How to Become a Neonatal RN

A neonatal registered nurse (RN) cares for newborns in their first 28 days of life. Generally, the newborns require specialized care and are often in a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) at a hospital. Neonatal nursing is a specialized field of nursing.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Earn the needed qualifications to become a registered nurse. This is accomplished by attending a 2 or 4 year college and majoring in Nursing. A Bachelor's degree is preferred and required in many hospitals. After graduation, you must take a state licensing exam to become a registered nurse in that state.

2. Work in a hospital. Although some hospitals do hire neonatal RNs directly out of school, it is more likely that they will want at least one year of hospital nursing experience. If possible, work in units that care for babies or children.

3. Get a certification. While this is not required by every hospital, it will certainly increase your chances of getting employed as a neonatal nurse and will provide you with more knowledge for your job. You can get certified through the National Certification Corporation (NCC).

4. Apply and interview for neonatal RN jobs. Following the above steps will make you a solid applicant for the position.

References

• Nurse Source: Neonatal Nurse
• National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners

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