Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse – Job Description, Salary, Education and Career Guide for Becoming a Neonatal Intensive Care Nurse

Each year in the United States, more than five thousands infants are born weighing less than a pound. Until the last few decades, these tiny babies had little hope of surviving, but thanks to modern technology and specialized training, their survival odds have greatly increased.

Job Description

Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses work with newborn babies during their first 28 days of life. NICU nurses may be taking specialized care of babies who are born healthy, very ill or babies who have been born too early to sustain life on their own. This last area is highly technical and needs well trained nurses who specialize in this specific area.

Salary Guide

Depending on the area of concentration, entry level neonatal intensive care nurses typically earn between $30,000 and $40,000 per year. In some areas, they may start as high as $48,000 per year. Experienced NICU nurses can earn more than $100K per year.

Education and Training

Becoming a Registered Nurse (RN) usually takes between two and four years, depending on whether the student obtains an associate’s or bachelor’s degree, followed by a state exam to obtain the RN designation. Some nursing programs have courses in neonatal training, but they are elective.
 
Graduate coursework is recommended for those who want to specialize in neonatal intensive care unit work. A neonatal nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist can typically advance after two years of practical experience working in a neonatal unit.

Prior Work Experience

Entry-level neonatal intensive care unit nurse requirements vary. Some hospitals require as little as one year's experience in a hospital setting, not necessarily in the neonatal unit. This is a career field in which the demand for neonatal intensive care unit nurses dictates hiring conditions. Experienced neonatal nurses with a graduate degree in neonatal care are in high demand and can command jobs in any geographical area they want.

Career Advancement

NICU nurses work on three levels of increasing responsibility:
  • Level I is for healthy newborns, which is almost obsolete since healthy babies usually go home very quickly.

  • Level II is for babies who needs a little help getting past the first few days. They may need supplemental oxygen or food or just more time to mature before discharge.

  • Level III is highly technical, using ventilators, special equipment, incubators or surgery.
 
Pursuing continuing education during your career as a neonatal intensive care unit nurse adds to your value at any hospital or institution. You can obtain certification as an NICU nurse and continue to take classes to progress up the nursing pay scale. Many NICU nurses go to graduate school to further advance in their careers.

Related Associations and Groups

A number of associations exist for NICU nurses. The benefits of these groups are to get more education, network and to stay up-to-date with what is happening in the neonatal world. Some of these national associations are:
  • Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses
  • National Association of Neonatal Nurses
  • Neonatal Nursing Professional Association
  • The Academy of Neonatal Nursing.
 
NICU associations vary by state.
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