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What is like to be a neonatal nurse?

I'm a junior in high school. I am an athletic trainer so i have some experience. #medicine #physical #neonatal

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Mayble’s Answer

To become a neonatal nurse, first you would need experience initially after nursing school. Get your foot in the door in the ER or Medical Surgical Floor or even adult ICU. Then I would say apply directly to the neonatal floor. Most hospitals have a level 2 NICU and some are level 3 which is pre term starting at viable gestational age. As a nurse or a new grad there are various programs for training. My training was 3 months in which I was on orientation with a fellow NICU nurse. I fell in love with NICU from maternity rotations during nursing school. I love the little population including pediatrics. The hardest part of being a NICU nurse is dealing with the family of the pre term babies. You have to realize that this is their baby, some will be particular in the care they need. Treat them as you own child. Some NICU babies will be tough to handle emotionally. I always knew when I left the day after a 12 hour shift, I did the best I could for my little patients. Patient safety is priority. Always follow protocal and if a mistake happens always follow chain in command- starting with your charge nurse. Be open to learning, there is so much to learn in the NICU and it is a rewarding career- nursing in general. Good luck!
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Megan’s Answer

Hi there,

There is not really much experience that you get from athletic training in high school that would be applicable to being a neonatal nurse. As an athletic training student most skills you develop are soft skills that will benefit you in any career field. Being a neonatal nurse would be a profession where you work along side a doctor to provide primary, acute, chronic, and critical care to neonates, infants, and toddlers through age 2. If you are interested in nursing, I would go to your athletic trainer or even your school nurse and ask about finding a way to volunteer or shadow a neonatal nurse in a hospital to get a feel of the field. Personal experience with these things are the best way to determine if it something for you or not.

Good luck!
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