What do neonatal nurses major in
Newborns may be cared for in facilities with lower levels of care until they stabilize. NICUs utilize nurses with varied skill sets. Some babies have matured to the point where they breathe well but need support feeding. This may be less surprising when one considers that decades ago, it was believed that all mothers and babies needed fairly lengthy hospital stays.
The once ubiquitous Level I unit — a nursery for healthy babies — is no longer common. Neonatal nursing units require experienced, adept nurses. However, they utilize some new grads as well. Some premier hospitals offer residencies to new graduates. They often require the BSN. These residencies can be competitive in other ways. They may value high GPA, prior experience working with a similar age group, and other honors or areas of service.
Whether or not NICU residency is offered at a particular time may depend on the needs of the facility. Sometimes talented students even get some experience in before graduation.
Neonatal nurses at some facilities participate on flight or ground transport teams. They care for infants who are en route to facilities that have NICUs at the appropriate level.
Some experienced nurses have, as their primary duty, critical care transport. Flight nurses may also care for older infants and children. Some neonatal nurses contribute to the profession through their ideas. Major facilities may have committees such as parent advisory and developmental care. There are also options for furthering your career in the neonatal field though furthering your education and attaining different certifications. The first step to becoming a neonatal nurse is to become an RN.
Having your BSN will prepare you more for the exam and can help you move up in the nursing community. As a RN, you are going to need to work in a hospital, specifically one with a neonatal intensive care unit NICU in order to gain experience.
NANN recommends you work at this level for at least two years to gain the hands-on skills neonatal nurses need to care for infants. These programs will help you learn how to save the lives of at-risk pre-term and full-term babies and give them the care they require.
You will also learn how to help families during this stressful time. Whichever program you choose to pursue should have course curriculum that cover embryology, neonatal physiology, and neonatal pharmacology. The recommended units to gain experience in are: pediatric nursing, maternal-child nursing, well baby nursing, and labor and delivery nursing. These certifications are not required but will prove to employers that you possess the experience and knowledge to provide care for your patients.
A BSN curriculum typically involves more writing , giving students a chance to hone their communication skills. The last two years of a BSN program focus on nursing techniques, theory, and ethics. Learners also gain hands-on practice by participating in clinical and laboratory courses. Some schools also offer specialization courses within BSN programs, so interested students can begin learning about neonatal nursing. After graduation, nurses interested in a neonatal nursing career often start out in a general pediatrics unit and work their way up.
However, many hospitals offer a new graduate nursing residency in neonatal nursing, which allows a new graduate to gain paid work experience and additional education on how to care for critically ill infants. In order to practice, RN candidates must obtain state licensure. The exam evaluates basic nursing skills, including health promotion and maintenance, safety and infection control, physiological adaptation, and psychosocial integrity.
Interested individuals must possess an active RN license, 24 months of specialty experience as an RN, and a passing score on a qualifying exam to obtain the credential. The certification rules consider a minimum of 2, hours in direct patient care, education, administration, or research to count toward the experience requirement. To qualify for this credential, applicants must possess 1,, hours in direct care of acutely or critically ill neonatal patients.
This certification also requires a proctored exam evaluating test-takers' knowledge of neonatal care. You can learn more about the salary outlook for NICU nurses with this resource. Salary and employment trends vary by several factors, including location and specialization if applicable. Industry can also play a significant role in determining nursing employment rates and salaries.
The top-employing industries for RNs include general medical and surgical hospitals, physicians' offices, home healthcare services, nursing care facilities, and outpatient care centers. The top-paying industries for RNs differ significantly. However, the industry only employs RNs.