I have to write an eassy for school expaining why I want to be a neonatal nurse when i grow up.....I'm in the 9th grade incase you're wondering.....Can you please give me information about what they do and why they're important and how many years of study do they need.....it's for my intro to health and science class...so please help!
2006-10-02 12:15:48 · 5 answers · asked by KK 2 in Business & Finance ➔ Careers & Employment
Neonatal nurses work either within specialist neonatal units (within Maternity or Children’s Hospitals) or in the community.
Neonatal nurses care for new-born babies who are premature or are born sick. There are a vast number of conditions that can affect a new-born baby and require treatment from specialists within the multidisciplinary healthcare team.
Premature babies have particular problems as a result of being born too soon, in particular problems as a result of being born too soon such as respiratory difficulties that can be life threatening if not treated promptly and appropriately by the specialist team. Likewise, the nutritional needs of the sick newborn and premature babies will require specialist care.
The neonatal nurse also has the important role of supporting the parents of the baby at a time when they themselves are very anxious and stressed. As far as possible, the parents and occasionally other family members are encourages to take an active role in the care of the baby.
2006-10-02 12:25:43 · answer #1 · answered by jt1isme 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
To be a neonatal nurse you need to go to college and get a Bachelor's degree in nursing which is about 3 to 4 years of college depending on where you live. Since being a neonatal nurse is a specialized field you would probably have some training in the hospital for that particular specialty and that would not take that long maybe just a few weeks. I hope this answers your question.
2006-10-02 19:26:29 · answer #2 · answered by slduke7224@sbcglobal.net 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Neonatal nurses are registered nurses and they work in the intensive care unit of a hospital, taking care of sick little babies - either newborns, preemies, or just sick little babies. At the very least, an RN will have an Associate Degree - which takes 2 years. I'm sure the hospitals prefer an RN with a Bachelors Degree which takes 4 years, but with the nursing shortage, they'll take what they can get. In the neonatal ICU, the nurse/patient ratio is different. There might be one nurse to one or two babies. On the Med/Surg floor (the regular hospital) the ratio is more like one nurse to 8 or more patients.
I'm sure being a neonatal nurse is very rewarding to the right kind of person. It never was my cup of tea. I don't think I could stand to watch a tiny baby die - and a lot of them will.
I prefer long term care (nursing homes). It is just as rewarding as other fields of nursing, but in different ways.
Still, being with someone when they enter the world, and being with someone as they leave the world, are in my opinion, the most awesome privileges a person can have.
2006-10-02 19:28:16 · answer #3 · answered by PMS 24-7 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Call your local hospital and ask if, for your essay, you can interview a nurse who works in neo-natal.
How do you know you want to be a neo-natal nurse if you don't know "what they do and why they're important and how many years of study do they need"???
2006-10-02 19:27:01 · answer #4 · answered by mailatac 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you should research it online...since it is your homework .
2006-10-02 19:24:56 · answer #5 · answered by chas5 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋