What are the pros and cons of being a neonatal nurse?

Pros:

• Competitive Benefits. Pediatric nurses make more than the average salary of a career in the United States. Along with that, they also tend to have good benefits such as medical coverage, life insurance, retirement funds, and paid time off.

• Rewarding Work. Neonatal nurses are able to work to help a baby that is needed to become happy, healthy, and thriving. You do a ton of good work and help so many families working as a neonatal nurse.

• Work Wardrobe. If deciding what you are going to wear daily is something that is difficult for you, nursing could be a great option. You wear a uniform of scrubs daily, which makes getting dressed easy.

Cons

• Long Shifts. Many hospitals work on a 12-hour schedule, which while extremely beneficial for patient care, can be difficult for the staff. This can also be difficult for staff who have families, as they may go days without seeing them.

• Emotional Burnout. Neonatal nurses can deal with a lot of tragedies with babies. This can be extremely disheartening and difficult for the nurses to work through. This work is valid and important, but it does not always have a happy ending.