What is Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing?
(NICU Nursing) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) nurses care for newborn babies who are delivered pre-term (neonates) or at-term newborns who experience complications at the time of birth. This is a highly technical and challenging area of nursing. It is also one of great reward since NICU nurses get to see the baby gain weight and develop until eventually the child can be discharged to home. NICU nurses not only care for the tiniest of infants, but they provide care, support, and education to the infant’s parents as well. The NICU nurse needs highly specialized skills in the assessment and care of neonates and sick infants. Newborns in NICU usually suffer from multiple complications including pulmonary, neurological and cardiac deficits and generally require a range of medical, technological, and surgical interventions. The NICU nurse works primarily in hospital-based neonatal intensive care units next to respiratory therapists, neonatologists, and advanced practice nurses (clinical
