Males Neonatal Nursing

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I just had a few questions if anyone wouldn't mind answering for me about neonatal nursing.

I was on a maternity unit for my clinical and I was wondering if being a male and wanting neonatal nursing would discriminate me? Do most neonatal nursing jobs look for any prefered experience such as med/surg, OR, etc? What would be some types of neonatal nursing jobs that require a MSN besides an NNP? If being a neonatal nurse would it be combined with maternity or would the focus primarily be on the neonate?

I'd appreciate any feedback you guys have with this topic :)

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

Most places hire new grads....it's a fallacy you need M/S first. You would be primarily in NICU but some places float to nursery or peds.

And we love our guys! The dads love our guy nurses too.

An MSN can also be a CNS or Educator or Manager.

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Go for it. My daughter was a preemie and our favourite nurse was a guy. Your gender should not be an issue.

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Specializes in L&D, OBED, NICU, Lactation.

There are a few guys on here that went straight into the NICU as new grads. No experience is going to prepare you for that environment and starting as a new grad is a great way to go. I would highly recommend you try to focus less on your gender, it's really not an issue at all. If anything, I've found it to be a pleasant advantage at times, though apparently the desire to increase diversity in nursing doesn't apply if you're a white male.

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Specializes in NICU.

It may actually be an advantage being male than discrimination. I was hired as a new BSN grad into the NICU. I have not experienced any discrimination from management, female coworkers, or families. The dads seem to enjoy having another male to talk to.

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Both my children were NICU babies and both had male nurses. One had said he'd never worked in any other department. He graduated and started right at NICU. The other had some other department experience but not a whole lot.

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It should not be an issue. Go for it. Get a tech job in one to get your foot in the door

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

One of the most noteworthy NICU nurse manager I have ever met was male - in a very famous academic facility. He facilitated some ground-breaking research studies, including development of minimal stimulation environments for fragile infants. As I recall, he had Peds experience but no OB.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Perinatal, Endoscopy, IVF Lab.

The NICU where I work has become a "guy floor". There are lots of great guys around here and they add so much to the unit. A couple have been here their whole career. I caution you that NICU nursing is it's own specialty, so if you start there as a new RN... you're a lot more likely to get pigieon-holed into that kind of nursing for a long time. I always suggest the "dreaded" med-surg nursing to all new grads. Sure nobody wants to do it.... but it's incomparable experience, it looks good on a resume, and you will always be able to find a job. I'm so thankful for my time in Med/Surg nursing. I can always go back.

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