What Is a NICU Nurse?
A NICU nurse is a specialized nurse who works in a hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit. A neonate is defined as a baby younger than 4 weeks old, so you will generally work with newborns and occasionally slightly older babies who may have been admitted for a more extended period of time.
The primary role of a NICU nurse
According to one article, the most common causes of NICU admission are sepsis, respiratory distress syndrome, and asphyxia. Generally, these issues occur during the process of birth. As a NICU nurse, you would be responsible for the care of these patients and for supporting their parents through the ups and downs of a NICU admission.
Because these little patients are so sick, a neonatal ICU usually has a large team of practitioners, such as pediatricians, surgeons, speech and language pathologists, physical therapists, and more. You would have a really important role as part of this team, to make sure orders are carried out and these patients heal and go home quickly.
Skills and qualities required for NICU nurses
If you are thinking about becoming a NICU nurse, here are some skills and qualities you should possess:
- Attention to detail
- Precision
- Assertiveness
- Fast-thinker
- Ability to cope in high-stress environments
- Compassion
- Patience
- Strong communication skills
What Does a NICU Nurse Do?
It’s important not to lose the essence of nursing in a critical care environment. Remember that as a nurse, you are first and foremost responsible for providing holistic and compassionate care to your patients and making sure that parents are well-educated on how to take care of their babies once they are home.
Daily responsibilities and tasks
One of the most common daily NICU tasks is monitoring vital signs. Most patients in an ICU setting are constantly connected to a monitor. These monitors will need to be checked periodically and immediately if they alarm. Not only are patients in the NICU already critically ill, but babies also tend to deteriorate a lot quicker than adults do. This is why attention to detail is an essential skill—you must ensure that you pick up a problem and attend to it as quickly as possible.
As a nurse in the NICU, you will be responsible for administering medication. This can be intravenous or oral, and sometimes even nasal or ophthalmic. Medication administration is another area of your job that requires precision and attention to detail. Because your patient is so tiny, they need highly accurate dosages.
Depending on your patient assignment, you may also be responsible for providing respiratory support. This could mean managing a ventilator or weaning a baby off of oxygen. This is another part of your duty that requires keen attention to detail. Should your patient be unable to cope with less oxygen, you must quickly observe and rectify this.
Lastly, you may be required to assist with feeding. This could be in bottle feeding, nasogastric feeding, or even PEG-tube feeding.
Generally, in an ICU setting, the nurse-to-patient ratio is 1:1 (1:2 at most). This ensures that the patient has your undivided attention and that you can swiftly respond to any issue that arises.
How to Become a NICU Nurse
Because becoming a NICU nurse is a speciality, the training takes a little longer than RN training. First, you must qualify as an RN, pass the NCLEX, and then specialize as a NICU nurse. Below, I’ll go over each of these steps in detail.
Educational requirements to become an RN
To become a NICU nurse, you will first need to become a nurse. This can be done by obtaining an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) degree. An ADN takes two years to complete, while a BSN takes two to four years, depending on prior experience. ADN is the minimum required degree to continue to become a NICU nurse. While both would allow you to become a NICU nurse, there are more opportunities with the BSN. Because BSN is a higher degree, these nurses have higher earning potential and can further qualify as nurse practitioners.
Pass the NCLEX-RN exam and obtain state licensure
After completing an ADN or a BSN degree, you must take the NCLEX-RN exam. How soon you take the NCLEX exam depends on your state. Generally, graduates take the NCLEX about 45 days after graduating from nursing school. If you are taking the NCLEX exam soon, see our practice questions (here).
Once you have passed your NCLEX-RN exam, you can apply to your state licensing board for your license.
Gaining experience
Now that you’re a registered nurse (RN), it’s time to gain some pediatric experience. Look for jobs or internships in a pediatric or neonatal ward to gain some on-the-job experience. This experience is necessary for developing your skills, making sure this career path is the right fit for you and that you are happy with your career choice. An internship also helps improve your CV and may help you apply for specialized training.
Specialized training
Once you have completed your internship and gained experience in a pediatric or neonatal ward, consider specializing as a NICU nurse. Specializing would be beneficial as employers prefer nurses who have speciality training, and specialized nurses have the potential to earn higher salaries.
You can also complete some short courses, for example, PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support).
How long does it take to become a NICU nurse?
Becoming a NICU nurse takes about 2-4 years. The exact timeline depends on your degree. Certification requires an additional 1-2 years of work experience, depending on your state.
How Much Does a NICU Nurse Make?
According to nursejournal.org, a NICU nurse earns about $78 180 yearly. However, how much you make will vary depending on many factors such as your location, level of education, and years of experience.
Conclusion
If you love the thought of caring for the world’s newest and smallest patients and you are attentive, precise, and compassionate, then NICU nursing may be the field for you. Besides getting your daily baby cuddles, this field is wonderfully challenging, and you will also get your dose of critical thinking and problem-solving. It’s such a rewarding field!
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