1 answer
madi
Student
Hacienda Heights
1
Question
Updated
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What does day to day life look like for a Neonatal Nurse?
I want to know if this is for sure what i want to do, but im nervous. I'm willing to take any helpful advice and or suggestions. I've dreamed of working in the medical field since I was a little girl. No one in my family works in the medical field so I rarely get answers to questions regarding working in the medical field.
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1 answer
James Hanson
Pediatric Intensive Care Physician; Consultant
266
Answers
Oakland, California
Updated
James’s Answer
I hope an actual neonatal nurse or more answer your question. I was able to work with, and learn from nurses who work in labor and delivery or in neonatal intensive care, and feel I can give you a decent second-hand answer.
Most nurses who manage neonates work regular shifts of 8 or 12 hours, and full-time is usually 5 8-hour shifts or 3 12-hour shifts per week. Obviously, nursing care is 24/7, so it is common for early-career nurses to do night shifts or rotating day/night shifts.
One comes in just before one's shift starts to learn about which patients you will be assigned, and what are things you need to know to do a good job for the team of physicians and nurses and others based on what is different at that time. There are generally fairly strict staffing rules that limit the number of mothers or babies you are responsible for, which means that nurses are often called in from home when more help is needed, and sent home early if there aren't enough patients.
In addition to assessing your patients (taking vital signs, evaluating any IV lines, respiratory support...), you follow physician's orders for care: how to feed and hydrate the patient; any respiratory or circulatory support, medication administration, educating mothers and fathers on how to care for their babies...
All of this care requires careful documentation, which is frankly annoying, but very important in assuring that all on the care team can see how the patient is doing, and what concerns you have.
Neonatal nurses are often given the opportunity to learn more advanced skills, including administrative skills. So, it is common for one to become a charge nurse, a nurse educator, or nurse manager. Certainly, a few go on to become Chief Nursing Officers, or go on to get their nurse practitioner degree.
A few decide that neonatal care isn't as great as they expected. Some such nurses transfer to other parts of a hospital, such as ED, post-anesthesia recovery, or pediatric intensive care.
Most nurses who manage neonates work regular shifts of 8 or 12 hours, and full-time is usually 5 8-hour shifts or 3 12-hour shifts per week. Obviously, nursing care is 24/7, so it is common for early-career nurses to do night shifts or rotating day/night shifts.
One comes in just before one's shift starts to learn about which patients you will be assigned, and what are things you need to know to do a good job for the team of physicians and nurses and others based on what is different at that time. There are generally fairly strict staffing rules that limit the number of mothers or babies you are responsible for, which means that nurses are often called in from home when more help is needed, and sent home early if there aren't enough patients.
In addition to assessing your patients (taking vital signs, evaluating any IV lines, respiratory support...), you follow physician's orders for care: how to feed and hydrate the patient; any respiratory or circulatory support, medication administration, educating mothers and fathers on how to care for their babies...
All of this care requires careful documentation, which is frankly annoying, but very important in assuring that all on the care team can see how the patient is doing, and what concerns you have.
Neonatal nurses are often given the opportunity to learn more advanced skills, including administrative skills. So, it is common for one to become a charge nurse, a nurse educator, or nurse manager. Certainly, a few go on to become Chief Nursing Officers, or go on to get their nurse practitioner degree.
A few decide that neonatal care isn't as great as they expected. Some such nurses transfer to other parts of a hospital, such as ED, post-anesthesia recovery, or pediatric intensive care.