The Different Process of Becoming a Neonatal Nurse

There is a little girl who has had this dream to become the best nurse that the world has ever had, and she knew that nursing was going to be her future when she was in elementary. The type of nurse that she wants to still become to this day is a neonatal nurse. A neonatal nurse is a nurse "who specializes in the care of newborn infants who are born with various problems including prematurity, birth defects, malformations, and surgical problems." They also take care of the babies until they are able to leave the hospital. For her to get to this point in her life, she has to go through a few steps to complete her goal in life.

The first step in the process is enrolling into any school that will prompt the classes that are designed for his/her goal, such as the basic science and math courses. With the help of these courses, it would form a strong background that would help him/her be more recognizable for the college-level nursing program, and it would also help prepare him/her for how competitive the program is. This helps people that are going into this field to become well aware of what this lifestyle is going to be. Striving to be the best she/he can be, she works hard in her classes since she knows her GPA is important. "Admission into college-level nursing programs is very competitive, and your grade point average (GPA) will be important."

The second step would be to volunteer at your local hospital; there are several benefits that come from it. Not only does it look good on your resume, but it's a way to give back to your community. It also shows that she's caring and dedicated to helping the ill feel better." Volunteering in this type of setting shows that you're exposed to the different demands and the different speeds of working in healthcare." While going through all these things, she must also have her license, which will be needed after school but while working in the hospital setting.

The third will require you to attend a CPR class, which also can be a first aid class. Many schools offer these classes for students that are in the medical field. "Taking one of these classes will demonstrate that you have experience with health-related skills and will show your motivation to become a nurse." It is very important to take this class. It would be needed, but if this class is not taken, then that student will not be accepted until the class is complete.

The fourth step is joining a four-year college to get a BSN which is "A Bachelor of science in nursing. Nowadays, hospitals are required to make their students go back to school for their BSN because just your associate's degree is not good enough. A few hospitals are looking for a higher degree. As a student is going back to get his/her BSN, they will need to take the basic general classes. "Within a BSN program, you will complete your general education courses and also have training in math and science requirements that will be integral to your future career as a neonatal nurse. These courses include statistics, microbiology, anatomy, and physiology."This will be very helpful for the hospital to see on his/her record to prove that these general classes are taken.

The final step to the long out-drawn process is to finally achieve what has been a huge dream for some, and that is to start working as a neonatal nurse. Once she/he joins this workforce, it is going to be a big game changer because there will be no more school, so everything that was taught thought out all the classes will be put all together in this field. Once that foot is in the door, there are a lot of tasks that are needed to be taken upon. "Neonatal nurses are responsible for a wide variety of tasks, from changing diapers to administering medications. During each shift in the NICU, they are responsible for one to four babies, each presenting varying needs and challenges." It is important to remember everything that was brought to you because now she/he is pursuing what was worked hard for, so now it is all about the babies.

Work Citied

1. How to Become a Neonatal Nurse, n.d. September 28, 2016.
2. Ricketts, Doug Jones, and Wes Neonaand CareerstSchoolsols&Careers | How to Become a Neonatal Nurse 2013; September 28, 2016;

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