NICU for me?

[lmRNstudent08]

I am a nursing student right now, and I have about a year and a half to go. I know for sure that I want to work in the hospital with babies. I also know that I want to experience Labor and Delivery for a little while when I begin working. But I have thought about working in the NIC unit. What exactly do NICU nurses do? I know that they deal with premature babies- at least I think anyways. What type of schooling do I need after I finish My BSRN degree? Also, how long would I have to go to school and around how much money do NICU nurses make? What type of hours to NICU nurses work?

[SteveNNP, MSN, NP]

What exactly do NICU nurses do?

- There are a lot of recent threads answering this question. Page back through the NICU forum pages, and you'll find a lot of helpful answers.

What type of schooling do I need after I finish My BSRN degree?

-None. All you need is your license, and a willingness to learn a lot on the unit.

Around how much money do NICU nurses make?

-The same as any nurse in your geographical area. You don't get paid any extra, except maybe for working in a critical care area.

What type of hours to NICU nurses work?

-Most places do 7a-7p, 7p-7a 12 hour shifts. You work around 3-4 a week, depending on your facility. A few still do 8 hour shifts 5 days a week