I am bringing this to the public forum here, to help benefit others who may be looking to learn more about Neonatal NP's, as suggested by the member who PM'd me this information, I hope it is helpful to our readers.
Like I had said before, NICU is a very self-selective area, you either usually love it or hate it and if you love it, there are less people who want to leave the bedside to be a NP and more people who want to leave the bedside who do not want to do nights, weekends, and holidays for the duration of their career.
There is a shortage of NNPs and as the age of the average NNP is in the late 40s (I believe I heard that), it's only going to get worse and there aren't as many programs available now. The wage of NNPs is noted to be among the highest of NPs due to it being an in-patient role, an intensivist role, and to being a shortage. I personally know of one hospital that offers 15% extra on top of their salary for being a NNP compared to other NPs in the institution simply because it is highly sought after.
If we have a flood of new NNPs, certainly wages could go down (as general economic rules dictate), but I don't believe even with a flood of new NNPs that this will happen. NICUs are growing larger, not smaller, and more NNPs are running NICUs with fewer neonatologists. This is good business for the hospital if you can have an attending neo supervising the care of 20 babies while the NNP runs the day-to-day show with 2 NNPs managing primary care of 10 babies each. This is what actually occurs in most of the academic centers already.
Another thing to factor in is that the pediatric residency no longer requires 3 months of NICU, they only require 2 months, which leaves these hospitals shorter (in these institutions, there is usually a team of residents who manage primary care of babies with a supervising neo). Now some programs will keep on their 3 months of requirements, but the fact that it's no longer required will mean that some programs will not have it and will thus leave the NICU short for those months and who would fill the job demand but NNPs.
But I would keep in mind that if you don't love babies, the job probably isn't for you. I'm extremely lucky that I love this and get paid so well for it. But I'd be miserable otherwise because I know that I will work some nights, some weekends, and some holidays for the rest of my career. It's part of the deal. And for some nurses, that's a deal breaker. I don't have kids yet, but I know it will be tough once I do.
Anybody else wanting to add to this, please share.
This is a great post. Thanks for showing me this thread.
Maybe someone can help me to understand something:
I was told that for me to go through the NNP program I would need 2 years experience as a nurse in a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. I couldn't imagine being a NNP without having that experience.
I would need to get through 18 credits of "core classes" and then another 18 credits once I am in the NNP program. Upon graduating I will have a total of 36 credits and they told me I can get this done in 2 years. My question is, how will I get this done in 2 years if I need to have 2 years experience as well?
Let me know if I need to be more clear with my question!
What is the schedule of a NNP like? Do they work 12 hour shifts, 3 days a week?
It varies from 8s to 12s to 16s to 24s, but I would say the majority are 12s (3 times a week) followed by 24s (7-8 times a month) from what I've been able to read about.
This is a great post. Thanks for showing me this thread.
Maybe someone can help me to understand something:
I was told that for me to go through the NNP program I would need 2 years experience as a nurse in a level 3 neonatal intensive care unit. I couldn't imagine being a NNP without having that experience.
I would need to get through 18 credits of "core classes" and then another 18 credits once I am in the NNP program. Upon graduating I will have a total of 36 credits and they told me I can get this done in 2 years. My question is, how will I get this done in 2 years if I need to have 2 years experience as well?
Let me know if I need to be more clear with my question!
I think this question is better put towards the school. They are probably assuming that you aren't doing it at both ends, either that you get the 2 years of experience before or that you do the program in a slightly longer format part-time to get the 2 years experience. Most schools require at least a year's RN experience prior to clinical start and then 2 years before graduation- and some require 2 years of RN experience before starting clinicals. This question is better put towards the school in question.
good luck in nursing school and let us know how things go- we need NNPs so if that's what you want, go for it!
How would you recommend that I go about furthering my education to be a NNP?
My plan was to graduate nursing school in May 2016 and begin the 18 core credit masters program, right away, while working as a nurse (hopefully in NICU level 3). And then transition into the 18 credit NNP program when it applies.
Or I could work as a nurse for 2 years and then begin all of my graduate education after that (NOT ideal).
I just want to get my education out of the way in a timely manner. I don't want to rush through school but, I'm 24 years old. I just don't want to still be in school when I'm 30 (NO offense to anyone going back to school in their 30's- I'm totally for it!). I have plans for a family and I'm definitely the type of person that needs to plan.
I think that in order to further your education to become a NNP, you go to NNP school . You can start school as well as soon as you graduate from nursing school, but I'd recommend taking at least a semester or two off while you are on orientation because learning how to be a NICU nurse will be a full time job and then some because you have to unlearn a lot of what you knew from nursing school (keep in mind that if you're doing a brick and mortar school, you won't have much say in your orientation days as you'll be following your preceptor, which might difficult in attending classes).
I would focus most of your energies into making contacts into getting a NICU job right out of school because ultimately you need that more than anything else and it may be a bit harder than getting into graduate school. hope that helps.
This absolutely helps! Thank you so much for all of the information. This is really helping me decide what I want to do and how I want to do it. It's awesome talking to someone who has done exactly what you want to do!
I have always wanted to get into the NICU but have never had the opportunity. They always want nurses with NICU experience. I did find a NNP program but they want you to have 2 years experience working in the NICU before doing clinical... So again, I am SOL...
"If it's just neo CICU, at what age will you transfer them to the "regular" peds CICU?"
We almost always discharge to home from our current NeoCICU section of our NICU now. It's the rare kid who's waiting for transplant or on a 6 wk course of ABX for endocarditis that we send to the floor. Once the new unit is open, if we are over capacity in the NeoCICU, we plan to transfer them back to the general med/surg NICU.
Really happy to find this thread! I am a NICU RN with 8 years experience (allneonatal/NICU) and was just accepted into NNP school. I am really excited, but have been a bit disappointed to find such little information or ways to network with other NNPs out there. Are there any specific NNP threads or forums out there?
. You can start school as well as soon as you graduate from nursing school, but I'd recommend taking at least a semester or two off while you are on orientation because learning how to be a NICU nurse will be a full time job and then some because you have to unlearn a lot of what you knew from nursing school (keep in mind that if you're doing a brick and mortar school, you won't have much say in your orientation days as you'll be following your preceptor, which might difficult in attending classes).
idani, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP
96 Posts
What is the schedule of a NNP like? Do they work 12 hour shifts, 3 days a week?