I am hoping to become a Neo-natal nurse. Is it worth it?

I think it depends on how you view your purpose with these babies. If you go into the NICU thinking that you want to save a life, then you probably will get burnt out fast. As a nurse we are a special part in these families lives whether their babies survive or not. We are part of their journey. This is the calling that many nurses feel and this is what will keep you coming back everyday.

Dear Angelina- I have been a neonatal nurse for many years and I can't imagine a better job! It can be emotional because you are responsible for caring for a tiny patient who can't tell you what is wrong- You must learn skills to perform assessments and be able to decide if your patient is within the normal limits or if your patient needs an intervention to improve. So, yes- sometimes stressful- But also SO rewarding! The patient needs your skill and so does the family. You are also there to help the family to learn to be the caregiver to their own tiny baby. As far as dealing with a death. It is never easy. Nurses cry with the family. But that's ok- we are people too. We love our patients and it can be difficult to lose one. But, I think the family wants to know that you are caring for their baby with that much sensitivity and love. We can't be paralyzed by the fear of a death because the baby needs us to perform the best we can. The good news is that in my unit, infant death is not a common occurrence. We can go months without a loss- so it's more often happy than sad. We have seen some very tiny, sick babies have great outcomes and go home with their family. Every year we have a reunion party for NICU graduates to have them return to see how they are doing- Last year I got to talk to a girl I cared for when she was a preemie in our unit and she was on her way to college! Her mom remembered me because I was in a video of them giving their baby her first bath! Angelina- if you have a passion to become a neonatal nurse-- then follow your dream! Best of luck to you
Teresa

Hi Angelina,

In my opinion the best way to know if you will be a good fit for neonatal nursing is to try it out. And by that I mean try to shadow a neonatal nurse in some way. If you can't, then there is no other choice than to try it out firsthand. In nursing school I was able to do clinicals in long term care. I asked my instructor if one knows if they are "cut out" for a certain specialty like long term care and she said yes. It was then that I knew I wasn't cur out for long term care. Every aspect of nursing has its pros and cons and some cons are harder to accept than others. Remember, your training will help you and ask for help whenever you are struggling.

Best of luck to you!

Patty

Nursing in general is a very rewarding career choice. I'm sure you will have good days and bad days, but just know that you are making a difference every day.