Online neonatal nurse practitioner programs train nurse practitioners to help the smallest children. The nurse practitioner is a very skilled nurse who has spent extra time studying in a specific field to be able to diagnose and treat patients more thoroughly than a regular nurse does. In fact, the neonatal nurse often is the first line of help for small babies. The Neonatal NP often works closely with parents as well teaching them how to help their infants.

Nurse practitioner programs online allow nurses to become more highly-trained and skilled professionals. The job of the neonatal nurse practitioner involves working closely with doctors and nurses with newborn infants as well as premature infants. These patients require very skilled nurses who are specialists in their field. LPN to RN programs online, as well as nurse practitioner programs online provide the training needed to work with these patients.

Earning a nursing degree online is an excellent way to become a nurse practitioner. The NP is one of the most highly-trained nurses working in hospitals, doctor’s offices and clinics. In fact, the NP can work independently of doctors in some states and even has the ability to write prescriptions. Other states require the nurse practitioner to work under the supervision of a physician; however, the nurse practitioner is still very involved in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses and diseases. Many nurse practitioners also work closely with the physician assistant. In fact, many NPs work closely with a team including a physician, physician assistant, and nurse practitioner.

Of all the people who work with infants, neonatal nurses provide some of the most critical care. The smallest babies in the neonatal unit of a hospital require nurses who can perform a wide variety of tasks well beyond what registered nurses normally do. They are often responsible for making important life-saving decisions at a moment’s notice when an infant needs immediate care. The training that nurses receive in online NNP programs prepare NPs to be able to handle the responsibilities and day-to-day care that neonates require.

Online neonatal nurse practitioner programs train registered nurses to become experts in the field of neonatal infant care. These nurses spend extra time studying the care and treatment of illnesses and diseases specific to very young infants, especially infants who are born prematurely. Online training programs allow these nurses to continue working even as they study to become experts in their field.