Neonatal Nursing? Should I switch my major??

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I am starting my first year of college in the fall and am going into Speech Pathology, but am thinking of switching to neonatal nursing. Being a neonatal RN seems like a better fit, but I am afraid of the schooling being filled with all the nasty stuff. Would I have to deal with old people who have gross rotting infections? I want to avoid that if I could.

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To be blunt, yes, you will have to deal with elderly patients who have wounds that are significant, and can be quite gross. You will have to deal with teenagers, middle aged people, and children who have these as well. You will also have to deal with obstetric and gynecologic nursing, something a lot of people find stomach churning as well.

Personally, I think Speech Pathology is a fine career and very much needed. If you don't think you can stomach your way through the patient populations you find undesirable in order to get to the neonates, I would strongly recommend staying with Speech. Best of luck to you in whatever you decide.

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Lots of rotting infections waiting just for you. Sorry! Ps I think your post is borderline messing with us.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Yes. You will learn on adults primarily, with a rotation in peds and one in OB where you will visit the nursery once or twice if you are lucky. Following graduation, you may or may not land a job in a neonatal unit.

As far as "nasty stuff" and "gross rotting infections". Do you know anything about neonatal nursing? It's not all flowers and happy bouncing babies. They are in the NICU for reason - they are sick, very sick. Often with "nasty stuff" even "gross rotting infections" (Google nectrotizing enterocolitis).

And seeing as well baby nurseries are going by the wayside, because of the baby friendly hospital initiative, you prob should stay in speech pathology.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.
Lots of rotting infections waiting just for you. Sorry! Ps I think your post is borderline messing with us.

If not a troll, I almost feel sorry for the OP

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Specializes in IMCU, Oncology.

I thought it could be a troll too!

OP, if you aren't a troll, I don't think nursing is the right profession for you! Nursing involves caring for very sick people. NICU involves extremely sick babies with all the "nasties" you are afraid to encounter.

You cannot specialize in nursing school. You learn to take care of all populations and take care of adults in clinical. Getting a job in a NICU often involves spending a couple of years focusing on the adult population first.

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

You don'the major in neonatal nursing; you major in nursing. The vast majority of nursing school clinicals are focused on adults. After that, you may or may not get a job in neonatal. Depending on your location, you may be fortunate to get any job -- yes, even in (cue ominous music) geriatrics.

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yes, even in (cue ominous music) geriatrics.
LOL. That's about the way of it, isn't it?

OP, one more thing I feel compelled to point out to you....you will have to deal with a lot of elderly people in Speech Path as well. SP isn't all working with little kids, as I'm sure you know. It's also working with adults and the elderly who have suffered traumatic brain injuries or strokes or who have a form of dementia that has affected their ability to speak and swallow. In fact, if what I'm hearing from the SP's I talk to (I have a special needs child), there is a great need for SP's willing to work with the geriatric population, because it is growing exponentially.

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.

Re-read the OP again don't think a troll. I think a sheltered, teen with a lot of real life to learn about.

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I have never thought about nursing until recently and have been doing a lot of research on it. I could handle dealing with whatever is thrown at me, I just thought coming to this website would help me find some information from people already in the profession. Maybe I should have worded it differently, but I am not some ignorant teenager.

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OP I would change my screen name from my real name if I were you...

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Specializes in NICU, Trauma, Oncology.
I have never thought about nursing until recently and have been doing a lot of research on it. I could handle dealing with whatever is thrown at me, I just thought coming to this website would help me find some information from people already in the profession. Maybe I should have worded it differently, but I am not some ignorant teenager.

This is completely opposite your original post. If you can handle anything that comes up in school - including nasty infections and older adults - then sure check out nursing. NICU is a cool place to be, but don't be disillusioned that you won't ever be working with nasty things or have to do so in school and possibly even work in another speciality before getting a nursery/nicu job.

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