Neonatal Nursing Colleges

January 18, 2012 By

Looking for a neonatal nursing college?  You might be hard-pressed to find one, and that is because neonatal nursing is a specific type of nursing a registered nurse can pursue after he or she completes a nursing degree in a college or university.  Neonatal nursing colleges simply do not exist as a specific type of nursing school.

Nursing colleges provide education and curriculum that allows for a nursing degree that enables the nurse to pursue his or her registered nursing license.  Once they have earned their nursing license, they can begin to search for a job, and choose a nursing specialty, such as neonatal intensive care nursing.

So what are the expectations for becoming a neonatal nurse after college?  Neonatal intensive care units are found in hospitals across the country, and generally require their nurses to have earned a nursing degree through an Associate’s or Bachelor’s Degree in nursing program.  Once they have earned their registered nursing license, they can then pursue a specific type of nursing, such as neonatal intensive care.

A nursing college will help prepare a nurse for the neonatal intensive care unit and a neonatal nursing job, and nursing students can even apply for a neonatal nursing externship within the neonatal intensive care unit while still attending college.  Once hired as a new neonatal nurse, a neonatal nursing internship begins, that averages out to around three or four months of training with experienced neonatal nurses.

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Neonatal CEU

January 18, 2012 By

Neonatal CEUs, or continuing education units, are seminars, lessons, presentations, or readings that further the education of neonatal nurses.  A neonatal nurse, or nay nurse for that matter, must obtain a certain number of CEUs every year.  While some hospitals provide CEUs for their nursing staff, not every CEU is obtainable through such easy methods.

Here, there is a collection of CEUs and free CEUs for neonatal nurses to use.  It is important, when looking for free online CEUs, to not stumble onto any that cost money, unless you are prepared to pay for your continuing education.  Many nurses would prefer to earn as many free CEUs as possible.

Free Neonatal CEUs

One common misconception about CEUs is that they must be specific to the nursing specialization the nurse works in.  For example, a neonatal nurse must choose neonatal CEUs.  This is not the case.  Nurse CEUs can apply to any nurse keeping his or her nursing license up to date.

Below are a number of free nurse CEU sites that can be used to obtain and earn free nursing CEUs.

- NICUniversity.org
- Abbott Nutrition Learning Center
- NurseCEU.com
- ce.Nurse.com

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Neonatal Nursing Salary

January 18, 2012 By

How much money does a neonatal nurse make and what is the average neonatal nursing salary?  A neonatal nurse salary will depend on a number of factors, including: number of years the nurse has been a neonatal nurse, education level acquired, location, and certifications obtained.  The largest factor in determining a neonatal nurse salary is usually the years of neonatal nursing experience.  The second determining factor is location.  Neonatal nurses in states such as California and New York will make more per hour than nurses from Louisiana and Montana.

Neonatal nurses make, on average, $50,000 to $80,000 per year.  This is based on five to ten years experience.  New neonatal nurses fresh out from nursing school can expect to make $40,000 to $45,000 their first couple years. To see a more in-depth breakdown of a neonatal nurse’s salary, visit the online Neonatal ICU resource site, NeonatalICU.com – Neonatal Nurse Salary.

However, the extraordinary thing about neonatal nursing salaries is that they rapidly grow when you factor in differentials (such as working night shifts), and working overtime.  Some hospitals will even offer ‘critical shift pay’, which further increases the monetary incentive for working when nurse staffing is extremely low.  A brand new neonatal nurse could see his or her salary jump from $40,000 a year working normal hours to over $65,000 working one extra shift a week.

Neonatal nursing salaries can also apply to neonatal nurse managers and neonatal nurse practitioners.  Neonatal managers can make an average of $85,000 to $125,000 per year, while neonatal nurse practitioners can average between $75,000 and $150,000 per year.

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Neonatal Nursing Jobs

January 18, 2012 By

Neonatal nursing jobs are in demand all across the world.  In the United States, there is a need for neonatal nurses everywhere a person looks, because of how specialized the care is for neonatal infants.  For registered nurses interested in neonatal nursing jobs, the search starts at local hospitals.

As with most nursing jobs, it is a little easier to find a night shift job as opposed to a day shift job, since night shifts tend to be harder to cover.  That said, night shift opportunities in the neonatal intensive care unit often pay better due to the higher differentials.  A hospital neonatal nursing job, regardless of shift, will require an internship in the neonatal intensive care unit for new nurses, or nurses new to neonatal care.  Veteran neonatal nurses may find a shorrter orientation and training period.

Neonatal Contract Nursing and Neonatal Travel Nursing Jobs

Neonatal nurses also have the option to pursue contract nursing and travel nursing, which allows for a nurse to seek nursing job opportunities outside their home city or state.  Contract and travel nursing jobs tend to pay a higher salary, and may include housing accommodations as well.

Contract nursing involves signing a contract for a specific period of time, usually for full or part time hours.  Contract nurses make a higher salary, but do not partake in benefits provided by the healthcare facility they work for.

Travel nurses are sent abroad, to wherever they are needed.  Neonatal nursing is in high demand nation-wide, so for the nurse who is eager to set out and earn some very good money, neonatal travel nursing might be the way to go.

Both contract and travel nurses usually find their positions through a nursing agency that acts on their behalf.  For nurses seeking these types of nursing opportunities, finding an agency is the first step.

Neonatal Agency Nursing Jobs

Neonatal agency nursing involves working for a nursing agency within your city.  An agency nurse is not associated with one healthcare facility or another, but rather can work at numerous locations if the need arises.

The way this works is when a hospital ends up short on staff for an upcoming shift, they will call the nursing agencies to see if any nurses are willing to work that particular shift.  The agency then calls their nurses, neonatal nurses in this instance, to see if any want to work at that facility for that shift.  They have the option to accept or decline.

The brilliance of neonatal agency nursing is that a nurse can choose to work whenever he or she wants, and make a very good salary doing so.  The down side is that work is never guaranteed, and the nurse cannot partake in the extra benefits usually provided by hospitals and other healthcare facilities.

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Neonatal Nursing Degree

January 17, 2012 By

A neonatal nursing degree is obtained by a registered nurse who has earned his or her bachelor’s or associate’s degree in nursing.  A licensed registered nurse can then pursue a job in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), after an internship that will educate them on the care of infants in the NICU.

A neonatal nursing degree is often pursued at colleges and universities, and consists of a set list of prerequisite classes that allow entrance into a nursing program.  Once these prerequisites are completed, and an aptitude test is taken, the student may then enter the nursing program and start earning his or her nursing degree.  Many of these prerequisite classes can be earned online, which leads many nursing students to believe they can obtain an online nursing degree, or perhaps earn a neonatal nursing degree online.

Because nursing degrees require hands-on practice in a healthcare facility, such as a hospital, most nursing degree programs require that the nursing student be on campus, and on-site at the hospitals to complete clinicals that are essential and required for completion of nursing degrees.

Nursing students who wish to become a neonatal nurse can apply for an neonatal nursing externship while still in the nursing program.  This allows them to complete an externship in the neonatal intensive care unit, furthering there education and increasing the likelihood of becoming a neonatal nurse after acquiring their neonatal nursing degree.

Nursing degrees can vary in cost from $7,000 to $15,000 total tuition for an associate’s degree in nursing, to $20,000 to $100,000 total tuition for a bachelor’s degree in nursing.  The cost of tuition highly depends on the school the nursing program resides in, and if the nursing student is paying in-state, or out-of-state tuition.  Out of state students tend to pay more than students who live within the state where the college is located.

Job placement for neonatal nurses with a bachelor’s degree is higher than those with an Associate’s degree, as more and more hospitals are trying to acquire something known as Magnet status, which requires a certain (high) percentags of staffed nurses to have a bachelor’s degree in nursing or higher.

Neonatal RN to Masters Degree

Many neonatal nurses who wish to pursue a master’s degree in nursing can easily do so online with an online nursing program.  This can allow for further job advancement positions, such as management and administration.  Nurses who wish to become a neonatal nurse practitioner can also do so by obtaining a master’s degree in nursing.

For nurses wishing to complete an online nursing degree to become a neonatal nurse practitioner, they will have to complete some coursework online, and must also complete a large amount of clinical hours, depending on the master’s program requirements.

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Neonatal Nursing Information

January 17, 2012 By

Neonatal nursing is a specialty in nursing that focuses on the care of premature and sick newborn infants. Neonatal nurses care for infants that are born early, or have illnesses, diseases, or conditions that require intensive care. Neonatal nurses are found in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit.Many healthcare institutions, such as hospitals, have different requirements for hiring neonatal nurses. Many, if not all, require that a neonatal nurse must first be a registered nurse (RN), therefore having a registered nurse license.

After being hired into the neonatal intensive care unit, neonatal nurses must then go through an internship that can last a varying amount of time, averaging out at around three months, to acclimate the nurse to specialized neonatal nursing. Certain neonatal nursing certifications must also be obtained, within a certain period of time from the date of hire.

A nurse specializing in neonatal nursing can expect his or her duties to include the care for premature infants, sick infants, attending high-risk deliveries, and assisting in minor and major surgical procedures. They also are advocates for the parents of the infant(s), helping them cope and adjust to having a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit. This can include emotional support, breastfeeding help, and education on the care of neonatal infants during and after the hospital stay.

Neonatal nurses work very closely with their fellow nurses, and other staff that includes: neonatologists, neonatal nurse practitioners, pediatricians, and other maternity hospital staff.  Other staff can include respiratory therapists, speech and physical therapists, and social workers.

Neonatal Nursing is in high demand, and neonatal nurses are needed across the country.  Because this type of nursing is so specialized, most adult and pediatric nurses cannot work in the neonatal intensive care unit.  Therefore, neonatal nurses are highly sought after, and can earn very competitive salaries.

Neonatal nurses must complete a four-year bachelor’s degree in nursing, or a two-year associate’s degree in nursing.

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