What degree do you need to be a neonatal nurse?

Most registered nurses hold bachelor's degrees which provide students with additional knowledge and experience in the nursing field. Because neonatal nurses are specialized RNs, holding a bachelor's degree is often preferable to employers seeking to train neonatal nurses.

Because the field of neonatal care is so specialized, nurse practitioners are often good candidates to fill these positions. LPNs receive a great deal of specialized training in areas including neonatal care as part of their education prior to licensure.

There are various levels of neonatal care, class I and class II, that may also require RNs or LPNs to seek additional education and training. Low-risk neonatal nursing certification is a certification available to nurses who have accrued over 2,000 hours of neonatal care in their careers.