Please answer some questions about being a 'normal' nursery nurse! Thanks!

[Heartfelt4Newborns]

Hey Im in highschool and Ive been thinking about being a neonatal nurse. I would really love to be a 'Normal' nursery nurse. Is this a good thing to do? Is it fun? Boring? Easy? Hard? Is this the kind of nurse that you feed, weigh, bathe, change diapers, and help mothers? I would also want to do the Mother/Baby thing. Is this what you do when you help mother bond/etc with their baby? I was also thinking about doing the night shift..is this hard?

Before you can get into this career, what kind of things to you have to know/learn/understand? My grandmother was a neonatal nursery nurse but she died before I was born. I heard that she had to disect a cat for a class in med school! Is this true? I dont think i would be able to handle it....

Also when you are this kind of nurse do you have to give IVs if you dont think you can? also shots? I kind of right now have a weak stomach so would you ever be able to say you cant do these things?

What are the requirements, duties, responsibilities, pros/cons, hours, and salary of 'Normal' nursery nurse?

We have this thing in high school now called "18 and out". It means you can graduate with 18 credits and year early. Can you still be this nurse even though you do 18 and out?

Before you are a nursery nurse, what kind of classes do you have to take that dont have to do with newborns and stuff? How long do you go to college and med school and etc?

I am so interested in this profession but anywhere else on the internet isnt helping me. Could anyone give me a website that could give plenty of information?

I know I have so many questions but I have noone else to ask...Could you give me any advice or options? Thanks so so so so so much in advance....Thanks again!

[Heartfelt4Newborns]

I'm not saying any of this to discourage you from pursuing an LPN, you just need to be sure that you can be an LPN and get a job working where you want to work. Otherwise, you could end up getting your LPN and have to work for a year or two in an area of the hospital you don't particularly like while you get your ADN so you can get into working with moms and babies.

I know I said a lot-- did any of that make any sense? :)

I know absolutly that you are not trying to discourage me. You have helped me so much by answering EVERY one of my questions. I understand A LOT more than I did before you helped me so again- thanks! Yes that all made sense!

[Heartfelt4Newborns]

I worked on Labor and Delivery while I went to Nursing school and currently at the hospital I work at we DO have a Nursery for the babies to go to, along with our special care nursery. Now the staff Nurses, whether you were an LPN, RN, or BSN were crosstrained you either were a Nursery Nurse or a Labor Nurse, but when the situation arose where there were sick babies in the Spec care nursery the nurse who was originally hired to be a nursery nurse stayed in the nursery because she was quallified to care for the sick babies...You take extensive specialty courses often offered by the hospital you work for to be "qualified". I really think you should get involved in some job shadowing experiences either at your school or local hospital...call around they have summer programs too!

Thank you VERY much MLK RN! Every bit of information I can get is awesome! *God bless you too! *

[prmenrs, RN]

I really, truely believe that the only person who can answer the question is YOU.

Meanwhile, try to keep as many options open as you can. By that, I mean: take school seriously! Get the best grades possible, take college prep classes, stay out of trouble!! (There's a thread here somewhere, someone's asking if they can still be a nurse w/a DUI on their record. Don't get yourself in that situation.) Don't get sidetracked bu=y getting pregnant. There are plenty of threads discussing "how am I gonna manage 2 kids, a husband, a house, etc, and still try to go to school. It's easier to do w/o all that baggage.

Don't let anyone discourage you, either.

[Heartfelt4Newborns]

Meanwhile, try to keep as many options open as you can. By that, I mean: take school seriously! Get the best grades possible, take college prep classes, stay out of trouble!! (There's a thread here somewhere, someone's asking if they can still be a nurse w/a DUI on their record. Don't get yourself in that situation.) Don't get sidetracked bu=y getting pregnant. There are plenty of threads discussing "how am I gonna manage 2 kids, a husband, a house, etc, and still try to go to school. It's easier to do w/o all that baggage.

Don't let anyone discourage you, either.

Well while Im still in school Im going to do the best I can and when it comes time to make a decision on whether or not to get LPN, etc., then the decision I make will be the best decision at the time! Thanks! :)

[BBnurse34]

I am a newborn nursery nurse in Arizona. In fact, I am writing this as my 2 addicted newborns, newborn on antibiotics, and billi baby sleep :)

I love working nights. We take great care of our patients and goof off and laugh all the time (no management on nights)

Here the nursery nurse must be an RN.

The "cat lab" for biology grossed me out, too. I took bio online and my lab was all point and click on the computer.

If you want to get a headstart, you can probably take prerequesites through the community college and get highschool credit.

You may feel that some of the procedures that you are required to do are scary, but remember that you are well trained and someone is usually available to help you in the beginning.

Good luck