What type of degree or certificate would I need to be a nurse in Maternity Ward?

My goal eventually is work in the Maternity Ward as a nurse (the ones who help clean the babies after birth, take their foot prints, feed the babies, etc.) I have always wanted to do that but never really wanted to go to school for it. Now I am 27 and I am ready to start a different career path. Problem is I did really terribly in high school, barely even passing & I never took any of the placement test. I contacted Dalton State & they have open enrollment which they said meant you prove yourself once you are enrolled in classes there. I would like answers from people with this experience, what would be the best I should start in? I would like to know what process I need to go through to eventually become one of those nurses. I don't know if they are RN's or what? I think I would probably have to start with a mini-certificate and work my way up. Any answers would be appreciated. Thank you.

Rotor had some good material in her answer. She is right - most hospitals only hire RN's to work in the nursery.

There are several paths to becoming an RN - one is an associates degree (usually an ASN) - abour 2 years or a bachelors degree, 4 years and a BSN. After that you must take the NCLEX exam to be licensed (change from a graduate nurse to a registered nurse). Working your way up means starting with a 2 year degree. I was head nurse of the newborn intensive care unit for a lot of years before I moved on.

You can not start with a certificate. If you want to work in another area of the hospital a CNA - would be possible- thats a certified nursing assistant- they are NOT nurses, but do soem patient care.

You might want to check out this site. www.NeedaCollege.com

First, you need to ask yourself why you did so poorly in high school. Was it because you did not apply yourself, was the work too hard? Did you do well in or like any subjects? It is important to know if you will be able to do the work required of you in college. A good way to find out would be to start off with one class at a community college.

You could look into classes that would give you your LPN or LVN. However, many hospitals only hire RN's, not LVN's, so you could call your local hospitals and see what their hiring practices are.

Getting an RN is hard work. You could start off by taking some prerequisite classes like anatomy and physiology. You could go the associate degree route and get a two year degree instead of a four year degree. It also depends on how motivated you are. You could start off by getting your medical assistant certificate. This would allow you to work in a hospital after a few months in training. Medical assistants don't usually work in the nursery though. The point is, that their are many avenues to getting into the medical field, you just have to find the one that is right for you.