The labor and delivery nurse generally helps the mother or father hold the baby right after delivery, weighs the baby, checks vital signs, assigns an APGAR score --which measures the baby's generally health at the time of delivery -- and helps the mother and the rest of the family get acquainted with their new arrival for an hour or so after birth. If the mother is breastfeeding, the nurse will also help her get started in the first hour. In many hospitals, the mother and baby transfer from labor and delivery to the maternity or postpartum floor, often called the mother-baby unit.
Most hospitals no longer have a separate nursery for newborns; newborns room with their mothers, although nursery care is available overnight if the mother needs it. The maternity nurse takes care of both the mother and the baby, who are often referred to as a "couplet. They may care for perfectly healthy infants, provide more focused care for premature or ill babies, or work specifically with one seriously ill infant in the neonatal intensive care unit NICU.
Some babies have respiratory problems or serious nutritional needs that can be life threatening, and a neonatal nurse can care for these types of infants around the clock. These types of nurses often work in high dependency and special care infant units in hospitals while other nurses work in the community with families whose babies have recently been discharged from the hospital.
This role also requires frequently working with specialized equipment such as neonatal ventilators and incubators. Education and training: After completing the required steps to becoming a registered nurse, would-be neonatal nurses can give their resume a boost by first accumulating a year or two of nursing experience. Job description: Once babies are discharged and begin living and developing at home, pediatric nurses provide care for them as they grow into adolescents.
They provide routine primary care services, such as health maintenance and exams, developmental screenings, and vaccinations. They also treat illness or injuries when they occur in children. Aside from all the organizational and relational skills required of RNs, a special emphasis on communicating with children, and helping them feel safe and cared for is always a plus.
Antepartum nurses most commonly work on hospital units for pregnant patients who are having complications with their pregnancy, like preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum or gestational diabetes. Antepartum nurses continuously evaluate their patients, their vital signs, fetus health and any status changes for either the mother or the child.
They give medications, prepare patients for procedures or imaging, and work with healthcare providers to create care plans and carry them out. Postpartum nurses, on the other hand, care for patients in the days following delivery, whether by C-section or a vaginal birth.
These are often emotional and challenging days for the parents and the child. Not only do postpartum nurses monitor the vital signs and status of the parents and child as well as create and carry out care plans, they also teach new parents important skills, like how to change diapers and how to feed the baby.
Important skills and characteristics: Pregnancy and postpartum care can be fraught with emotions, especially if the patient is having serious medical issues. They monitor the vital signs of both mother and child while a mother receives treatment and identify potential complications. They may also assist in lactation and basic care education for the mother. A labor and delivery nurse is typically a licensed practical nurse LPN who completes a specialized training program.
Primary duties: A pediatric endocrinology nurse works with young patients and babies who have endocrine disorders. A pediatric endocrinology nurse may specialize in a certain endocrine disorder, such as diabetes. Nurses can work with newborns in a variety of settings and specializations.
Choosing what sort of care you want to provide to babies is an important step during your nursing education. You can work in a certain unit or choose a particular aspect of neonatal development to work in. There are many neonatal and pediatric certifications you can choose from to determine your dedication to the role and your knowledge of the specialization.
Many employers also require nurses working with newborns to have certifications. Here are some common certifications for nurses who work with babies:. This certification is provided by the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses AACN and requires extensive bedside experience in recent years to be eligible to take the certification exam.
The exam features scored and 25 unscored questions and lasts three hours. This certification is offered by the AACN as an option for nurses who wish to earn a higher certification but do not work extensively in bedside care. The AACN offers this certification for entry-level neonatal nursing professionals who do not yet qualify for the previous certification options.
This certification from the National Certification Corporation NCC is reserved for nurses with at least two years of experience providing care to families with newborn children or performing advanced research or study in the field. This test requires two years of specialty experience and includes a test of questions. It takes a lot of dedication and passion to become a pediatric nurse and there are many steps an individual must take in order to provide this specialized care:.
This internship will be approximately 12 weeks long and involves both practical training and classroom learning. Step 3: Apply for Pediatric Nursing positions.
Once an individual has over 1, hours of career experience as a pediatric nurse over a 24 month period, they can apply for this certification. If an individual wishes to further specialize in a specific type of pediatric nursing, additional practical training and certification may be required.
They provide routine checkups for children of all ages. The main duties of a Pediatric Registered Nurse include:. Neonatal Nurses provide care and support for newborn infants who are born prematurely, or suffering from health problems such as birth defects, infections, or heart deformities.
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