Pedeatric Nursery Nurse

Specialties Pediatric

Published

I want to be a Nurse that works with the newborns. Can anyone tell me how many years this would take & what type of classes/degrees I need?

Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

When you graduate from nursing school, you are a generalist...you usually don't start out as a specialist, however, it is possible. Depending on your area, check to see what degree they are more likely to hire. Next, look into accredited nursing programs and find out what requirements you need before you begin your nursing courses, for example, sciences, math, English, etc to prepare you for the nursing courses. Hope I was able to answer your question! :)

Specializes in Pedi.

It takes the same number of years as any other nurse. You go to nursing school, graduate with a degree in nursing, take the NCLEX and become a licensed nurse. You do not say where your located. Location determines a lot... in my state, you need a BSN.

Ok Thank You so much guys! :) You were a big help!

agree with above posters. first look into how to get into a nursing program, etc. after you graduate from nursing school, you will be eligible to sit for the NCLEX-RN. it is how you become officially certified to work as a registered nurse. by the time your nursing school is wrapping up, you should start to think about applying to new graduate positions at hospitals near and far. i know that by the time this all happens, the times may be different, but right now it is pretty difficult to find new grad positions, especially in pediatrics, and especially especially in neonatal. i would definitely think about joining some neonatal nursing organizations (AWHONN, NANN), getting NRP your senior year (Neonatal Resuscitation Program- makes you eligible to participate in the resuscitation of newborns, they pay for this during your hospital orientation but i have heard and found that it just looks good to have on your resume not because it prevents them from having to pay for the training (its in their budget anyway, they expect to)- but more so because it reflects qualities in you: dedication to this field, initiative, etc. i was able to get mine for $80 and i think it has been worth it.), also- after your first semester in nursing school you can become a nurse aid/tech, and you could try to work in a mother/baby unit (new mothers and healthy babies) or just a level 1 nursery (health babies). also you could try a level 2 NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) which are moderately sick babies, and then a level 3 NICU (critically ill babies). all of these will give you experience and therefore be desirable when managers are considering you for a job on these types of units as a new graduate nurse. if not a nurse aid/tech, research any nearby student nurse externships in these units or just call the units directly to inquire whether or not they offer these and/or are hiring. last but not least, in your senior year you will have a practicum where you 'practice' being a nurse with a real nurse. many times you are able to put in a request to your school about which specialty/unit you prefer- DEFINITELY pick any of the above or even just pediatrics because you would be surprised how much this helps secure or find you a job in similar units. you get to know the staff and are able to build a rapport on those units and secure a position with them after graduation -OR- network and get some good contacts and references. i know this is an extensive post and a little far into the future but it really will be helpful to know these things ahead of time in order to have a feasible opportunity in these areas. good luck!

are you based in the UK? There are courses like this one in sheffield, Postgraduate Diploma in Enhancing Neonatal Practice (NURT93) - Newborn / Neonate - Programmes List Folder (A-Z) - Continuing Education for Health and Social Care Practitioners - The University of Sheffield and other colleges with undergraduate versions too. Many service specialise in teaching this area, best ask them about work experience needed, NEST - Newborn Education Services & Training, London, UK. As for jobs, there are nursery nurse jobs appearing quite frequently, one site being Nursery Nurse Jobs |. Hope that helps.

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