Are Neonatal Nurse practitioners in demand?
When we refer to Neonatal Nurses many things can come to mind, such as what it takes to become one, whether we have the skills to be a good nurse or simply if there is a demand for Neonatal Nurses in the country.
I’ll tell you about what’s so striking about the profession and the job prospects it has today.
Perspectives of the profession
Neonatal Nursing is one of the hottest jobs today, arguably because of its significant advantages.
There are several data supporting the high demand for the profession in the United States today, for example, The Atlantic points out that nearly one million registered nurses (RNs) currently working in the United States are over the age of 50.
This figure suggests that they will soon be retiring, which translates into a considerable demand for the neonatal nurses needed in health care facilities, clinics and so on.
Figures suggest that there are approximately 700,000 nurses who will be retiring. And just to have an idea of the degree of need in this aspect, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics gives us really alarming figures on this issue, since according to the analysis it has made, it is estimated that in the year 2020 only in the health sector there are many workers who have left their positions.
All this information suggests that soon, there will be a demand for new neonatal nurses who could necessarily come to fill the vacant positions.
It is important to understand the projections on this point which indicate that there is expected to be a vacancy of about 1.2 million positions this year.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects that employment of registered nurses should grow by 9% over the past decade.
All that has been mentioned so far leads us to a simple conclusion, the demand for neonatal nurses will increase, therefore, you can consider starting your studies in this career, since it is a good option, since you will be able to get a job without much effort.
What are you waiting for to become a Registered Nurse (RN)?
Becoming a Registered Nurse is something you can do, if you really want to excel and gain more merit. To do so, you will only need to enroll in a program of study that is endorsed by the official bodies. In this case, the so-called State Board of Nursing.
Only you can decide, you have the option to study a bachelor’s degree or an associate’s degree program.
Upon completion and completion, you should not fail to submit the NCLEX-RN National Council Licensure Test, which only seeks to detect whether the participant can practice as a nurse.
This is based on simply asking if you have enough critical thinking skills to know how to handle a situation from a nursing point of view.
Experience makes the difference
It is important to take seriously the acquisition of the necessary experience, in this case, it will be necessary to have two or more years of clinical experience in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit area of any institution. In this area, you may have experience in pediatric nursing, maternal/infant nursing, labor and delivery, and others.
Don’t forget that certification is relevant
Obtaining a certification will give more weight to your résumé and will certainly allow you to advance professionally speaking. There are currently several in the country, some of them are:
- RNC Certification for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (RNC-NIC), this is offered by the National Certification Corporation (NCC).
- Neonatal Critical Care Nursing Certification through the American Association of Critical Care Nurses CCRN.
- Certification in Neonatal Neuro-Intensive Care (C-NNIC) is offered by the National Certification Corporation.
Summary
The job of Neonatal Nurses is extremely important, considering the care they provide to those babies who want to start a new life in this world.
That is why today more than ever we require the hiring of certified and experienced Neonatal Nurses, who can meet all the needs that may arise at the hospital level.
