Take Classes During The Summer Or Semester Breaks
Many programs will offer general education courses or even some non-clinical nursing courses such as research, informatics, or ethics, during the summer months. Take advantage of the time off and take advantage of class offerings. This may help you graduate a little earlier or at least lighten your course load during the upcoming semesters.
Six What Are The Continuing Education Requirements For Postpartum Nurses
Postpartum nurses are Registered Nurses, and so are subject to the continuing education requirements of the states in which they work and are licensed.
If a postpartum nurse chooses to pursue either a Maternal Newborn Nursing certification or Electronic Fetal Monitoring certification, those credentials are valid for three years.
Maintenance of these certifications requires a current, active Registered Nurse license, completion of the Continuing Competency Assessment, and a continuing education plan based upon the results of your assessment.
What Are Some Duties Of A Neonatal Nurse
Apart from providing direct patient care for babies, they help with feeding them, monitoring their health, collaborating with the pediatric department, and communicating with the families who may be scared or anxious.They must also be physically stable because their jobs require some measure of stress.
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How Much Do Neonatal Nurses Make
How much a NICU nurse makes depends on the level of education, experience, and location. Neonatal RNs and certified critical care NICU nurses earn a $77,600 annual median salary, and NICU-NPs earn $120,680. There is also a significant difference in salaries between nurses with a BSN versus an MSN.
Some parts of the U.S. may also pay higher than others. For example, RNs and NICU-NPs earn more than the national average in the following states:
RNs
S To Becoming A Neonatal Nurse
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What I Love About Being A Nicu Nurse
“As a NICU Nurse, I have always had a deep awareness of how my actions deeply touch the experiences of mothers in a very vulnerable time of their lives. I strive every day to be a light of trust, knowledge, and hope to mothers with babies in intensive care.”
Listen to Nurse Tori on the Ask Nurse Alice Podcast “ALL ABOUT NICU NURSING: why Nurse Tori became a NICU nurse” now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all podcasting platforms.
According to the National Association of Neonatal Nurses , there are approximately 40,000 low-birth-weight infants born each year in the United States. Thanks to advances in medicine, highly skilled NICU nurses, and other healthcare professionals, survival rates are improving. In fact the survival rate is now 10 times better than it was 15 years ago.
Experience Requirements For Neonatal Nurses
A neonatal nurse must hold licensure as a registered nurse. Technically, a nurse with an associate degree, RN licensure, and no additional experience could find work in a NICU. Most hospitals, however, only hire highly educated, experienced nurses for these positions.
In general, a NICU nurse’s resume should include a bachelor’s degree and at least two years of nursing experience, preferably in pediatrics. Neonatal nurse certificates often require two years of experience before nurses can apply to take the exams.
Some hospitals may give preference to nurse practitioners over registered nurses when hiring for neonatal nursing roles. These professionals have earned a master’s degree or doctorate in nursing, hold several years of experience, and have passed an additional licensure exam.
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Gain Sufficient Nursing Experience
If you intend to specialise in neonatal nursing, try to gain experience and knowledge in this area as early as possible. For example, experience in handling family bereavements or discussing a serious diagnosis is useful for this role. Understanding key issues for new mothers is also vital, such as teaching them how to breastfeed.
After around six months of field experience, you get the chance to work through professional development opportunities that are specific to neonatal nursing. This usually involves specific training modules that cover the various specialisms of neonatal nursing. These modules are usually set up by universities or colleges in partnership with your employer. You may be able to complete these modules online or through distance learning.
Nicu Nurses What Is The Difference Between A Nicu Nurse And An Icu Nurse
Both NICU Nurses and ICU Nurses handle critically ill patients. However, a neonatal intensive care unit nurse specializes in caring for premature or sick newborns.
ICU nurses specifically care for critically ill adult patients. ICUs are often inadequate for handling newborns in need of critical care and treatment.
NICU Nurses What Positions Can You Progress to From Being a NICU Nurse?
Neonatal nursing provides many opportunities to advance your career. You can pursue a doctor of nursing practice degree or a master of science in nursing to manage leadership roles in the NICU.
You can also pursue advanced roles in the NICU, such as:
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Level One: Well Newborn Nursery
These well baby units are equipped to provide neonatal resuscitation for all deliveries and can also provide postnatal care to healthy newborn infants. They generally assist infants born after 35 weeks and the units are staffed with pediatricians and family physicians.
Neonatal nurse practitioners rarely work in these facilities as the demand for their skills is limited.
What Do Neonatal Nurses Do
Neonatal nurses care for premature and fragile neonates, usually in hospitals. While the word neonatal itself refers to the first few weeks of a babys life, neonatal nurses often care for babies long after, depending on the severity of an infants condition and response to treatment. Longer NICU stays may be due to the degree of prematurity, sepsis, profound congenital disabilities, and cardiac issues. Neonates requiring care are admitted to the NICU immediately after birth. In most facilities, neonates who return to the hospital after discharge will go to a pediatric unit if care is required.
The neonatal population is often categorized by levels of acuity and care needs within the NICU, as some neonatal patients have a much greater need for treatment and oversight than others. Roles in these facilities represent some of the most sought-after positions in the field.
The levels of neonatal nursing care and responsibilities include:
A typical neonatal nurses day might be spent administering medication, feeding neonates, and educating new mothers. As with any nursing career, the neonatal nurse experiences emergencies and must perform life-saving measures.
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What Educational Path Did You Take To Become A Neonatal Nurse
My educational path began with a BSN from Goshen College. There was a woman that had mentored me in high school and as a diploma prepared nurse, she was adamant about the need to go to college and obtain a bachelor’s level education. She was definitely before her time in realizing the trend of further education in the nursing profession. I worked as a registered nurse for about seven years , before attending Georgetown University Medical Center for my neonatal nurse practitioner certification. I completed my masters of nursing at SUNY Stonybrook. I worked as an NNP for ten years and then transitioned into academia as a faculty member of the BSN program at Cedarville University.
Education Requirements For Nursery Nurses
Most nursery nurses earn a bachelors in nursing and then become certified as registered nurses. However, it is also possible for a professional to earn an RN license through an associate degree program.
Whether you choose to pursue a four-year or two-year educational program, it can be helpful to earn additional certifications in neonatal care. This can allow you to gain expertise and may give you an advantage in the job application process.
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What Degree Do You Need To Be A Neonatal Nurse
Becoming a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner requires a significant level of education and training. It also requires substantial experience working in pediatrics and neonatal care.
The entry-level requirements for a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner may vary depending on location, but you must earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree at a minimum.
It is a lot of work, but the dedication will pay off in the end, as Neonatal Nurses rank among the best-paying nursing jobs in the US.
Here are the steps required to become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner:
Day In The Life Of A Neonatal Nicu Nurse
A day in the life of a NICU nurse is demanding and can range from basic newborn care to monitoring seriously ill patients. NICU units operate 24/7, so most nurses work 12-hour shifts, which include some nights and weekends. Most large private and public hospitals have a NICU, while smaller facilities or medical centers may not have a full department or any at all.
NICU nurses will at times have more downtime than a typical bedside nurse. Because sleep and rest are so important to growth in the neonatal population, nurses working in the NICU will generally provide hands-on care to patients every three to four hours and monitor in between.
NICU Levels of Care
Generally speaking, working in a NICU is considered level three nursing care .
NICU nurses monitor the vital signs of the more seriously ill or premature infants day and night to make sure they are breathing and developing properly. They also administer medications, record the newborns progress and recovery, change diapers, and calm babies in distress.
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How The Program Works
The Entry Level MSN is a blended program which leads to a Master of Science in Nursing without specialization.
Students will complete a component of their theory coursework through a flexible online learning environment. The main portion of your program is hosted at the La Roche University main campus in McCandless Township, 15 minutes north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Here, youll take hands-on laboratory courses led by our experienced faculty members and get to know your classmates. Youll also complete clinical rotations in the community through our local health partnerships with hospitals, clinics and other care sites.
The Entry Level MSN takes place over five accelerated semesters and can be completed in as few as 20 months of study. It is approved by the Pennsylvania State Board of Nursing and is approved by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing .
Do You Have Any Advice For Students Interested In Becoming A Neonatal Nurse
I would encourage all future nurses to get their bachelors degree, at a minimum. As students go through nursing school, they often wonder why they have to learn so many different things when they only want to be a neonatal nurse. Any degree leading to the registered nurse license is considered a generalist degree, meaning students receive a well-rounded knowledge base of multiple issues across the entire life span. They are prepared to assume a role focused on health promotion or acute care for critically ill and everything in between.
Nurses wanting to specialize in any specific setting, such as neonatal care, will want to seek out any additional opportunities in that specialty while in school. These may include volunteering, applying for a summer externship after the clinical rotations have started, or requesting assignment in the specialty area during the final clinical before graduation. New nurses starting in a NICU will receive an extensive orientation with ongoing, on-the-job education and training.
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One What Is A Postpartum Nurse
Postpartum nurses are Registered Nurses who care for and help new mothers after they have given birth. In addition to attending to their patients physical and emotional needs, they are also trained to watch carefully for issues of concern such as postpartum depression or complications.
Postpartum nurses provide new mothers with much-needed education about newborn care, giving them the boost of confidence that they need before being sent home with their child. They also provide support and guidance surrounding breastfeeding .
Postpartum nurses can work in any setting where women are giving birth.
Typically, they will work in the following locations,
- Birthing Center
Seven Where Can A Pediatric Nurse Work
One of the real perks of becoming a pediatric nurse is that you can choose from all sorts of employment opportunities, as long as there are babies or children involved. Hospitals and private pediatrician offices are the most obvious choices however, there is a need for pediatric nurses in clinics, government agencies, social service agencies, community groups, and schools.
Some pediatric nurses choose to focus on positions that provide family health education and offer health fair presentations and screenings.
According to The Institute of Pediatric Nursing, here is a breakdown of the most common pediatric nursing jobs:
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Take A Certification Exam
Although certification isnt necessarily required to work in a NICU, earning one will help with career advancement and qualify you for more prestigious or higher-level positions.
There are several main certifications available to NICU nurses. These include:
- Critical care neonatal nursing certification via the American Association of Critical Care Nursing. CCRN® is a specialty certification for nurses who provide direct care to acutely/critically ill neonatal patients.
- RNC Certification for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing via the National Certification Corporation .
- The National Certification Corporation offers the RNC Certification in Low Risk Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing ).
- The newest certification offered by the National Certification Corporation is the Neonatal Neuro-Intensive Care certification. This certification is different in that it is not only for bedside NICU nurses but also other healthcare workers that spend the majority of their time caring for the neonatal population.
- Lastly, the Care of the Extremely Low Birth Weight Neonate Subspecialty Certification is also offered by the National Certification Corporation. Again, not as popular as other NICU certifications, this subspecialty certification is open to all healthcare workers – not just NICU nurses.
What Skills Do You Need To Be A Baby Nurse
When looking into a role like this one, you need to take account of your skills and abilities. The ability to succeed in this role depends upon the possession of the following skills: Acute Care, Ambulatory Care, Bilingual, Blood Samples, Dressing Change, Electronic Health Records, HIPPA Compliance, Injections, Multilingual, Pain Management, Patient Assessment, Patient Education, Patient History, Patient Monitoring, Seizure Precautions, Medical Specialty: Pediatrics. Although not always necessary, a grasp of these skills can help: Clinical Communication and Collaboration Software, Clinical Documentation Software, Electronic health records Software, Medical Practice Management Software. During an interview, try to convey your knowledge of these skills.
Perceptive Mother Baby Nurse with five-plus years experience providing exceptional mother baby nursing care for mothers and their babies.
Job Objective Seeking a position as a Mother Baby Nurse with a health care organization that that has a good reputation and allows the change to build more experience in this position.
Baby nurses have extensive experience caring for newborn babies and they’re well versed in each of the aspects necessary to feed, diaper, clothe and care for brand new babies.
The Charge NurseMother/Baby Unit has the leadership skills, authority, responsibility, and shift accountability for the delivery of nursing care through the.
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Neonatal Nurse Scope Of Practice
Like other RNs, NICU nurses work under a Scope of Practice, a set of state laws that define your rights and responsibilities as a nurse, and authorize you on how to function when providing various aspects of medical care.
You can find your states Nurse Practice Act via the National Council of State Boards of Nursing.
What Is The Job Outlook For Neonatal Nurse Practitioners
According to the BLS, the job growth for Nurse Practitioners is projected to increase by 45% from 2020 to 2030. This is much faster than the average for all occupations . In addition, the increase in the frequency of premature births and the steady population growth will provide a strong job outlook for Neonatal Nurse Practitioners.
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Needed Skills To Acquire
Neonatal nursing is highly specialized, requiring working with the smallest and most fragile infants. Neonatal nurses in this specialization need to have several specific skills that will equip them to work every day with these infants:
- Interest in newborns
- Empathy and understanding for babys parents and family members
- Ability to work effectively as a member of a multidisciplinary team
- Good understanding of psychological and physiological needs of newborns
- Competence to work in a technical practice area
The six Cs that a neonatal nurse should have include:
Neonatal nurse practitioners should have a caring, tender, and competent bedside manner. They are expected to handle the tiny limbs of a newborn, insert IVs, and give injections. They may also have to insert gastro-nasal tubes so the babies can take in nutrition if they cant yet nurse or bottle-feed. Bedside manner also pertains to the parents they are often anxiously awaiting news and updates about their newest family members. And, given that an illness or prematurity were not anticipated, they are even more worried.
All of these require that the nurse have a soft, tender touch. They should also have steady hands so they can find veins and insert tubes on the first try.