Neonatal Nurse – Job Description
Saturday, April 7th, 2012When a baby is born, they are cared for by the neonatal nurse that is on duty. Someone that chooses this to be their specialty would consider this to be the best fit for their needs. Possibly the best choice for someone that loves to care for babies and wants to help a parent adjust to being a new parent would be well suited for a level one neonatal nurse position. A level one nurse works directly with the new babies that are healthy but are staying in the nursery while the mother rests. This is something that is not in high demand though because many parents want their newborn to be kept in the room with them, not in a nursery.
Level two neonatal nurse positions are best suited for someone that has a caring heart and that want to be there to help nurse a child back to health after they were born too early or if they have small problems that prevent them from going home immediately. A nurse in this position is responsible for providing therapy for these challenged babies and for getting them ready to go home with their parents. They are able to watch as the child grows stronger and finally gets to go home so long after the mother was released.
A nurse that works in the NICU, or neonatal intensive-care unit, is someone that deals with the tragically ill babies. These children need a lot of extra time and care so that they can hold on to life and grow past their medical issue. A lower level nurse may not be able to handle the responsibilities that come with this unit. They may need specific technologies to help them and the nurses in the NICU will be familiar with these practices and machinery. Not all nurses are meant to be a neonatal nurse so they do have the chance to pass up the opportunity if it is offered to them.
Someone that is interested in becoming a neonatal nurse must be an RN at least, so they must have completed their ASN or BSN degree. The hospitals and medical facilities may have differences in what requirements they place on someone that wants to work in a position such as this. Some locations have a requirement that the nurse have a specific amount of experience before they would be considered for such a position. You may find that your state has different requirements than other states nearby.
Anyone that fills a neonatal nurse position will have to take special classes to help them know how to work with the critically ill children. They will have to know about specific medications that are used and that are high risk medications as well as having a good knowledge about specialty equipment like resuscitation and ventilators. When a child is critically ill, special procedures and equipment will likely be needed so the nurse must know how to work effectively with them.
A neonatal nurse must also be able to maintain their professionalism while they are working with parents that are very stressed out. They should be able to provide comfort to the parents and the relatives and keep them up to date with information so that they can come to a full understanding of the severity of the problem. Someone that is not patient or that cannot remain calm would not do well working in the NICU. This position requires a certain type of special nurse to do well.