nurse practitioner????

[salvati08]

Hello, I was wondering if there are any neonatal nurse practitioners out there that would give me any information or advice about wanting to get my masters and become a nnp? any information at all would be helpful! Some topics I would really like to know about are salary, job outlook, demand, duties, if people that are doing this like it, etc. Thank You!!!!! :)

[NurseAmy]

Hey there,

I am not an NNP, but my bestest buddy is an NNP. Job outlook is huge! There is a huge shortage of NNPs all across the country. Check salary.com for some salary research, and neonatology.net for all the current job openings nationwide. Salary I think largely depends on the region of the country, but is usually around 60 to 70k or more.

NNPs are responsible for the medical managment of the babies under direction of a MD. They place invasive lines, intubate, put in chest tubes, do LPs, etc. They pretty much do everything procedure wise that an MD would do. They make rounds and write orders on the babies, and in most places also have to cover overnight call shifts. Some units also require the NNP to go on transports.

Most work long shifts on thier feet just like staff nurses, and have lots of paperwork except it is in the form of progress notes rather than bedside charting. Plus more responsibility than a staff nurse because the NNPs make the decisions about medical managment of the patients.

Most NNP programs require at least 1 year working in a NICU-some require 3 years or more.

Hope that helps some

[salvati08]

Thank you very much nurseamy!!! How long did she have to work as an inturn? And did she say that getting her master's was very diffucult or not? Thank you!!!!!