Neonatal nursing is a field of nursing care specifically designed for newborns and infants up to 28 days old. The term neonatal comes from neo, “new” and natal, “relating to birth or origin”. Neonatal nurses are an essential part of the neonatal care team. They are trained professionals who work to ensure that the newborns in their care are able to survive any life-threatening event they encounter. They treat infants born with a variety of life-threatening problems, including cases of prematurity, birth defects, surgery-related problems, heart defects, severe burns, or acute infections. in hospitals has always been carried out by nursing staff, but it did not officially become a specialized medical field until the 1960s. This was due to the many advances in medical care training and related technology that made it possible to improve the treatment and survival rate of premature babies. babies According to the March of Dimes, one in thirteen babies born in the United States suffers from low birth weight each year. It is a leading cause of 65% of infant deaths. Therefore, nurses play a very important role in providing round-the-clock care to these infants, those born with birth defects or other life-threatening illnesses. Additionally, these nurses also care for healthy babies while their mothers recover from the delivery process. Before the advent of this specialized field of care, at-risk newborns were primarily cared for by obstetricians and midwives who had limited resources to help them survive (Meeks 3). What are the qualifications of a neonatal nurse? It goes without saying that the primary quality required is a deep and sincere desire to care for ba...... middle of paper ......Quoted "Nursing Salaries and Career Opportunities." All nursing schools. All Star Directories Inc., Web. February 28, 2011. “Become a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.” All nursing schools. All Star Directories Inc., Web. February 14, 2011. “Neonatal Nursing Careers.” Nursing school diplomas. Nursing School Diplomas, Web. February 16, 2011. “National Association of Neonatal Nurses.” National Association of Neonatal Nurses. National Association of Neonatal Nurses, Web. February 18, 2011. .Meeks, Maggie. Breastfeed the newborn. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2010. Print. Langley, Erica. Personal interview. February 19. 2011.