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Perinatal Nurse Specialist - Career Profile |
Career OverviewPerinatal care concerns the care of pregnant women, women post-partum, newborns, and infants. Perinatal Nurse Specialists are Clinical Nurse Specialists trained to work within acute and ambulatory care settings, and trained in maternity nursing, maternity-newborn nursing, and neonatal nursing.
Perinatal Nurse Specialists are particularly active in the facilitation of newborns into a family, helping the parents to both prepare for a child, and to address the physiological and psychological pressures issues that may arise, for mothers, fathers, and infants.
More than anything, Perinatal Nurse Specialists work to minimize the stress of caring for infants by providing education and support to parents and specialist medical assistance when necessary.
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Career RequirementsPerinatal Nurse Specialists are required to train as Clinical Nursing Specialists prior to completing any advanced training in the field. They are required to have some advanced training in the nursing field. Most Clinical Nursing Specialists have advanced degrees. Approximately 93% of all CNSs have a Master's Degree or equivalent graduate certificate to compliment their training as an RN.
Perinatal Nurse Specialists are required to have an active RN license and typically have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing to have obtained this qualification.
Specialist training in Perinatal care is a requirement for this profession, typically met by the practical experience of each candidate. Experience is focused on maternity care, newborn care, and neonatal nursing, with emphasis on care-giving in both acute and ambulatory settings.
Some institutions offer specialist training programs and certification in Perinatal nursing. More information about training programs and certification is available through the following organizations:
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners
20 Brace Rd., Ste 200,
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
www.napnap.org
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Job OutlookThe notion of the conventional family is fast disappearing and men and women find themselves as parents in a range of different situations. Many of these situations are conducive to stress and there is a definite need to minimize this for the sake of both the parents and the child.
The risk of illness and injury to infants is also dramatic, despite advances in medical practice. Financial pressures on hospitals have caused a dramatic increase in the number of cesarean births in recent years, which create a range of issues, both physical and psychological, for parents and infants.
Perinatal Nurse Specialists are often uniquely equipped to help parents address the range of problems they face at this crucial stage. As with most other nursing specialties, the job outlook for Perinatal Nurse Specialists is positive for the foreseeable future.
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Career TrackSee Clinical Nurse Specialist
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CompensationSee Clinical Nurse Specialist
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