Neonatal and Masters

elkpark · Apr 9, 2008

I'm not a fan of the concept myself, but you may want to look into the new Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) programs -- they are supposedly preparing people to be Master's level experts at the bedside.

I know there are some existing threads about the role here somewhere; I'm sure a search for "CNL" would turn them up.

rebecrsgnc · Apr 9, 2008

Thank you. That is something I will look in to. I know it's starting up at UNC-Chapel Hill (near my home).

I'm not a fan of the concept myself, but you may want to look into the new Clinical Nurse Leader (CNL) programs -- they are supposedly preparing people to be Master's level experts at the bedside.
I know there are some existing threads about the role here somewhere; I'm sure a search for "CNL" would turn them up.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Apr 9, 2008

You could do a Clinical Nurse Specialist program with a focus in neonatal or maternal/child... Clemson University in SC is one program that I know of. You could also just get a generic MSN, and try to structure your clinical experiences to include NICU.

rebecrsgnc · Apr 9, 2008

Thanks! I'll look in to Clemson. I just heard CNS's aren't as popular any more and the shift is to move away from them so I wasn't sure this was what I should pursue...

llg, PhD, RN · Apr 9, 2008

So, what kind of work would you like to do? What type of jobs would interest you? That's where you should start. Don't start with the educational program. Start with deciding on a general career path. Then look for a program that will prepare you in the general direction of that career path. For example:

Do you want to be a Neonatal CNS? If so, you can look for a CNS program. Some other programs might also prepare you for a CNS role. A MSN in education might work for you if it included staff development -- and didn't focus ONLY on preparing colleger faculty. A general "leadership track" might also work if it were not ONLY focused on nursing administration.

Would you be interested in a Staff Development role? Would you be interested in being a neonatal developmental specialist? ... or ... work in neonatal follow-up? How about lactation consultant? ... or ... parent educator? etc.

Once you have thought through the various types of jobs that might interest you, THEN choose an educational program that prepares you for those types of roles.

So ... what type of work do you want to be doing in 5 or 10 years?

rebecrsgnc · Apr 11, 2008

Thanks. Not sure I can answer this right now. I would just like to start on a masters now before my life gets too busy and my GRE scores are good. I've got more thinking to do.

So, what kind of work would you like to do? What type of jobs would interest you? That's where you should start. Don't start with the educational program. Start with deciding on a general career path. Then look for a program that will prepare you in the general direction of that career path. For example:
Do you want to be a Neonatal CNS? If so, you can look for a CNS program. Some other programs might also prepare you for a CNS role. A MSN in education might work for you if it included staff development -- and didn't focus ONLY on preparing colleger faculty. A general "leadership track" might also work if it were not ONLY focused on nursing administration.
Would you be interested in a Staff Development role? Would you be interested in being a neonatal developmental specialist? ... or ... work in neonatal follow-up? How about lactation consultant? ... or ... parent educator? etc.
Once you have thought through the various types of jobs that might interest you, THEN choose an educational program that prepares you for those types of roles.
So ... what type of work do you want to be doing in 5 or 10 years?

SarasotaRN2b · Jun 11, 2008

I was under the impression that NNP's do work closely with the babies and parents.

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Jun 12, 2008

I was under the impression that NNP's do work closely with the babies and parents.

They do, it's just not 12 hours at a time.

I'm a little sad to leave the role of NICU RN in a year or two, but I guess being freed from 12 hours at the bedside can be a blessing or a curse....

spacey · Jul 1, 2008

I can describe my dream job perfectly..........but have no idea how to become more qualified to do it! (not to mention it doesn't actually exist in my hospital at this time!)

My goal is to be a family education and support coordinator. This position would be responsible for providing for all parent education needs including pre-admission orientation when possible, admission info and orientation, cpr classes, developmental education and support of parental participation in care, discharge teaching, sibling education and support, facilitating parent support groups, and supporting families through any conflicts or special issues that might arise during their NICU time.

I have an associates in nursing, am working on my neonatal certification, and have 13 years nicu experience. I also have a BA in psychology and some masters level work towards a counseling degree. I would want to maintain some level of clinical presence in the unit....to keep my skills fresh and increase staff support of my position. Otherwise, I would like to have quite a bit of flexibility with my hours........offering classes and such as needed for our families. (and of course having more flexibility to benefit my personal family as well!)

Have you ever heard of such a position? What do you think about it? I have a great deal of support so far from administration.....but most of their support is still in the theoretical stage. (ex....that's great, just what we need, etc. Although they have offered to arrange and pay for my cpr instructor class)

My education is the biggest question I have. I could complete my masters in counseling in about 18 months. Another option is a masters in nursing education.....which would of course require additional classes to get my BSN in most cases. Yet another option is the CNS route. I'm not very familiar with that degree......not sure how long it would take.

Any thoughts on any of this would be very very appreciated!

thanks!

llg, PhD, RN · Jul 1, 2008

The hospital has people in positions similar to what you describe, spacey. One is a RN who had a lot of experience in the unit and a BSN (which was required when the position was created.) One is not a nurse, but is a school teacher who works on developmental care with the babies and focuses on helping parents interact with their babies.

Because even the largest units only have a couple of such people on staff, such positions are rare. So, not only do you need the right qualifications for the job ... you need to be in the right place at the right time and have a good relationship with the person filling the position. There is usually a lot of competition for such jobs.

I have a couple of friends who do similar work in neonatal follow-up clinics. They got their PNP's and got the neonatal follow-up clinic jobs because of their combination of NICU RN experience and PNP skills ... and their positive working relationships with the Neonatologists. Their clinic roles involve physical & developmental assessment and also on patient teaching.