What are the steps to becoming a neonatal nurse?

1. Understand the specialized role of a neonatal nurse.
2. Earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
3. Pass the NCLEX-RN exam and become a Registered Nurse (RN)
4. Build clinical experience working in a neonatal facility.
5. Take and pass a national neonatal certification exam.
6. Begin your career as a certified neonatal nurse!

Is it hard to be a neonatal nurse?

If you’re considering a career as a NICU nurse, congratulations — NICU nurses have one of the hardest jobs in medicine. While the decision to become a nurse is easy for many individuals, making a decision on whether to become a neonatal nurse is a much more difficult one.

What education do you need to become a neonatal nurse?

Bachelor of Science in Nursing
To become a Neonatal Nurse, either an associate’s degree in nursing or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) is required. It’s also required to become licensed. This can be done by passing the Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing exam.

Do Neonatal Nurses deliver babies?

Neonatal nursing focuses on the care of newborns, from the moment of birth through the first month of life. Nurses who work in this specialty care for healthy as well as sick newborns. Depending on the circumstances, NICU nursing may also begin right in the delivery room itself or at the mother’s bedside.

How many hours do neonatal nurses work?

Neonatal nurses typically work 40 hours per week. Overtime may be required due to the severity of the patients they treat and the inability to leave patients’ unattended. Nurse coverage is a priority in neonatal units, so long working hours will be infrequent.

Do Neonatal nurses deliver babies?

How many hours do neonatal nurses work a day?

Working hours for the Neonatal Nurse normally is 8 hrs. a day, but depending on job requirement and urgency it may stretch to 10 – 12 hrs. with extended work shifts and overtime.

Do neonatal nurses deliver babies?

What do NICU RN do?

Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nursing is a field sub-specialty where nurses work with newborn infants who have a variety of medical ailments, such as premature congenital disabilities, cardiac malformations, dangerous infections, and other morphological or functional problems.

What are the education requirements for a neonatal nurse?

Have a current RN license in the U.S. or Canada

Have at least two years of experience in specialty experience

Have been employed in the specialty area within the last two years

What are the best colleges for neonatal nursing?

Three of the top schools that offer neonatal nursing programs include the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), Vanderbilt University (VU), and Arizona State University.

What is a neonatal nurse job description?

Neonatal Nursing Job Description. Neonatal nurses are specialized nurse careers. They perform a number of tasks with patients, including providing treatment, performing tests, documenting patient history and running equipment. A neonatal nurse can work in one of three levels of hospital nurseries.

What does a neonatal nurse do?

A subspecialty of nursing, neonatal nursing, focuses on providing care to newborn infants and families when the newborn’s health condition requires more support than traditional postnatal wards. Neonatal nurses work with newborns with a variety of problems such as congenital defects, prematurity, surgical problems, and other body malformations.