I want to work with babies...

[babs4u]

Ok, I LOVE babies! I would like to work with babies, but I hear that only RNs can be around babies. Is this true? I was planning on going the LVN route. I just dont know if I want to be an RN. Im in Bakersfield, California in case that matters. But I KNOW that I would truelly injoy taking care of babies! Can I do this as an LVN? I also hear that I can become a CNA, and then get a job in a hospital, and once I get my LVN the hospital will keep me on. (I say this because I hear alot that hospitals wont hire new LVN's)???

[nursel56]

You're going to need to have an RN, at least- sometimes even a BSN for NICU and peds in 99% of the acute care hospitals here in Southern California.

It wasn't like this when I started, and was hired immediately on to the largest peds hospital in my area. I worked everywhere in there at least once (NICU, ICU, ortho, rehab, infectious and oncology (cancer). Now I'm pretty sure they only want BSNs, so it was an experience I really appreciate now.

If you want to work with babies, you could consider home care pediatrics, because they do hire LVNs to take care of these kids.

If taking care of babies is your number one goal, rather than nursing being your number one goal, you could consider something like PT or Child-Life specialist. With those you'll be working with some older kids, too. Strictly babies is a pretty narrow specialization to get into.

The story about the hospital bucking the trend and hiring the new LVN just because she's there- personally I've never seen that happen, but in theory it might be true.

Hope this helps, and best wishes! :)

[babs4u]

Well what about working in L&D? Do hospitals only like Rns over LVNs to work in that department?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Well what about working in L&D? Do hospitals only like Rns over LVNs to work in that department?

All L&D departments in hospitals use high-risk medications that could cause women and their babies serious harm, injury, and possibly death if they are not monitored with a high level of assessment. Drugs such as Pitocin, Magnesium Sulfate, and the various opioid narcotic analgesics cannot be given through the IV route by LVNs in California due to scope of practice issues. Therefore, L&D departments in California typically staff their units with all RNs.

[wee_oneRN]

The L&D and NICU areas of my hospital only hire RN's and above. Peds does have one or two LVN's that have worked there for many years, they no longer hire LVN's there either.

As an LVN you could probably work in medical centers? (outpatient) Or, take the extra 6-12 months of college for the RN degree =O)

[NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN]

We have LVNs in our hospital that work with babies in the Post partum & pediatrics. They however don't take on their own patient load. What they do is they assist the RN. In our Labor department we have one LVN but she is mainly used as an OB Tech. There are no LVNs in labor who take on a patient one on one. That's just in the hospital setting. I'm unsure what goes on in home health or hospice. Good Luck