What Is a Nicu Rn and How to Become One

By ZipRecruiter Marketplace Research Team

A NICU RN works with premature and sick infants in the neonatal intensive care unit of a hospital. Your duties in this career are similar to that of a registered nurse in any other department. You monitor the progress of a newborn and oversee the operation of any equipment involved in their medical care. Some individuals work in private homes and tend to an infant after their discharge. The work is full-time with shifts around the clock. It is both emotionally and physically demanding. Most positions require a bachelor’s degree, and you must have a license in the state in which you work. Certification through an organization like the National Association of Neonatal Nurses is desirable.

To become a NICU RN (neonatal intensive care registered nurse), you need to finish a bachelor’s degree program in nursing (BSN) or a nursing school program. Aspiring NICU nurses then complete their state’s registered nurse licensing requirements and usually gain at least a year of experience in the general nursing field before moving on to working with neonatal infants in the NICU. You may decide to advance your career by pursuing a master’s degree in nursing (MSN), specializing in neonatal care.