Summary: A Career As A Neonatologist

Ever since I was a little girl, I was always telling my parents I wanted to be a doctor to help people. As I got older my sisters had babies and I always wanted to hold them and take care of them furthermore, just recently I had come across a defined profession caring for infants in a great deal of need. I have been interested in helping people in need, performing surgeries and caring for infants since I was approximately eight years old. I have recently been doing some research on a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP), and believe that the job description fits me well. I would find a colossal amount of joy in being a NNP because I love being around babies and would enjoy being able to make a difference in their early life, as well as in their family’s lives.

A Neonatal nurse practitioner roughly makes about $107,500 and the income per year is about $124,540. The hourly pay a Neonatal nurse practitioner makes is based on experience. As a registered nurse, neonatal nurses have the opportunity to move into management positions, including moving up to being a unit manager or head nurse. One key to getting an advancement in the career field one has chosen is to continue getting educated and trained, while gaining experience and improved skills.(Benefits of being a Neonatal nurse 2010) Though all jobs have high work loads and stress that come along with it, Neonatal nurses spend many hours standing over incubators or isolette, possibly having to bend over, can stress the back. Neonatal nurses may deal with mental and emotional stress because some sick newborn babies don’t get to go back home with their families and the nurses may have to go and tell the parents of the deceased newborn. (Perkins, Sharon. Pros and Cons of being a Neonatal nurse) The schedule of NNP is not typical work day hours. All infants require different type of care twenty-four hours of the day. There are opportunities to work evening or night shifts when working as a Neonatal

What is a pediatrician? Pediatricians are doctors who specialize and focus in caring for babies to young adults (Career Cruising). They deal with childhood diseases and the care of infants with health and sickness (Elberts). The typical upper age limit of patients is from age twelve to age

Ever since I was about 10, I was extremely interested in becoming a neonatal nurse practitioner. I love babies and love helping others so I figured this particular job could be perfect for me. A neonatal nurse practitioner means you provide care for newborns in need of specialized attention for about the first month of their life. These newborns are usually premature or very sick and the nurse practitioners are usually their primary caregiver. NNP’s are responsible for their patients, exercising judgment when necessary to assess, diagnose, and initiate medical procedures. Many tasks include monitoring specialized equipment, including incubators and ventilators. Providing education and support to patients’ families regarding neonatal, intensive

To become a neonatal nurse one has to obtain a registered nursing degree or at least have an undergraduate degree. One must have a completed master’s degree or doctor of nursing practice degree in neonatal nursing. This will take you two to three years after you have your registered nursing degree. Neonatal nurses like registered nurses are required to do clinical training during school. Neonatal nurses also have to do skill labs and intensive training.

A baby was just born at 26 weeks gestation. Just over half the normal 40 weeks a baby should stay inside the mother. The baby is immediately whisked away and taken to be evaluated and prepared for a long journey ahead. Ever since I could remember babies and the nursery at the hospital have fascinated me. Whenever we would go visit a friend who had a baby, I would find myself peaking over the windows into the nursery. I have known for a while that working in the neonatal intensive care unit is what I want to pursue. Recently I have been looking into nurse practitioners and furthering my education beyond my BSN. Being able to care for these infants in the most critical stages of their life, and being able to provide them the support they need to survive outside the womb seems so satisfying . Neonatal nurse practitioners have years of education, deep history, detailed job description, high demands and some legal issues.

The career I chose is a Neonatal Nurse. According to an article on work.chron.com, there are three levels of neonatal nursing. A level 1 neonatal nursery offers care to healthy newborns. A level 2 neonatal nursery holds infants born prematurely or with an illness. A level 3 neonatal nursery, usually called a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), provides care to infants who are premature, brutally ill or too small. Infants admitted to a NICU may require ventilators, incubators or surgery. (Williams) The duties of a Neonatal Nurse include holding and comforting newborns, changing their diapers, feeding them and ensuring they gain the appropriate amount of weight, giving them the correct medication and the correct amount and

Ever wonder who the magical people are behind all the miracles that happen on babies? Well those magical people are doctors, specifically neonatal surgeons. A neonatal surgeon is a medical doctor who works on newborn/infant babies that are either premature, have a certain condition that needs to be treated, or just ill overall. It is a subspecialization of being a pediatric surgeon. What makes a neonatal surgeon different from a general pediatric surgeon is that a neonatal surgeon has advanced knowledge on how to operate on a baby without making their condition even worse. Neonatal surgeons usually perform operations on babies who are born with chest, abdominal

treat, and help prevent children’s diseases and injuries. Pediatricians are also known as, Baby doctors, Adolescent Medicine Specialist, General Pediatrician, Medical Doctor (MD), etc.. Pediatricians care for infants, children, teenagers, and young adults. Some pediatricians specialize in pediatric surgery or serious medical conditions. A pediatrician is concerned with the physical, emotional, and social health of children from birth to young adulthood.

What is a day like in the life of a neonatologist? What is a neonatologist? Neonatology is a specialty of pediatrics. Pediatrics is a branch of medicine dealing only with children. Neonatology is a branch of pediatrics dealing only with babies. The neonatal intensive care unit, of a hospital, is only used for babies with illnesses beyond the common cold. For example a baby with underdeveloped lungs would need to be placed in the neonatal intensive care unit. According to Tania Heller in On Becoming a Doctor “A neonatologist is a physician who specializes in the care and treatment of newborns, particularly those who are premature or ill” (Heller 128). Neonatologist job is usually only required in babies one to two months of age (OKcollegeStart).

You must also be certified in Neonatal Resuscitation and/or Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing. Typically, there are about five to six years of study involved. I will be obtaining this education at Arkansas State University(ASU)-Beebe for my first two years and then plan on transferring to either Jonesboro or Conway to finish my education. I am also very interested in two really good programs with University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and/or the Baptist Health program. The great thing about them is that they will pay for your school as long as you sign to work for them

Matthew Brennan from he Health and Pregnancy Center of WebMD says, “Pediatricians are physicians who specialize in the growth and development of babies, children, and adolescents” (WebMD). Pediatricians are responsible for assuring concerned parents that their precious child is on the correct track for a long and healthy life. While researching more on the tasks of these doctors, I found that they mainly examine the child before coming up with a diagnosis. A typical examine consists of checking their ears, reflexes, throat, etc. I had also learned that pediatricians are the first to examine a baby who is just born. They must be sure the new baby is breathing and responding correctly (WebMD).

The article also says, you need basic nursing education, and to get this education you can go in three different directions. There is a degree called the baccalaureate degree that you can get from going to a college that usually takes four years. This degree provides the greatest amount of flexibility in your career path. The article continues with the second route you could take which would be the associate degree, which you can get from going to a junior or community college for 2-3 years. The final direction you could go into is the diploma degree which you can obtain through a hospital-based school of nursing.The article stated that if you become a registered nurse, you will want to work in a hospital with a NICU. Most NICUs will hire graduate nurses who have a strong interest in neonatal care and they have programs that will teach you how to care for sick infants. According the “Best Colleges for Neonatal Nursing,” one college that offers great education and programs for neonatal nursing is the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, PA. The article says this college was named for the best U.S. graduate school for nursing in 2011, and is ranked eighth in the top national university. The article goes on to say that the university offers the neonatal nurse practitioners master’s program that is open to registered nurses with two years of experience in

They must also be certified in Neonatal Resuscitation and/or Neonatal Intensive care Nursing. Some of these nurses may be required to complete a minimum number of years of clinical experience in a hospital setting. These are minimum requirements but if one has a higher degree such as a Doctor’s degree, they might get a job over their competitor that only has the minimum requirements because they are more experienced and hold a higher level of education. Although becoming a doctor can make someone a lot of money, the education is very long and can cost a lot of money itself. Nurse practitioning is nice because you have almost as much education as a doctor and are paid a good amount of money but you are not as

Neonatal nurses (Registered Nurse) and neonatal nurse practitioners can work in the clinic, community-based, or in intensive care units. This career requires a high level of awareness and teamwork. You will work with parents to keep them update with their babies and keep them alert as to current status with the baby. Being a neonatologist and other nurse specialists they focus bring successful perfect results for their