By: Karen P
Submitted: 2011-10-08 20:02:52 | Word Count: 512
Neonatal nurses are in high demand because of the increasing number of premature babies that are being born. Each year, more and more premature babies are being born and with the overwhelming demand of NICU neonatal nurses, NICUs are having to expand in order to accommodate all of the babies and nurses needed to care for them.
Making Decisions
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If you have given birth to a premature baby or know someone who did, you understand some of the demands that neonatal nurses are faced with each day. These nurses care for the babies around the clock and assist doctors with medical procedures. These nurses must make instant decisions when a premature baby is in dire need of medical attention.
Individualized Attention
They also will be the ones who sit and rock a baby who is crying and wanting attention. Because of the demands that premature babies have, there is a small nurse/baby ratio. For most NICU units, there are different areas of expertise.
There are areas for babies who require a lot of attention and others for those who are growing and getting healthy enough to be discharged from the NICU unit.
Dealing with Medical Situations
Neonatal nurses are trained to deal with a baby who is sick and requires constant supervision. These nurses are trained to be able to tell when a premature baby is having problems with breathing and will know when to get the doctor or when to have a respiratory therapist look at the baby.
This type of nurse has permission to adjust the settings on a ventilator when he or she sees a baby who is either improving or declining in health.
Feeding and Handling
Neonatal nurses are also the ones who will feed a baby throughout the day when the parents are not there. For most of these nurses, the babies are on a schedule so that each of the babies are fed at separate times; this allows them time to care for each baby individually.
This job is easier when the parents of a premature baby are there and are handling some of their baby's care. In some cases, the parents will be able to do the majority of the work; however, when a premature baby is still on a ventilator and can not be handled, the parents can only sit quietly and allow their baby to sleep.
Sleep is the important part of getting stronger for most NICU babies while there are some who need to have the contact of their parents in order to thrive.
The Rewards
Being a neonatal nurse is a rewarding job in the medical field. Many people choose this profession to help sick babies and get the feeling that only comes with knowing that they are partially responsible for their tiny charges growing bigger and stronger.
Others do not care for this nursing specialty because there are times when babies do not pull through. However, if you can see yourself working in this type of medical setting, discuss your options with a school who offers neonatal nursing classes.
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