Baby nurses?!?!?!?

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Has anyone heard of this? I just saw it on 20/20 and it's basically a live in nanny that is CPR certified. I just googled it thinking, hey that's a sweet job! But they are not actual nurses. They are not medical professionals at all. Just a babysitter with a CPR certification. It kind of bothered me that they call them nurses. I thought it was an actual nurse. There are many websites dedicated to it. What are your thoughts on this? Also found this article.

http://www.nysun.com/parenting/phenomenon-of-baby-nurses/72688/

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is nothing new and just another way for upscale "wannabes" in NYC and elsewhere to say they have something more than just a sitter or even nanny. But I do have a law degree...: Baby Nurse

Much of this trend started at least in NYC as "drive through deliveries" (discharged

Baby Nurse, Newborn Care, Postpartum Services for Babies and Families - United States

Apparently more than a few delicate flowers couldn't cope with being home with a newborn and all that entails on their own, and often mother, MIL, aunts or other close female family either could not or would not do, thus hire a "baby nurse". Babynurse. New York Babynurses, Specializing in the placement of Nanny, babynurses, lactation specialists and other domestic help in Manhattan New York and Nationwide.

Here is some of the questions a major NYC agency uses to screen their babynurses: Babynurse Interview Questions | Welcome to The Pavillion Agency Since 1962 helping families and corporations with their household and corporate staffing needs

Topic has been noticed before on other professional nursing forums: a Baby Nurse is NOT a LPN/RN??????????? | Nursing Forums and Discussions - Nursing Link

Historically families with funds would hire a "nurse" to care for a newborn and recently delivered mother. Usually these were LPNs as such care usually didn't meet the standard (and cost) of a RN.

However know of at least one RN who does this sort of thing in NYC as "private duty" even for premature babies. Long story short she is highly trained including decades in maternity/newborn and NICU. Moved to NYC to be near her children and this is her "niche", however IIRC she works through an agency which among other things helps with the paperwork, taxes, payments, etc..

Years ago you could tell a "private duty" nurse doing infant/mother care because they wore whites (with or without a cap) whilst on duty. However today even "baby nurses" wear them or at least white bottoms with a coloured or patterned top.

Having a "babynurse" allows these mothers/families to give the illusion they have hired a trained professional nurse when in reality there isn't a single standard much less a license involved.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thank you so much for the wealth of information on this topic. It just bothers me they are called nurses, when in reality, they aren't a nurse at all. (Aside from your friend I suppose)

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I actually love caring for babies and the mothers in my job as an L&D nurse and when I saw this I thought that would be amazing for me, until I learned they weren't actual nurses. Lol

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Someone ought to notify the NYS BON.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Yep, it's illegal to use the word "Nurse" without a license. "Babynurse" (all one word) is no different.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

I'm not sure, but I think that NY does not regard "nurse" as a protected title. ETA: I was wrong: http://www.op.nysed.gov/prof/nurse/nursepracticefaq.htm

I work PRN for a company as a "baby nurse" (except in my case I actually am a nurse). They call them "newborn care specialists" and if the infant needs specialized care, such as being on an apnea monitor, O2, anything like that, they will use one of the RNs. I would say that of all the company's staff, there are only three of us who are actually nurses.

And we are not allowed to wear scrubs.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Forensic Psych.

I'm fairly certain nannies have been referred to as nurses a just as long as medical nurses have, if not longer. Longer.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Peds, Float, Ambulatory, Telemetry (new).

It irritates me highly. But one of my mother's friends is a "baby nurse". She doesn't consider herself a nurse though so at least she respects the title.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

what's the different between a "babynurse" and a "wet nurse"? Or are they the same thing?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

A wet nurse is, by definition, someone who breastfeeds another's baby. Nurses it, as you might imagine.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment