Are you a nurse? Do you enjoy your job?

What all is involved in being a neonatal nurse?

• I'm almost done with my 3rd year in high school and I've recently acquired an interest in becoming a neonatal nurse. It looks like a very promising field to enter and I really think, from what I know about neonatal nursing, I would enjoy it. I love children and babies so much and it would just be a dream job to spend all day with them. I am curious though as to what all the job of a neonatal nurse really involves. Is anyone out there a nurse or neonatal nurse who could help me out? As far as what neonatal nurses are expected to do/help out with, the schedules offered and hours and that type of thing, etc.? Also, do you get to hold/spend a whole lot of time with the babies? It always seems like that in movies, but I'm not sure if real nurses do. And if I just wanted to work with the healthier babies and not the extremely ill, are neonatal nurses expected to be a nurse to all of the babies? Just wondering about that too. Anyone who could help me with this- but especially someone who's worked in this field or knows a lot about it - I would greatly appreciate it!

• Answer:

  Hi, I am a doctor (an OB/Gyn), not a nurse. You will need to go to college and get your nursing degree. Then you will need to get a job in the NICU or newborn nursery. I'm not sure how competitive these jobs are to get, but I know that that NICU nurses are generally very good nurses and most have quite a bit of experience. The first step though is to get into a good nursing school, preferably a BSN (4 year) program, and possibly get a Master's degree in nursing. Make it known to your professors that you are interested in neonatal nursing and they will be able to help you out. Nurses can work as much and as little as possible. The nurses that have the most contact with babies are NICU nurses, but they are generally very ill. Postpartum nurses (newborn nursery) nurses have a lot less contact with babies because well babies generally don't require much nursing support. In the movies and TV, nurses seem to have a lot more responsibility and autonomy than in real life. Nurses need orders from doctors to do almost anything. However, they do have the most contact with the patients and develop a very special relationship with them. They are often the people that know the most about the patient and assist the doctor in care. I've found that some OB nurses gain great respect of the doctors and are given a lot of responsibility in decision making. They also get to work with babies. This could be an option for you. Good luck!