Nursing Jobs: Neonatal Nursing Career

Name: Donna
Job Title: Licensed Practical Nurse
Where: Loris, SC
Employer: Not Given
Years of Experience: 9
Education: Brunswick Community College: Diploma; Neonatal resuscitation program instructor
Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the median LPN salary range.

Neonatal Nursing Career

Donna has a passion for labor. No, not construction work, but the hardest labor of all, delivering a baby. Though most of the work is done by the mother, Donna shows that it’s definitely a team effort. She shares her newborn nursery nurse resume and describes some personal experiences from her neonatal nursing career. In this labor and delivery nurse article you will also find out what steps are taken to prepare for a delivery all the way to discharge of the newborn, and read about the challenges of the average neonatal nurse. If you are prepared to learn how to care for people during a tornado, then read on.

Neonatal Nurse Job Description

I'm a level 1 newborn nursery nurse. I'm in charge of taking care of the infants in our facility during my shift. I also attend all vaginal and C-section deliveries and assist in labor and delivery by hooking up laboring patients to monitors, starting IV's, assisting with getting patients ready for C-sections, and assisting on the postpartum floor with general patient care. Part of my job is to assist doctors with circumcisions, lumbar punctures, and umbilical catheterizations. I then enter all orders into the database. Sometimes I attend infants on phototherapy, maintain their IV fluids, oxygen needs, and conduct hearing screens on infants prior to discharge. I'm one of four neonatal resuscitation program instructors at my facility. I keep staff up to date on the latest Nurse Refresher Program (NRP) updates and procedures. Patient education is also an important part of my job.

What were your steps toward a nursing career?

I started out working as a nursing assistant at the age of 18 on Long Island, N.Y. I moved to North Carolina in 1995 and started working at Loris Community Hospital as a certified nursing assistant. I decided to go back to school after assisting the nurses with a lot of their procedures. The nurses I worked with were so encouraging and helpful. They were all great inspirations.

What do you like about being a neonatal nurse?

I love the staff I work with. We function as a team instead of individuals. We assist each other with everything we do. Recently we had a 28 week gestation baby deliver at our hospital in May. The baby weighed two pounds and measured 16 inches. We had to implement CPR upon delivery. The baby took a while to respond and even then its breath was very labored, as expected. We incubated baby, started IV fluids, and then transported him to our NICU, which is in another town. Last week we received a surprise visit from the baby and his parents. They came to thank us for all we had done. He is now a healthy, ten pound baby boy with no residual effects.

What are some of the biggest challenges you face in your nursing career?

We are constantly short of knowledgeable staff, which can be a major challenge. Most of the nurses that assist us are from other areas of the hospital and they may have some fears about assisting on the OB/GYN/NB Nursery/L&D (obstetrician/gynecologist/new born Nursery/labor & delivery). Sometimes we don’t have enough supplies and equipment to work with. Also, many times there is not a manager around to back you in difficult situations. One last thing to consider is that nurses often find themselves working long hours and extra days without thanks from others.

Can you recall any crazy moments from your neonatal nursing career?

One time I worked two and a half shifts in a row. We had delivery after delivery after delivery. All of our labor rooms were full. We had one girl on a stretcher and another in a wheel chair in the hallway both in labor. Yes, as you might have guessed, the girl in the wheel chair delivered first. I wish I’d had a camera to record that delivery. One nurse was tilting the chair back while two assistants held the patient’s legs in position. We got the job done, though.

Another interesting time: about four years ago we had a tornado touch down. The tornado wiped out the emergency generator that regulates our section of the hospital so we had no power for our floor. We had to walk around the hospital and attend patients with flash lights. We got the work done, though. Now we know how Florence Nightingale really felt as she carried her lamp through the dark hospital visiting wounded British soldiers.

How does your salary compare to an LPN salary? The PayScale Salary Calculator is a quick and easy way to compare positions. But when you want powerful salary data and comparisons customized for your exact position, be sure to build a complete profile by taking PayScale's full Salary Survey.

More Nursing Salaries: 

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• Nurse Assistant's Salary
• LPN Salaries by Hospital Setting

Careers in Science and Public Health: Health Care Management Salary

Name: Lina Pacelli
Job Title: Coordinator, Health Sciences
Where: Bridgeport, Connecticut
Employer: University of Bridgeport
Years of Experience: 13
Education: Quinnipiac University, double bachelor, BS in Business, BA in History.  MBA with a concentration in Health Care Management, and an additional Graduate Health Care Compliance Certificate.
Annual Salary: Use PayScale's Research Center to find Health Care Management Salaries, and compare Salaries in the Health Care Industry. 

Coordinator of Health Sciences for the University of Bridgeport Lina Pacelli loves her job. In this Salary Story, Lina discusses the educational path she took to become a Health Sciences Coordinator, and the rewards and challenges of careers in science and public health. For those who are also looking for health care management, and health science job opportunities, Lina recommends working at a University, and also in a role that will allow you to get away from your desk for part of the day.

Career of Love as a Professional Parent

Name: Alice Miller
Job Title: Professional Parent
Where: Boomer, NC
Employer: Confidential
Years of Experience: 3
Relevant Experience: Clinical Medical Assistant
Education: Medial Assistant Training - Delaware Technical Wilkes County Community College - H R
Annual Salary: See PayScale’s Reseach Center for Similar Job Titles Salaries in the U.S .

Career of Love as a Professional Parent

Being a parent is sometimes a thank-less job.  It should be a profession.  But the official job title of Professional Parent focuses on children with a medical condition. These caring people come in as an “additional” parent and meets the special needs of their clients.  Alice Miller is one of those caring Professional Parents who can give you a deeper insight into this unique career.

As a professional parent, Alice does a lot for her client – from attending his medical appointments to making sure he keeps his room clean – and maintains detailed regular reports about them and her client’s behavior.  In her own words, she is a “cook, nurse, housekeeper, laundress, counselor, chauffeur, pharmacist and best friend.” But if you read her interview, you will see that she has a heart of gold. Alice loves her client and her career. She truly is a second mom to her patients. Love is essential in this career.

Nursing Careers: Become a Registered Nurse

Name: Michele
Job Title:Registered Nurse / Nursing Coordinator
Where: Ellisville, MO - USA
Years of Experience: 5 years as Nursing Coordinator, 20 years as Registered Nurse
Other Relevant Experience: Various CNA, Rehabilitation, and RN positions, including Hospital, Rehab, Home Health Aide, Hospice and Home Care, Charge Nurse, Evening Supervisor, Staff Development Coordinator, and Nurse Assessor for LTC Policies.
Annual Salary: The median nursing salary starts out just above $21.00 per hour and increases to almost $30.00 per hour after 20 years of experience.

Nursing careers are appealing for many reasons. One positive aspect of nursing careers is the opportunity to serve others through medical treatment and rehabilitation. Nursing careers also boast a glowing job outlook that has consistently risen along with increasing demand for registered nurses. Plus, nursing careers offer a wide range of employment options within various sectors of the health care field. When you become a registered nurse, you open the door to a variety of nursing career paths, including forensic nursing careers, traveling nurse careers, and nurse coordinator careers.

For the following Salary Story, we take a brief look at the career path of Michele, a registered nurse with 20 years of experience in the health care field. Interested in medicine and health care from a young age, Michele originally built up her knowledge and expertise as a registered nurse before moving to her current position as a nursing coordinator. She now teaches classes and provides management to nursing staff. Learn what an upper-level nursing career is like, and use PayScale’s research center to explore registered nurse salaries and get information on becoming a nurse.

Exercise Physiologist Salaries and Careers

Name: Sharleen Jones
Job Title:Exercise Physiologist/Wellness Consultant
Where: Moose Jaw, Canada
Employer: Self-Employed
Years of Experience: 10
Education: University of Regina. Bachelor of Physical Activity Studies. Additional  certification as Certified Personal Trainer, Professional Fitness and Lifestyle Consultant, Certified Exercise Physiologist.
Annual Salary: See PayScale's Research Center to find the average salary of a personal trainer and exercise physiologist salaries.

As more and more people look to "tone-up," fitness gurus are "tuning-in" to learn how to become a personal trainer, get certified as an exercise physiologist, or pursue other careers related to health and fitness. The fitness industry is a booming, multi-billion dollar industry. This means a positive outlook for the job growth rate of an exercise physiologist. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, fitness workers can expect a 27 percent growth in employment opportunities over the next 10 years. And while one career choice is to work at a club like 24 Hour Fitness, a wide range of career options exist outside of the corporate fitness world. Sharleen Jones is a certified personal trainer who is actually her own boss. Read on for her inside scoop on how to become a personal trainer, and check out PayScale's exercise physiologist and personal trainer salary data for more information on the average salary of a personal trainer and salary for exercise physiologist. 

Behind the Walls with an Occupational Therapist

Name: Dave King
Job Title: Job Development Specialist - Occupational Therapist
Where: Wichita, Kansas
Employer: Kansas State Department of Corrections, Sedgwick County Re-Entry Program
Education: Offender Workforce Development Specialist training program from the National Institute of Corrections, and a B. S. in Human Services/Psychology from Friends University.
Annual Salary: See PayScale's Research Center for the median Job Development Specialist salary, Occupational Therapist salary, and related career info on Correctional Officers' salaries and Recruiter income.

What's it like to work in a prison? For some people, just the thought of working in a prison would make them nervous. But for Job Development Specialist Dave King, life behind the walls is simply another day at work. As a Job Development Specialist trained in offender workforce development, King trains and prepares inmates for a life and career once they exit the prison gates. If you're up for a challenge, and enjoy psychology, read on. Also, find out more about an Occupational Therapist's salary and the roles of Correctional Officers to see if this is the right career for you.

Job Development Specialist Duties:
Plan, facilitate and teach job skills to maximum-security inmates inside a correctional facility. Assist with the release planning of inmates through a re-entry program that assures success in living and working in a community after being incarcerated. Also, teach classes on money management, release and reintegration, and intensive employment classes.

PayScale: How did you get started as a Job Development Specialist?
Dave: I have been an employment specialist since 1989 and began working with the disabled. I then taught a program/class called “Welfare to Work” for 16 years. I now use those same skills to teach inside a prison environment. Many of those skills can be transfered from one type of group to another. However, each group or person has their own unique set of issues to deal with to find success.

Clinical Dietitian Salaries

Name: Hope Gardner
Job Title: Clinical Dietitian, previously a Dietary Aide
Where: Columbia, South Carolina
Employer: Healthsouth Rehabilitation Hospital
Education: Master's of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics from LA TECH University
Bachelor's degree in Nutrition and Dietetics from University of Louisiana at Lafayette
Annual Salary: $45,000 (To see Clinical Dietitian salaries by years of experience, visit the PayScale Research Center. Also find information on other medical jobs, including Medical Laboratory Technician salaries).

Hope Gardner has found her perfect career fit, combining a love of food and a passion for helping people.  Beginning her career as a Dietary Aide, Hope is now a Clinical Dietitian, rehabilitating patients through dietary counseling. Here, Hope shares what she loves most about her job, and outlines a possible career path for anyone considering a job as a Dietary Aide or Clinical Dietitian.

Clinical Dietitian Job Description and Duties of a Dietitian:
Complete nutritional assessments of patients to determine if they are at risk of being malnourished, counsel patients on diets, importance of nutrition, also work with registered nurses (RNs), and physical and occupational therapists for the best possible rehab potential for a patient.

PayScale: How did you get started as a Clinical Dietitian?
Hope: "I love food and wanted to help people and didn't want to be a chef (late nights) or a nurse (hate needles). I'm perfectly right in the middle of both of these!"

Medical Careers: Family Physician Salaries

Name: Margie C. Sweeney, M.D.
Job Title: Family Physician
Where: Louisville, KY
Employer: Central State Hospital
Years of Experience: 24
Education: M.D. degree from Indiana University School of Medicine
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for medical career salaries, including average physician salaries.

Medical Careers: Family Physician Salaries

What career involves helping people of all different ages and backgrounds while earning a six digit salary? If you guessed family physician, you're right. We interviewed Dr. Margie C. Sweeney to find out what it takes to make it through med school and begin a successful career as a family doctor. If you've ever wanted to know how to become a physician, then this Salary Story is just what the doctor ordered.

Dr. Sweeney describes the outlook for family physician jobs, factors that can affect physician salaries after residency, as well as the many career options available to family physicians. She also explains why her family physician career is so rewarding. For those interested in average physician salaries and careers in the medical field, this interview is the right medicine!

Starting Salary for Physical Therapy Assistants

Name: Steve Brown
Job Title: Physical Therapy Assistant
Where: Caldwell, ID
Employer: Peoplefirst Rehabilitation
Years of Experience: 10
Education: A.A.S. (Associate of Applied Science) From Idaho State University
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for the median salary of physical therapy assistant professionals.

Starting Salary for Physical Therapy Assistants

What is the yearly salary for a physical therapy assistant? If you've pondered this question and what physical therapy assistant work settings are really like, then you don't want to miss this Salary Story with physical therapy assistant Steve Brown.

He walked us through the factors that can affect a physical therapist assistant hourly wage, the training for physical therapy assistants and how to find jobs in physical therapy assistant fields. If you're interested in this growing career and the pay scale for physical therapy assistants, this interview will guide you through the steps.

Dental Assistant Salaries and Career Options

Name: Melissa McKaig
Job Title: Dental Assistant
Where: Glendale, AZ
Employer: Westside Endodontic Professionals
Years of Experience: 4
Education: Associate Degree, The Bryman School in Phoenix
Salary: See the PayScale Research Center for median dental assistant salaries.

Dental Assistant Salaries and Career Options

For those interested in dental assistant salaries and career options, this Salary Story provides a perfect introduction. In this interview, Melissa McKaig explains the difference between dental assistant and dental hygienist positions, and gives helpful info on the outlook for dental assistant jobs.

Melissa also discusses dental assistant salaries, certifications for dental assistants, requirements for dental assistant jobs, and how to become a dental assistant. If you're wondering how to earn the best dental assistant salaries and develop a successful career, open wide and keep reading!