Rebecca Schmid MSN, APRN, NNP-BC
Vanderbilt University School of Nursing Faculty
Neonatal Nurse Practitioner
The Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Gateway Medical Center
Neonatal Nurse Practitioners have a variety of roles within their scope of practice. They function as a team leader, support person, educator, resource, and provider. NNPs can serve infants up to 2 years in age, however, they are mostly staffed in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and in newborn nurseries. NNPs attend deliveries and manage the care of infants until discharge. They are very much a part of the team managing the day to day care of infants. NNPs work closely with the medical staff, support staff and families of the infants to coordinate and provide evidenced base care.
NNPs face the challenge of making critical decisions within a moments time. NNPs are well educated and trained in making these decisions, therefore, they are an important entity of the team. NNPs stand out because they have the compassionate nature of being a nurse in addition to a higher level of training and education.
I earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from Austin Peay State University in 2011 and began working at Gateway Medical Center in the newborn nursery. After a year, I wanted to gain more neonatal experience and pursue a career as a NNP. In 2012, I began working in the NICU at Vanderbilt Childrens Hospital and advanced to a charge nurse during that time. I obtained a Master of Science in Nursing degree at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in August of 2015. After graduating, I returned to Gateway Medical Center to work as a Neonatal Nurse Practitioner. I am a member of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, National Association of Neonatal Nurses, and National Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners. My passion and top interest is delivery room resuscitation and stabilization.
I have been married to my husband for 4 years. We do not have any children, although we have a total of 4 fur babies: two dogs and two cats. We love to travel to different parts of the world and enjoy spending time together on our familys farm.