Registered Nurse Critical Care Nursing - Neonatal Intensive Care   

Understanding the foundational principles of neonatal physiology and care is essential for providing safe, specialized support to vulnerable newborns and their families. This course introduces students to the unique developmental processes of the fetus and neonate, the transition to extrauterine life, and the critical role of nurses in neonatal intensive care. Emphasis is placed on evidence-informed practice, the interprofessional team, and trauma-informed, family-centered approaches. Students will explore culturally safe care, and the importance of early nutrition and skin-to-skin practices. Through interactive modules, required readings, and case-based reflections, learners will begin to build the knowledge and critical thinking skills required for specialized neonatal nursing roles.

This course focuses on how to assess and support the health of newborns in the NICU. Learners will explore how to recognize early signs of illness, understand lab values, and assess systems like respiratory, cardiac, neurologic, and gastrointestinal. Key topics include fluid balance, nutrition, pain assessment, and how medications work differently in neonates. Students will explore how prematurity, illness, or birth complications affect growth and development. With interactive online modules, case studies, and guided readings, learners will build the skills needed to collect and interpret clinical data, support families, and provide safe, evidence-informed care in the NICU.