Sunday, 20 October 2013

General Information On Neonatal Nurses Education

By Elena McDowell


Neonatal nursing is a specialty in the nursing field that involves working directly with newborn infants with various problems. The neonatal period refers to the first month of human life. Neonatal nurses education is expected to take some time and may vary based on the country in which a person practices.

Individuals who hope to do this as a career must be properly trained. After all, they are responsible for nursing young babies back to health. Prior to beginning neonatal nursing studies, individuals are expected to obtain an undergraduate education.

Some community colleges that proved associates degrees in the field and most four-year universities offer bachelors degrees. Most of these programs do not have any specialty courses included. Still, sometimes neonatal elective classes are an option for those interested.

There are three main routes that can be taken to earn this type of education and certification. There is a baccalaureate degree that can be earned through a university or college. Usually this takes four years to earn. This allows for the greatest flexibility in career path. There is also the associate degree that can be earned from two to three years at a community or junior college. A hospital-based nursing school offers a diploma degree. However, these programs are being taking out in many areas.

Those who have obtained a degree in another field might be able to participate in an accelerated program to earn their Master or Bachelor of Science in two years or less. Those interested in advanced nursing must have a doctoral or masters. Sometimes nurses with masters degrees go on to earn their PhD.

Once a person becomes registered as a nurse, he or she will work in a hospital NICU. Most of these programs require that individuals have some experience working in infant care, such as pediatrics or in the nursery for newborns. Still, most facilities will hire graduate nurses with a strong interest in this specialty care. Through orientation programs, the nurses will learn how to properly treat the sick infants. There are many educational programs that offer basic information on this type of care.

During the learning process, people should expect to do skills labs and work in real-world clinical settings to help with training. Once they have graduated from school with their degree, the training will be provided through the employer, both through classes and preceptor or mentorship programs. This type of formal training is expected to last six weeks to three months, depending on prior experience. Some places require new graduates to have a year or two in maternal or general nursing before they can work in the NICU.

Certification requirements will vary by country, as do job descriptions. Most of these nurses are expected to have strong critical thinking skills so they can keep up with the changing status of patients in the NICU. Paying attention to details is important when it comes to managing multiple technologies. Ideal nurses are also patient, compassionate and have the ability to communicate complex concepts and teach skills to parents. Neonatal nurses education will vary from place to place.




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