Question...

Specialties NICU

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I know there are neonatal nurses, which deal with the premature babies, high risk, etc... but what are some other infant related nurse careers? I would love to have a career as a nurse working with infants, but I don't think NICU is for me, and would love to know what other infant areas there to work in?

Thanks

Trish

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

How about Newborn Nursery (healthy babies) or a Mother-Baby unit(still newborn but stay with mom throughout stay). Thats kind of a postpartum/nursery unit.

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Yeah, I was thinking about that. I wasn't sure because I read somewhere that there is supposed to be a decrease of Postpartum and Newborn Baby Nurses needed, because of the short time they spend at the hospital. I'm pretty sure they are needed though right? Does anyone know how I would go about becoming a postpartum/nursery nurse? Education wise, etc..

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Specializes in NICU.
Yeah, I was thinking about that. I wasn't sure because I read somewhere that there is supposed to be a decrease of Postpartum and Newborn Baby Nurses needed, because of the short time they spend at the hospital. I'm pretty sure they are needed though right? Does anyone know how I would go about becoming a postpartum/nursery nurse? Education wise, etc..

Well, they are always going to need Post Partum nurses, but maybe not Newborn Nursery ones. Many hospitals are going to set-ups where the baby stays with the mom at all times - some even admit moms to rooms where they labor, deliver, and recover without her or the baby ever leaving that room.

If you are sure you want to go into nursing, you first need to get accepted into a nursing program. I'd reccommend an RN program, in which you will recieve your associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing, then take the boards to get your license. I only say this because if you end up wanting to do NICU, there are very very few units that still hire Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) so you might as well get the RN to begin with. You will go through everything in nursing school - caring for babies, children, adults, elderly, surgical patients, medical patients, psych patients, people in the community, etc. You don't specialize when you are in nursing school. Basically, upon graduation and passing your boards, you are a nurse - and you can choose whatever specialty you want at that point. So you have a few years to decide what exact field of nursing you want.

Good luck!

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Wow, thanks! So basically just get into a school... you make it sound so simple.. well not simple in that it will be a breeze to get by, but to just become an RN you can choose from many different specialties. With me I have always wanted to work with babies... so I think I will take your advice and try to get into the postpartum mother/baby care... can anyone tell me more about the exams and whatnot for licensure? Like how long is it time wise, do you have to keep taking a license exam every so years...etc..

Thanks

Trish

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
Wow, thanks! So basically just get into a school... you make it sound so simple.. well not simple in that it will be a breeze to get by, but to just become an RN you can choose from many different specialties. With me I have always wanted to work with babies... so I think I will take your advice and try to get into the postpartum mother/baby care... can anyone tell me more about the exams and whatnot for licensure? Like how long is it time wise, do you have to keep taking a license exam every so years...etc..

Thanks

Trish

Well, after you finish your associate's or bachelor's degree program, you are eligible to take the nursing boards. It is a one-time computer test and you get anywhere from 75-265 questions. You schedule it yourself at a computer center, and it can take less than an hour or up to about five hours, I think that's the max time. I'm not going to go too much into it here, as there is a whole forum on this website dedicated to the nursing boards - the test is called the N-CLEX. Anyway, after you pass that, you just need to pay a fee every other year to keep your license active. If you move to another state, you don't have to take the test again in that state but you do have to get your license transferred over.

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You might want to consider the pediatric route. Most children's hospitals, in addition to having a NICU also have a Special Care Unit that is designed for babies past the NICU stage...usually under 1 to 1 1/2 years old. However, you need to be aware that most RN's are not hired into these areas right out of nursing school. Your chances will be better if you work as an extern at a pedi hospital during your last year of school.

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