How to get a job working with babies

Nursing Students ADN/BSN

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Hi everyone! I wanted to know if anyone out there could lend me some advice. I start my program this Fall at Gwinnett Tech. I have wanted to play a role with babies (neonatal, newborns, NICU, L&D, etc). I was wondering what steps I should take to getting a position in one of those areas of a facility. I should probably add that I am pro life so I don't want to play a role in elective abortions.

Also, I understand that certain situations can occur during a wanted pregnancy that forces us to make hard decisions. Do we risk the mother's life for the child, or vise versa? Or do we leave it all up to the mother and family? How do we weigh out what to do in such situations? I know there are bound to be some sad cases in my future, especially since this area is full of sad occurrences.

Any testimonials would be appreciated as well on how to cope when you start out. I have a feeling I will have a lot of break downs where I'll wanna cry my eyes out. How do you stay strong for the families? Thanks in advance for all the advice!!! :)

Those are popular areas, and depending on your region, you may have little to no chance of getting into them as a new grad. I've seen people start in med/surg, then transfer to Mother and Baby then sneak their way over to L&D/Nursery or NICU (starting in a lower level of care).

In any case, you have a long way to go before you worry about it. You might even come across another area that you like more. Nursing students don't typically do anything in NICU, and in a lot of cases they don't medicate children (any age), at all. Most of your clinical experiences will be with older adults.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

You may not even be eligible for a hospital position unless you earn a BSN.

Specializes in ER.

Well, first make sure you don't project your own pro-life beliefs onto patients as many patients may have different beliefs than you. Learning to separate politics from nursing care is very important. If someone said "I had three abortions previously and I am going to abort this baby," try not to judge them or give them your own personal belief or show disgust. As nurses, we have to learn to avoid "knowing" what's best for the client and instead allow them to make their own decisions regarding healthcare even if we do not agree with it.

As for making decisions, there are too many factors to consider such as the mother's wishes and whether she is able to give consent or withhold consent. There is nothing set in stone and there's a good chance that any scenario like that would end up at the ethics committee.

First, I would be willing to move. Try to avoid setting roots where you live. The more flexible you are to moving, the more likely you will get into a position where you can help care for babies.

Second, begin looking for jobs as a patient care tech or unit clerks where you live. Most places I've seen have only unit clerks in baby-related departments because the nurse ratio is low. Your main job there as a unit clerk will be to print stuff/find records/run charts/tear down charts. Maybe hold babies if it is a postpartum nursery and the mom doesn't want the baby at the moment but that's no guarantee. Build up great references and work hard.

Third, when it comes for the preceptorship, look for a L&D unit. Get references from your L&D instructor and clinical instructor. If you have a preceptorship in L&D, get reference letters too. Write an awesome reference letter. Then try to get as much info from each hospital.

However, be realistic too and realize you may need to put in one year with med-surg. Peds may be another option as the hospitals around me will admit infants that have left the hospital to peds and not the nursery or NICU. I took care of several infants including one that was just 1 month old.

You may not even be eligible for a hospital position unless you earn a BSN.

I know many places are pushing for the BSN now. I plan to bridge and we have a 100% employment rate with our program's facilities. I am hoping to land a position near home that will pay or reimburse me for my bridge to BSN :)

Well, first make sure you don't project your own pro-life beliefs onto patients as many patients may have different beliefs than you. Learning to separate politics from nursing care is very important. If someone said "I had three abortions previously and I am going to abort this baby," try not to judge them or give them your own personal belief or show disgust. As nurses, we have to learn to avoid "knowing" what's best for the client and instead allow them to make their own decisions regarding healthcare even if we do not agree with it.

As for making decisions, there are too many factors to consider such as the mother's wishes and whether she is able to give consent or withhold consent. There is nothing set in stone and there's a good chance that any scenario like that would end up at the ethics committee.

First, I would be willing to move. Try to avoid setting roots where you live. The more flexible you are to moving, the more likely you will get into a position where you can help care for babies.

Second, begin looking for jobs as a patient care tech or unit clerks where you live. Most places I've seen have only unit clerks in baby-related departments because the nurse ratio is low. Your main job there as a unit clerk will be to print stuff/find records/run charts/tear down charts. Maybe hold babies if it is a postpartum nursery and the mom doesn't want the baby at the moment but that's no guarantee. Build up great references and work hard.

Third, when it comes for the preceptorship, look for a L&D unit. Get references from your L&D instructor and clinical instructor. If you have a preceptorship in L&D, get reference letters too. Write an awesome reference letter. Then try to get as much info from each hospital.

However, be realistic too and realize you may need to put in one year with med-surg. Peds may be another option as the hospitals around me will admit infants that have left the hospital to peds and not the nursery or NICU. I took care of several infants including one that was just 1 month old.

Thanks for the insight! I would like to move out of state but after I have obtained at least my BSN so I have more options if employers in another state require me to already have it.

As far as abortions go, I am friends with several ppl who have had them and might in the future. I just don't want to perform them. If there are medical reasons such as when the baby died in utero or demise or things of that nature, I would be involved with no personal issues. I won't be judgmental if the situation is simply elective, I just won't participate.

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Most elective abortions (TABs) are done outpatient in clinics that specialize in them. You wouldn't work there unless you were very pro-choice and committed to helping women through this time in their lives.

Occasionally in L&D, especially if you work at a high risk facility, you will have a woman who comes in with a fetus that has a condition that is incompatible with extrauterine life, and the family will choose to induce a pre-viable infant, or undergo a D&E under anesthesia. In that situation, you may have to make some tough decisions as to how you want to proceed, although in all likelihood, there will likely be plenty of other nurses who would be fine taking the assignment if you were absolutely opposed.

I remember a woman who had AROMed at 18 weeks, so were starting her on Pitocin. The fetus still had heart tones when the woman came to our unit. Another nurse, who was Catholic and pro-life, refused to accept the assignment, so I gladly took it for her.

Specializes in ER.
Thanks for the insight! I would like to move out of state but after I have obtained at least my BSN so I have more options if employers in another state require me to already have it.

As far as abortions go, I am friends with several ppl who have had them and might in the future. I just don't want to perform them. If there are medical reasons such as when the baby died in utero or demise or things of that nature, I would be involved with no personal issues. I won't be judgmental if the situation is simply elective, I just won't participate.

Those are usually done out of clinic. Also, be prepared to view things that will drive you nuts like seeing mothers who come in positive for drugs

Those are usually done out of clinic. Also, be prepared to view things that will drive you nuts like seeing mothers who come in positive for drugs

Oh I know! My mother is one of those moms. It is an unfortunate thing to see happening. I've been reading many testimonials on AN so I don't walk into this field with unrealistic expectations.

One person said the stats at her facility was 62% for newborns that tested positive for drugs :(

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
One person said the stats at her facility was 62% for newborns that tested positive for drugs :(

I find that difficult to believe, unless it's a special hospital that's just for women who are in the legal system or are drug users.

I know many places are pushing for the BSN now. I plan to bridge and we have a 100% employment rate with our program's facilities. I am hoping to land a position near home that will pay or reimburse me for my bridge to BSN :)

Be careful buying into schools' claims of "100% employment rate". Sure they're employed, but employed doing what? Not working in L&D and the ICU as new grad ADNs, I can assure you. How many of those nurses are working in nursing homes? Or one shift a week for a home care company? My school even had some new grads working as nurse aides or ward clerks, and they added them to their employment rate statistics.

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