What type of nurse works with babies?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm planning on going to school to be a nurse. I would really love to be one that only works with infants, but I am totally not sure on what type of nurse that is.

Can anyone help me out please?

Thanks

Thanks for that link... this is what I hope to specialize in as well. I know in the beginning for the first couple years I'll be doing things at the hospital where I'm needed and I may not "like" it. But it's good experience to work in different fields of nursing. Who knows, I may not like Perinatal... but I'm pretty sure I will Thanks again!

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Sl1011 said:
Thanks for that link... this is what I hope to specialize in as well. I know in the beginning for the first couple years I'll be doing things at the hospital where I'm needed and I may not "like" it. But it's good experience to work in different fields of nursing. Who knows, I may not like Perinatal... but I'm pretty sure I will Thanks again!

Your welcome

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fallinofthestar said:
If I was to be a labor & delivery nurse would I have a chance to work with the infant/newborn after the mother gave birth? Like would I be able to work in the nursery or not?
If I had to work with the mothers before they gave birth then I guess that wouldn't be so bad.

There are different types of "maternity" floors depending on the size and philosophy of the hospital and what was in fashion when the unit was built- (l=labor, d=delivery, r=recovery, p=postpartum) I worked on an ldrp- the mom was admitted to a room, had the baby there (unless c-section), then stayed in that room until time to go home. Baby either stayed with her ("rooming-in" "couplet care") or went to the nursery. Depending on staffing numbers and skill mix, the same nurses did all areas of nursing. A few only did nursery and couplet care. I delivered my baby in an ldr- I labored, delivered, and waited about an hour until I was "recovered" in one room, then went to a different unit that was only postpartum/nursery/couplets. Many nurses were specialized to one unit or another. Others floated between both floors as well as high risk antenatal (moms at risk for preterm or emergent delivery)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

Read the rest of the information on that Discover Nursing website. You have to go to nursing school first and pass the NCLEX exam in your state to get your RN license first. Then you have to get hired by a hospital that is willing to take you on and train you in that specialty. These units are mostly in large medical centers in large metropolitan cities.

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Okay, now I am really confused. I thought perinatal nurse was what I was looking for, but then I found something like Certified Newborn Specialist. So now I don't know and I am really confused.

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Alright, I read a little more in to a neonatal nurse and now I believe that's what I was looking for. Level 1 neonatal nurses are not in much great demand, but I'm thinking a level 1 and maybe 2.

This is the site I was looking at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonatal_nursing#Levels_I.2C_II.2C_and_III

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FallinofTheStar said:
Alright, I read a little more in to a neonatal nurse and now I believe that's what I was looking for. Level 1 neonatal nurses are not in much great demand, but I'm thinking a level 1 and maybe 2.

This is the site I was looking at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonatal_nursing#Levels_I.2C_II.2C_and_III

OK... so you go to nursing school where you get a taste of everything nursing has to offer. I hate to say... but suck up the clinicals in settings you don't enjoy (no-one likes everything) Keep an open mind though, you'll be surprised at what you might enjoy. Maybe even more surprised at what isn't as great a fit as you thought it might be. Towards the end of school, most programs include a practicum where you work in the setting of your choosing... use this opportunity to network. Take advantage of membership discounts to students by specialty organizations like NANN http://www.nann.org/ if this is the path you end up choosing. If you love your specialty there is opportunity to become certified and even go back to school with a masters degree in the field (like you mentioned)

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Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt.

That's a good point. I went to nursing school thinking that all I wanted to do was work in the Operating Room. As it turned out the only time I've ever been in the Operating Room was during my student observation experience, one day of observation during my new grad orientation and periodically when I had to run units of blood to an OR when I was a supervisor. I ended up working med/surg, telemetry and IV therapy and was very happy doing that.

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).
FallinofTheStar said:
Alright, I read a little more in to a neonatal nurse and now I believe that's what I was looking for. Level 1 neonatal nurses are not in much great demand, but I'm thinking a level 1 and maybe 2.

This is the site I was looking at. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neonatal_nursing#Levels_I.2C_II.2C_and_III

A level I neonatal nursery is the same thing as a well-baby or newborn nursery. And they are in just as much demand as a Level II NICU nurse.

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SteveRN21 said:
A level I neonatal nursery is the same thing as a well-baby or newborn nursery. And they are in just as much demand as a Level II NICU nurse.

Oh cool I didn't know that.

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Specializes in NICU.

The small to medium hospitals I've been to don't have nursery-only RN's. The RN's train to all of L&D. They just don't have enough babies in the nursery all of the time to warrant a F/T RN. At least not one who would keep their sanity.

I originally thought I would do L&D, but really disliked it during clinical rotations. Just not my thing. Same with Peds. The beauty of nursing is that you can really find somewhere that feels right for you.

Why the interest in babies only?

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ilstu99 said:
The small to medium hospitals I've been to don't have nursery-only RN's. The RN's train to all of L&D. They just don't have enough babies in the nursery all of the time to warrant a F/T RN. At least not one who would keep their sanity.

I originally thought I would do L&D, but really disliked it during clinical rotations. Just not my thing. Same with Peds. The beauty of nursing is that you can really find somewhere that feels right for you.

Why the interest in babies only?

Because for one, I just love working with babies. The second reason is while I was in high school I did some job shadow thing where I went and studied a baby nurse or something of that degree and it looked like something I wanted to do.

So I want to be a nurse and I really figure a baby nurse would give me that want as in wanting to be a nurse and my love for babies and working with them.

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