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What is a neonatal nurse practitioner and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Amy Grugan Ph.D.,
Dr. Charman Miller
introduction image

A neonatal nurse practitioner is an advanced care nurse that specializes in taking care of and treatment of newly born babies who are suffering from complicated health matters. As a neonatal nurse practitioner, you are responsible for diagnosing and operating in the care of newborns at risk. You will serve as the primary caregiver to such newborn infants. You will also educate and support guardians of newborn babies.

You must have a registered nursing license to be eligible for this job. Also, you must have a Master's of Science in nursing, including a certification as a neonatal nurse practitioner. Plus, you must be able to stay calm under pressure and must be physically fit to work long hours. You must be able to exercise good judgment under pressure.

Also, you have to be flexible enough to work long shifts, which could last 24 hours. Your salary should be around $124,540 by the end of the year.

What general advice would you give to a neonatal nurse practitioner?

Amy Grugan Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Assistant Director of Nursing, Bradley University

Keep an open mind as to all of the learning opportunities you have. Work to become, and be a part of, a culture of positivity. Focus on your patients and ensuring you, and the health care team, are providing the absolute best care possible. Work with patients and families to educate, encourage, and enhance healthy habits. Learn as much as you can so you enhance patient safety and become a knowledgeable and compassionate caregiver. Lastly, ensure you take time to put your new role in perspective, this is the beginning of your journey. Experiential learning is a great teacher, don't be afraid to ask questions so you understand.
ScoreNeonatal Nurse PractitionerUS Average
Salary
7.6

Avg. Salary $101,262

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 40%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.32%

Asian 6.33%

Black or African American 4.66%

Hispanic or Latino 6.65%

Unknown 4.50%

White 77.54%

Gender

female 92.57%

male 7.43%

Age - 41
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
5.4

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Neonatal nurse practitioner career paths

Key steps to become a neonatal nurse practitioner

  1. Explore neonatal nurse practitioner education requirements

    Most common neonatal nurse practitioner degrees

    Bachelor's

    47.3 %

    Master's

    32.1 %

    Associate

    13.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific neonatal nurse practitioner skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients26.89%
    Patient Care17.14%
    NNP7.40%
    NRP5.29%
    Resuscitation4.68%
  3. Complete relevant neonatal nurse practitioner training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New neonatal nurse practitioners learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a neonatal nurse practitioner based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real neonatal nurse practitioner resumes.
  4. Research neonatal nurse practitioner duties and responsibilities

    • Manage appropriate changes to individualize care plan to ensure cost and time efficacy in an outpatient physical medicine and rehabilitation office.
    • Provide management for critically ill infants and resuscitation for high-risk newborns in the delivery room in collaboration with attending physician
    • Educate patients' families about self-management of acute or chronic illnesses, tailoring instructions to infants' individual circumstances.
    • Participate in education of pediatric residents in learning newborn resuscitation and outreach education of community/referral hospitals regarding newborn care and stabilization.
  5. Prepare your neonatal nurse practitioner resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your neonatal nurse practitioner resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a neonatal nurse practitioner resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable neonatal nurse practitioner resume templates

    Build a professional neonatal nurse practitioner resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your neonatal nurse practitioner resume.
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
    Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Resume
  6. Apply for neonatal nurse practitioner jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a neonatal nurse practitioner job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first neonatal nurse practitioner job

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Average neonatal nurse practitioner salary

The average neonatal nurse practitioner salary in the United States is $101,262 per year or $49 per hour. Neonatal nurse practitioner salaries range between $54,000 and $188,000 per year.

Average neonatal nurse practitioner salary
$101,262 Yearly
$48.68 hourly

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How do neonatal nurse practitioners rate their job?

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Neonatal nurse practitioner reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Pros

Helping others

Cons

Lack of pay, paperwork, seeing the same patients and doing the same as a physician but getting paid alot less!


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A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019
Pros

I like the autonomy and the fulfillment of helping others.

Cons

I dislike the variations in the pay rates between NPs and PAs.


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2019
Pros

patient interaction, discussion of anything encouraging as they deal with longterm chronic illnesses. Empowering the patient to be part of the solution, and also to find ways to focus outside of their illness. And I love discussing research with patients when it relates .

Cons

#1 Administration does not value you as a health professional. They are stuck in the image of the nurse meaning we follow. They don't see us as clinicians that make a difference not just by caring, but by evaluating organ systems, medication regimens, finding the answer by communicating and getting a great history in regards to chief complaints, evaluating labs and staying up to date with research. I and other NP's before me laid the groundwork for our profession y working hard and being smart and educated. I have seen how companies want to get rid of the experienced NP to fill the role with two entry level NP's. There is age discrimination on top of it, it's not just the pay. #2 Arrogant doctors who push most of the work onto you in regards to documentation and also patient's medical management. Then act like they are "so busy". We know the good doctors from the ones who are their own fan club.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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