Neonatal Nursing

Neonatal Nursing is a subspecialty for nurses. It is a field of nursing specially designed for newborns and babies up to a month old. Neonatal feeding is an important part of the infant care program. These are trained professionals who focus on guaranteeing the newborns and babies under their supervision will withstand any health hazard they may experience.

As a neonatal nurse, you must acquire the skills to be able to make a difference in the lives of the infants, as well as their families. In order to even consider being a neonatal nurse, you must first become a Registered Nurse (RN). The first actual step is earning an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). You must also get certified as an RN. In order to increase your pay, you can also get a Master’s of Science (MSN) in Nursing, which can be obtained in 2 years. This education could be obtained at four-year schools, including most private, public, and online colleges or universities. The main entry requirements for these schools are a High School diploma or GED. You have a better chance of getting into major universities if you have a 3.0 GPA or higher. This entire process would take at least 4+ years, especially if you want to increase your chances of getting the job. As you can see, you must be well educated in order to have the lives of the little ones in your hands.

In addition to this, not everyone is suited to become a nurse for the fragile newborns. You must have the right skills, talents, and experience. A neonatal nurse must be highly organized, able to prioritize efficiently, have empathetic understanding for others, interest in newborns, competence to work in highly technical areas, ability to work efficiently in multidisciplinary teams, and good communication skills. Without them, a person shouldn’t even consider becoming a neonatal nurse. Despite my being too young to get a job or go to college, I could still gain experience for this career by volunteering at a local hospital, enrolling in advanced math and science classes at school, and even by taking a CPR/ First Aid course. I feel as if I am suited because I match almost all of the character traits needed to be a neonatal nurse, especially due to my interest in newborns, empathy, and organization skills. I’ve always wanted my future profession to deal with babies or in a hospital. This career has both, so it is perfect. It is understood that a person must embody the right qualities and skills to be a successful neonatal nurse.

Neonatal Nursing is one of the highest paying nursing careers. Imagine getting paid an abundant amount of money, doing something you love. The standard beginning wage is $33/hr. in San Diego and $26/hr. in the entire United States, and the maximum salary you could expect in San Diego is $104K and 130K in the United States. Your salary can vary from others based on your level of nursing degree and nursing education, years of experience in the field, location of job, type of work you do, and even type of specialty nurse. Though you may earn a lot of money, a lot of money goes into setting yourself up for this profession, with tuition and fees costing the majority. Additionally, the school will request that you get specific books and materials that often include: a second-hand watch, nursing scissors, medical and drug dictionaries, penlight, a stethoscope, scrubs, and good shoes. You can pay for this with your own money, and if you are lucky, you may qualify for financial assistance, scholarships and student loans, which can help with some of the expenses.

While full-time employees, nurses are eligible for a number of benefits which can make a substantial difference in compensation is broken down into monetary value. Such benefits make an already enticing career even more appealing, from medical benefits to paid time off. Some benefits do not extend until nurses have served 90 days, depending on the employer. Nurses have the health benefit of insurance. Full-time nurses are responsible for comprehensive medical, health, hearing, and pharmacy benefits, as well as malpractice insurance. Most companies also provide life insurance and long-term care insurance programs. Nurses also get vacation time with each hour they work. According to www.PayScale.com, the average nurse earns two weeks of vacation time a year. A vacation day is a day when one is permitted to not go to work and still get paid for that amount of time. Certain nurses may be compensated for the number of unused vacation days. Lastly, nurses are eligible for a retirement plan, such as 401K or 403B. Nurses will decide how much money will be paid into retirement funds to subtract from each paycheck. Many companies adjust their commitment according to the boss. A hospital, for example, can donate 50 cents to a registered retirement nurse reserve for each dollar. Nurses also have little perks such as job security, better job opportunities, varying job areas, career flexibility, and high salary packages.

Several jobs await NICU nurses in the United States, with employment expected to grow by 22 percent between 2010 and 2020. (Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics). Both technological advances and growing premature accidents have contributed to a promising job prospect for neonatal nurses. Neonatal nurses throughout the nation are expected to continue expanding because technology is developing. This suggests newborns that presumably wouldn't have lasted a couple of years ago will now have a great chance to live a full life. That should help maintain strong demand for neonatal nurses for the foreseeable future.

There is a saying, “There is no typical day for a nurse.” According to Ameritech College of Healthcare, “It’s almost impossible to portray a typical day for a nurse, given how different healthcare workplaces can be, and how work can vary from shift-to-shift depending on which patients a nurse needs to see.” Usually, neonatal nurses formulate treatment plans, evaluate patients, schedule and execute medication efficiency, prescribe medications, perform complex procedures, operate through lifesaving equipment, and provide families with comfort, education, and reassurance. Neonatal Nurses usually work about 8 or 12 hours. One of the most significant challenges, especially in higher-level NICUs, is taking care of babies who are barely surviving. Sometimes, even when the most advanced technology is used, babies may not live. Nurses and nurse practitioners develop a relationship not only with the baby but also with their parents and family. The best parts of the day vary for every nurse. It could be witnessing miracles, witnessing brand new eyes open, or even having the honor of being in a family’s most important days of their life. Every shift has the ability to be momentous, thrilling, stressful, enthusiastic or perhaps every one of these.

Through my research, I have learned that this career is much deeper and important than I thought. I am now more confident in my future career decision. Before this assignment, I was indecisive of what career I wanted to pursue, but I am certain I would enjoy making a difference in this profession. Beforehand, I did not even know what all jobs I’d have to do, but now I am educated on their duties and even the different levels of NICU nurses. A neonatal nurse would be a perfect fit for me.

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