A career is something that you love and choose to do for the rest of your life. There are so many different careers out there so it’s a tough decision when choosing a career. If you choose a career that you really don’t like doing, you will be upset with yourself later on in life when you can’t change it. You don’t want to be stuck doing something that you hate; it makes life a lot harder on you. The career that I’ll be choosing is nursing. There are so many different kinds of nurses. Specifically, I want to be a registered nurse mainly focusing on the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Ever since I was a young girl, I knew that nursing was for me. I had a tough experience losing my nephew in the NICU and that helped me make my decision. I have always loved helping people, especially children and doing everything I possibly could to learn more about helping sick people.
‘‘Nursing is the protection, promotion and optimization of health and abilities, prevention of illness and injury, facilitation of healing, alleviation of suffering through the diagnosis and treatment of human response, and advocacy in the care of individuals, families, groups, communities, and populations’’(American Nurses Association). This definition describes exactly what I have wanted to do for my entire life. Registered nurses (RNs) are the primary point of contact between the patient and the world of health care, both at bedside and in out-patient settings. To become an RN, you must learn what it takes to work directly with patients and their families. RNs perform patient evaluations, including monitoring and tracking vital signs, performing procedures such as IV placement, phlebotomy, and administering medications. Because the RN has a lot of contact with patients than the physicians do, the RN is usually the first to notice problems or concerns about patient progress.
A neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) with at least 2 years’ experience as a bedside registered nurse in a level III NICU, who is prepared to practice across the continuum, providing primary, acute, chronic, and critical care to neonates, infants, and toddlers through age 2. Primarily working in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) settings, NNPs select and perform clinically indicated advanced diagnostic and therapeutic invasive procedures. State laws determine the formal responsibilities of the RN. Because of the relatively broad nursing job description for RNs, the particular work environment determines what the daily routine is. Most registered nurse work in well-lit, comfortable healthcare facilities. Home health and public health nurses travel to patients’ homes, schools, community centres, and other sites. Some registered nurses work in correctional facilities, schools, summer camps and nurses often work with the military. Some move frequently, travelling in the United States and throughout the world to help care for patients in places where there are not enough healthcare workers. That is something that I would not be interested in only because if I have a family, I don’t want to keep moving them around. I’ve never been big into moving around, it makes life too complicated. This is why my main focus on the NICU would be more favourable for me. Also, registered nurses spend a lot of time walking, bending, stretching and standing. They are vulnerable to back injuries because they must often lift and move patients. The work of registered nurses may put them in close contact with people who have infectious diseases, and may come in contact with potentially harmful and hazardous drugs and other substances. Therefore, registered nurses must follow strict, standardized guidelines to guard against diseases and other dangers such as radiation, accidental needle sticks or the chemicals they use to sterilize instruments. Patients in hospitals and nursing care facilities need round-the-clock care therefore, nurses in these settings usually work in rotating shifts, covering all 24 hours. They may work night shifts, weekends, and holidays. Another big working condition of being a nurse is being on call. Being on call can be difficult for people with families because you absolutely have no choice other than to leave them right there and then. Nurses who work in offices, schools and other places that do not provide 24-hour care are more likely to work regular business hours. About 20% of registered nurses work part-time.
There are more than 70% of premature babies that are born between 34 and 36 weeks gestation a year. When a baby is born early or born with defects, the neonatal intensive care unit is its first home. The nurses in the NICU have the difficult job of preparing babies and parents for a healthy life together. Neonatal nurses are a vital part of the neonatal care team. They are trained professionals who concentrate on ensuring that the newborn infants under their care are able to survive whatever potential life threatening event they encounter. A baby who has been put into the NICU will stay there until it is healthy enough to go home and the neonatal nurse will take such good care of him/her. They treat infants that are born with a variety of life threatening issues that include instances of prematurity, congenital birth defects, surgery related problems, cardiac malformations, severe burns or acute infection. Neonatal care in hospitals was always done by the nursing staff but it did not officially become a specialized medical field until well into 1960s. This was due to the numerous advancements in both medical care training and related technology that allowed for the improved treatment and survival rate of premature babies. According to the March of Dimes, one of every thirteen babies born in the United States annually suffers from low birth weight. This is a leading cause in 65% of infant deaths. Therefore, nurses play a very important role in providing round the clock care to these infants, those born with birth defects or other life threatening illness. In addition, these nurses also tend to healthy babies while their mothers recover from the birthing process. Prior to the advent of this specialized nursing field, at risk newborn infants were mostly cared for by obstetricians and midwives who had limited resources to help them survive (Meeks 3).
I searched for the statistics of nursing as a career and found the Occupational Outlook Handbook very interesting and helpful. This handbook allows me to see all of the vital statistics of nursing as a career in a quick facts chart. I learned that the median pay as of 2014 was $66,640 per year and the job outlook is 16%, which is evidently much faster than average. I have always known that there has been a shortage of nursing and hopefully as soon as I graduate I will be able to find a good career fast. After researching the vital statistics and what nursing actually is, I went into a little more detail of advanced nursing practice because that is where I hope to be after graduating with a bachelor’s degree. I eventually hope to receive my doctorate’s degree in nursing practice. ‘’ Advanced nurse practitioners are highly experienced and educated members of the care team who are able to diagnose and treat your health care needs or refer you to an appropriate specialist if needed’’ (Hinchliff). I learned through the article ‘’Advanced or Advancing Nursing Practice: What is the Future Direction for Nursing’’ that over the past several years, advanced nursing practice has become a much higher demand due to ‘’first, the significant reduction in available doctors; and, second, the rise in numbers of patients with complex health needs.’’
There are three educational approaches to becoming a registered nurse. Registered nurses usually train by completing a bachelor’s or associate’s degree program in nursing. Bachelor’s degree program is more recommended than Associates because of the education you get. Graduates of either of these programs are eligible to get their license and entry-level employment as registered nurses. The bachelor’s degree program for nursing, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), RNs who graduate from Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) programs may see greater advancement opportunities than associate’s degree or diploma holders (www.bls.gov). These four-year degree programs are more comprehensive, and focus on human development and behavioural sciences. The BSN program’s curricula are divided into two parts. The initial two years focus on general science instruction, such as courses in physiology, organic chemistry and psychology. In the final two years, students gain instruction in nursing practice and may study paediatrics, chronic disease and mental health nursing. Students also gain supervised clinical experience in healthcare facilities during the last two years of study. The national average salary for a registered nurse is about $67,948. The average starting salary of an entry-level neonatal nurse ranges from $50,000 to $67,000 a year. The pay may increase as he or she gains considerable experience as a neonatal nurse. Neonatal nurse practitioners make an annual salary average of $80,000 to $100,000, studies revealed that the demand for neonatal nurses is projected to rise in the next decade, due to evolving technology that allow premature or very ill babies to survive during neonatal period.
The professional organization for nursing is The Registered Nurses Professional Association (RNPA) that was established in 1978. The goal of the association is the exclusive bargaining representative for all classified and unclassified nurses in coded classifications within the Registered Nurses bargaining unit. The mission for the organization RNPA is committed to obtaining the highest level of quality patient care and professional nursing standards by empowering each nurse to achieve their professional goals as individuals and as an organization. Another organization is the National Association of Clinical Nurse Specialists which was founded in 1995. This association exists to enhance and promote the unique, high value contribution of the clinical nurse specialist to the health and well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities, and to promote and advance the practice of nursing (ww.nurse.org/orgs.shtml).
Qualifications for becoming a registered nurse are not only to graduate from high school and complete a nursing program, but you should look for more forward. All states require registered nurses to pass the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX-RN), which is administered by the National Council of State Boards of Nursing. This is a six-hour test that assesses an individual’s understanding of care, management, health promotion skills, psychosocial and physiological integrity, preventive treatment abilities, basic care and several other pertinent topics. Then you’ll want to find the right nursing environment that fits you best. In the United States, a board certified neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP-BC) is an APRN who has acquired Graduate education at the master’s or doctoral level and has a board certification in neonatology. The National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners is the national association that represents neonatal nurse practitioners in the United States. Certification is governed by the National Certification Corporation for Obstetrics, Gynaecologic and Neonatal Nursing Specialties (NCC).
While hospitals employ roughly 60% of all registered nurses, they aren’t the only institutions that need RNs according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Many choose to work with specific physicians in private practices, within nursing care facilities, at government agencies or sometimes work as a mobile nurse that travels to different clients’ houses to provide the care they need. Hospitals are generally good places to start and gain experience because you deal with many different patients and also interact with health professionals at different levels. Also, hospital environment can provide opportunities for promotion to higher level management and administrative roles.
The scope of a neonatal nurse ranges from minimal supportive care to highly complex intensive care. Neonatal nurses can work either within the community or in specialist neonatal units. Specializations for this field may vary in three levels-Level I, Level II, Level III. Level I is designated for healthy newborns; however, most neonatal nurses do not have a long career in Level I as newborn infants often stay in the same room with their mother. Level II is reserved for newborns delivered prematurely or those with illness, requiring immediate care. These newborns commonly need specialized care such as intravenous fluid administration, specialized feeding, oxygen therapy, and medications. They usually need time to mature and grow prior to discharge. Level III neonatal care refers to the neonatal intensive care unit. Neonatal nurses in this level render care to very sick newborns, often with congenital problems or small premature infants. Newborns may need much intense care, such as incubators, ventilators, surgery, and other support equipment. Irrespective of the level of care, nurses have to work with the baby’s parents as well. It is one of their duties to provide health education to the parents on proper newborn care. The neonatal nurse assists parents in bathing, feeding, and providing care while the newborn is in the hospital. They usually act as a bridge between the specialist and the parent when working with the newborn.
Some psychological factors that could affect a nurse’s life is low control at work, high job strain, low social support at work, poor team climate, exposure to threats and violence at work, exposure to bullying at work, low organizational justice, working in male wards, working night shifts, inability to quit one’s job and job insecurity. Nurse get very stressed out easily because of how much they take on in one day. Whether it be announcing to a family that someone died or simply giving a little child their first shot. It’s not always a positive job, but it is worth it in the end. On Google, I looked up a couple of things to find in an interview between a civilian and a nurse. The civilian asked the nurse ‘’what are the biggest challenges you face today?’’, and she answered ‘’There is a common shortage of skilled nurses in this area, and you may as well be among those. The problem is that how you demonstrate that you are a qualified candidate. There are always opportunities for you, but proving that you are qualified is not such an easy task. You have to show your interest, your enthusiasm and passion for the job, you have to show your experience, your skills and abilities that are useful to the job, and most important of all, you have to prove that your qualities are suitable for you to take over a job of taking care of others’’. Another question asked was ‘’what do you consider the most important qualities for this nursing job?’’. She answered ‘’ Adaptability, responsiveness, calmness, organization and planning, critical thinking, working under high pressure…..’’
As a registered nurse, there are plenty of promotions out there. It depends on your education level, skill level, communication level, and experience. Most nurses start out in a hospital and then get promoted to a management position, or from assistant unit manager or head nurse, to a more senior level like administrative roles of assistant director, vice president or chief. Some related occupations to a registered nurse include Medical Assistant, Patient Care, Technician and Legal Nurse Consultant.
After doing all this research, I understand more about the career as a whole and understand what I need to do to get to where I would like to be in my future career. Nursing is the best career that fits me because of the hard work and dedication I can give. You have to give up a lot of time and patience when becoming a registered nurse. Schooling is not easy and you will need to focus more than you ever did before. I love being around people, helping sick ones out, and doing anything in my possible reach to fix something that isn’t right.
Works Cited
‘’Summary.’’ U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
‘’What Is Nursing?’’ What Is Nursing? N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
Gray, Alastair. ‘’Advanced Or Advancing Nursing Practice: What Is The Future Direction For Nursing?’’. British Journal Of Nursing 25.1 (2016): 8-13. Academic Search Complete. Web. 24 Feb. 2016.
National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners. (2007). About NANNP. Retrieved from www.nannp.org
‘’Nursing Salaries and Career Opportunities.’’ All Nursing Schools. All Star Directories Inc., Web. 28 Feb. 2011
‘’Become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.’’ All Nursing Schools. All Star Directories Inc., Web. 14 Feb. 2011
Hinchliff, Suzan M., Rosemary Rogers, and Royal College of Nursing. Competencies for Advanced Nursing Practice. London: Hodder Arnold, 2008. Print.
