkability 40 and transit 30, so most errands still assume a car.

Kaneohe is described as having far better traffic than commuting in from the west side, while Waipahu sits on H-1 so getting into town is not terrible. Honolulu’s geography means a rainforest valley and a high-rise waterfront district can be only about 15 minutes apart, but west-side drives remain the daily stress people warn about; sources do not spell out hospital-campus parking or named bus lines to specific medical centers.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: livinginhawaii.com Source 2: apartments.com Source 3: reddit.com

OutdoorsWeekends in Manoa stay close to home on the Mānoa Falls Trail and at the nearly 200-acre Lyon Arboretum at the top of Manoa Road. Island-wide, residents lean on free beaches and hiking: Waikīkī Beach, Kailua Beach Park, Makapuʻu Point, Diamond Head-Kapahulu, and Hawaii Kai, plus Tantalus Lookout for panoramic views. Water life is year-round—snorkeling, scuba, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and world-class surfing—with jagged Koʻolau peaks, waterfalls, reefs, and frequent rainbows as the backdrop. Low-cost outings locals actually mention include Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona (cited at $1 in one community thread), the Dole Plantation, and farmers markets.

Weekends in Manoa stay close to home on the Mānoa Falls Trail and at the nearly 200-acre Lyon Arboretum at the top of Manoa Road. Island-wide, residents lean on free beaches and hiking: Waikīkī Beach, Kailua Beach Park, Makapuʻu Point, Diamond Head-Kapahulu, and Hawaii Kai, plus Tantalus Lookout for panoramic views.

Water life is year-round—snorkeling, scuba, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, and world-class surfing—with jagged Koʻolau peaks, waterfalls, reefs, and frequent rainbows as the backdrop. Low-cost outings locals actually mention include Pearl Harbor and the USS Arizona (cited at $1 in one community thread), the Dole Plantation, and farmers markets.

Sources

As of Sep 11, 2026Source 1: apartments.com Source 2: gohawaii.com Source 3: facebook.com Source 4: facebook.com Source 5: thehonestlocal.com Source 6: extraspace.com

Others hiring in Honolulu, HI

Check licensing in HI

See Honolulu, HI

Moving for this role?

Living in Honolulu

Honolulu packs a full city between the Koʻolau Mountains and the Pacific, so a rainforest valley and a high-rise waterfront can sit fifteen minutes apart. For a nurse, trails, beaches, and a lunch counter can sit close to work—if you accept island prices and Oahu traffic. Manoa is the in-town compromise: a green valley three miles from Downtown, cooler evenings, Manoa Marketplace errands, and Mānoa Falls plus Lyon Arboretum up the road, with one-bedrooms around $1,364 versus a citywide $1,788; expect daily showers. Diamond Head–Kapahulu and Kaimuki draw families and young professionals; Kakaako and Waikiki are renter-heavy; Salt Lake/Aliamanu and Pearl City get called safe and convenient. Stretch west to Waipahu or Ewa Beach for yards, or into Kalihi for poke and lower rent with rougher edges. Kaneohe is sleepier and cheaper than Kailua, with better traffic than the west side. Weather barely moves—about 85°F May–October, 78°F in winter—with localized rain and trade winds. The tradeoff is cost, cultural adjustment, and whether you still want this after year three; paradise is real, but it is not a vacation.

AI area guide

Sources

As of 2026Source 1: apartments.com Source 2: extraspace.com Source 3: livinginhawaii.com Source 4: thehonestlocal.com Source 5: dwellhawaii.com Source 6: facebook.com Source 7: reddit.com Source 8: gohawaii.com

Compare living costs Plan your license move Explore this area

Nurses on this role

Help improve this pageShare what it’s like, leave a heads-up, or fix a detail.

What would you like to do?

What was it really like?

Your connectionWould you recommend it?Your role (optional)Unit (optional)

Add ratings or a short headline

Short headline (optional)StaffingManagementSchedulingOrientationCultureTime there (optional)

I understand that, after review, Nursing Mastery may publish this anonymously.

A person reviews every submission before anything changes.