3 answers
denise
Student
Arlington, Texas
3
Questions
Asked
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Hi my name is denise im a rising junior who really wants to a labour and delivery nurse or a NICU nurse and i was wondering what do i need to become one especially for college?
Like the types of classes and degree. Also if any colleges have specialized programs for this kind of nurse.(Any advice or knowledge helps c:!! )
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3 answers
Patrick Meyer
Executive - Data Analytics and AI
702
Answers
Naperville, Illinois
Updated
Patrick’s Answer
Denise, as you strive towards your ambition of being a labor and delivery nurse or a NICU nurse, it's crucial to adhere to a well-defined educational journey to ensure you're adequately equipped for these specialized positions. Firstly, you'll need to obtain a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), the basic degree for registered nursing, which imparts the essential knowledge and hands-on skills. During your BSN studies, concentrate on subjects like maternal-newborn nursing, pediatrics, and advanced clinical practices, as they will lay a solid foundation for work in labor and delivery or neonatal intensive care.
Numerous colleges present specialized courses or paths within their nursing studies that concentrate on these sectors. Search for schools that offer comprehensive maternal-child health courses and practical experiences in labor and delivery and neonatal care. Some educational institutions might even collaborate with hospitals or dedicated training centers that provide direct experience in these specialties. Also, think about programs that present advanced practice options or certifications, like becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) for labor and delivery or a Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) for NICU environments.
It's also advantageous to look for internships or volunteer roles in maternity units or NICUs during your undergraduate studies to acquire real-world experience and comprehend the requirements of these roles better. Networking with nursing mentors and becoming a member of related professional groups can further boost your preparation and offer valuable networking possibilities in your chosen profession.
Numerous colleges present specialized courses or paths within their nursing studies that concentrate on these sectors. Search for schools that offer comprehensive maternal-child health courses and practical experiences in labor and delivery and neonatal care. Some educational institutions might even collaborate with hospitals or dedicated training centers that provide direct experience in these specialties. Also, think about programs that present advanced practice options or certifications, like becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) for labor and delivery or a Certified Pediatric Nurse (CPN) for NICU environments.
It's also advantageous to look for internships or volunteer roles in maternity units or NICUs during your undergraduate studies to acquire real-world experience and comprehend the requirements of these roles better. Networking with nursing mentors and becoming a member of related professional groups can further boost your preparation and offer valuable networking possibilities in your chosen profession.
Thank you so much for replying to my comment I will definitely start looking into colleges with these programs.
denise
Mary Jane Shroyer
Director of Health Professions Career Community
113
Answers
Grinnell, Iowa
Updated
Mary Jane’s Answer
Hi Denise!
There are a lot of pathways into nursing, so it can definitely be confusing! In order to be a nurse, you need a nursing degree and you need to pass a national exam called the NCLEX. You have some options for degrees since you can enroll at either a 2-year or a 4-year college. The most common path is probably to get a BSN degree, which is a 4-year degree. With a degree and a passing score on the NCLEX, you'll be an RN and you can then apply for jobs in a NICU--you'll likely rotate through labor and delivery and NICU in your clinical training, so you don't need a specialized degree to get started in that area.
To get a BSN, you'll need about 2 years of basic college classes and then you'll do 2 years of nursing classes with clinical training. Those nursing-specific years vary. Some schools will take you into their nursing program right away as a college freshman while others will bring you in as a pre-nursing student and then you have to apply for the BSN program.
Regardless, you will likely need some prerequisite courses like English, chemistry, math or statistics, some psychology and biology - the most common are abnormal and lifespan psychology and anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. Those courses will have their own prerequisites - you'll need introductory psychology and biology before you can take the specialized courses. When you get to college, there will likely be a prehealth advisor or a pre-nursing advisor who can help you understand the requirements and make a plan to ensure you are eligible to complete the BSN degree. You can start with the basic introductory courses at a community college and transfer into a nursing program, but be sure you understand what courses you need to take at the community college so you aren't playing catch up when you transfer. Again, there should be an advisor at the community college to assist you and you can always reach out (politely and professionally!) to the nursing program you're interested in to make sure you understand their admission requirements.
Things you can do in high school to ensure your success is to take biology, chemistry, math and psychology courses. The more comfortable you are with the material before you start college, the easier it will be to keep up with the pace in college. You can also learn where you struggle and start working on study skills, time management, or tutoring to make sure you have a robust toolbox for college success. If you have access to dual credit courses, you could considering taking some of those prerequisites that I mentioned but I would speak with an academic advisor at the community college who works with pre-nursing students to ensure you are taking the correct courses. Sometimes there will be "survey" courses that give students a "taste" of biology or chemistry but they don't go into enough depth for students who intend to major in a science or in nursing, so the course doesn't "count" toward their intended degree or as a prerequisite for admission to a nursing program.
Finally, some people do pursue their RN by getting an associate degree in nursing (ADN, which is a 2-year degree at a community college). This option is faster and cheaper, but you may be limited in the types of jobs you can get. Many RNs who have ADNs will later go back to school for what is called an RN-to-BSN program so they can have more options for promotion and better salaries. Sometimes your employer will help with the cost of tuition for those programs. I think it's a good use of time now to research the difference between an ADN and a BSN, what degrees are preferred in the area where you'd like to work/live, and compare the cost of the programs vs the salaries for the different degrees. Some of this you can find searching online but you could also do informational interviews with nurses in your area and talk with admissions staff at any nursing programs in your town. Your high school counselor can help you find contact information and draft emails to reach out to those people.
Good luck! It's a great field with a lot of opportunities for ongoing education and options like management and teaching if you ever want to go beyond patient care.
There are a lot of pathways into nursing, so it can definitely be confusing! In order to be a nurse, you need a nursing degree and you need to pass a national exam called the NCLEX. You have some options for degrees since you can enroll at either a 2-year or a 4-year college. The most common path is probably to get a BSN degree, which is a 4-year degree. With a degree and a passing score on the NCLEX, you'll be an RN and you can then apply for jobs in a NICU--you'll likely rotate through labor and delivery and NICU in your clinical training, so you don't need a specialized degree to get started in that area.
To get a BSN, you'll need about 2 years of basic college classes and then you'll do 2 years of nursing classes with clinical training. Those nursing-specific years vary. Some schools will take you into their nursing program right away as a college freshman while others will bring you in as a pre-nursing student and then you have to apply for the BSN program.
Regardless, you will likely need some prerequisite courses like English, chemistry, math or statistics, some psychology and biology - the most common are abnormal and lifespan psychology and anatomy, physiology, and microbiology. Those courses will have their own prerequisites - you'll need introductory psychology and biology before you can take the specialized courses. When you get to college, there will likely be a prehealth advisor or a pre-nursing advisor who can help you understand the requirements and make a plan to ensure you are eligible to complete the BSN degree. You can start with the basic introductory courses at a community college and transfer into a nursing program, but be sure you understand what courses you need to take at the community college so you aren't playing catch up when you transfer. Again, there should be an advisor at the community college to assist you and you can always reach out (politely and professionally!) to the nursing program you're interested in to make sure you understand their admission requirements.
Things you can do in high school to ensure your success is to take biology, chemistry, math and psychology courses. The more comfortable you are with the material before you start college, the easier it will be to keep up with the pace in college. You can also learn where you struggle and start working on study skills, time management, or tutoring to make sure you have a robust toolbox for college success. If you have access to dual credit courses, you could considering taking some of those prerequisites that I mentioned but I would speak with an academic advisor at the community college who works with pre-nursing students to ensure you are taking the correct courses. Sometimes there will be "survey" courses that give students a "taste" of biology or chemistry but they don't go into enough depth for students who intend to major in a science or in nursing, so the course doesn't "count" toward their intended degree or as a prerequisite for admission to a nursing program.
Finally, some people do pursue their RN by getting an associate degree in nursing (ADN, which is a 2-year degree at a community college). This option is faster and cheaper, but you may be limited in the types of jobs you can get. Many RNs who have ADNs will later go back to school for what is called an RN-to-BSN program so they can have more options for promotion and better salaries. Sometimes your employer will help with the cost of tuition for those programs. I think it's a good use of time now to research the difference between an ADN and a BSN, what degrees are preferred in the area where you'd like to work/live, and compare the cost of the programs vs the salaries for the different degrees. Some of this you can find searching online but you could also do informational interviews with nurses in your area and talk with admissions staff at any nursing programs in your town. Your high school counselor can help you find contact information and draft emails to reach out to those people.
Good luck! It's a great field with a lot of opportunities for ongoing education and options like management and teaching if you ever want to go beyond patient care.
Thank you so much I'm taking all college classes already and getting my EKG certificate but I'm definitely working on my studying skills!!
denise
Hana Kim
Student Nurse
4
Answers
Southborough, Massachusetts
Updated
Hana’s Answer
Hi Denise!
As a person who underwent a nursing degree, I think that taking courses in Biology, Statistics, and Anatomy in high school should help.
I definitely took introductory Statistics in nursing school, and taking Biology in high school helped me to understand the Anatomy & Physiology classes better. I've also known students who took Anatomy courses in high school have faster retention of places and terms in class. So having an introductory understanding of these courses help!
Besides classes, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which is a four-year degree that allows for rotating clinicals in diverse fields. With most accredited colleges, you should be able to do clinicals in Labor and Delivery, although NICU can be a little harder since it is a more advanced field. I've also seen nurses who graduated with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) who worked in healthcare institutions for a longer period of time who are phenomenal nurses! So as long as you have the willingness to help others, you can definitely work in Labor & Delivery or NICU.
Best of luck!
As a person who underwent a nursing degree, I think that taking courses in Biology, Statistics, and Anatomy in high school should help.
I definitely took introductory Statistics in nursing school, and taking Biology in high school helped me to understand the Anatomy & Physiology classes better. I've also known students who took Anatomy courses in high school have faster retention of places and terms in class. So having an introductory understanding of these courses help!
Besides classes, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree, which is a four-year degree that allows for rotating clinicals in diverse fields. With most accredited colleges, you should be able to do clinicals in Labor and Delivery, although NICU can be a little harder since it is a more advanced field. I've also seen nurses who graduated with an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) who worked in healthcare institutions for a longer period of time who are phenomenal nurses! So as long as you have the willingness to help others, you can definitely work in Labor & Delivery or NICU.
Best of luck!