[Neo_Nurse]

I was talking with a friend of mine the other day (she's a nurse as well) and she mentioned the idea that neonatal nurses tend to have an elitist attitude more so than floor nurses. What do you think about this?

Considering I just began working as a NICU nurse I was not aware of this so called attitude or sense of betterment among NICU nurses. Do you think this is an accurate statement? If so why?

I have always gotten the sense that most non NICU nurses do not envy our chosen field. More often than not I find myself defending my choice to take care of little babies but I don't mind because its what I want to do.

I'm interested to hear what you all think about this statement...

[Spidey's mom]

Wow, I've never thought that nor have I ever heard that.

I bow down and worship you . . not because you are "elitist" but because of the kind of nurse you are.

NICU nurses ROCK.

steph

[Elvish]

I like most of our NICU nurses & hope they feel the same way about us. They send us their good babies, we send them our crumping ones. I've never heard that about NICU nurses....now, there are some individuals whose attitudes I don't care for, but that's everywhere you go and has zero to do with NICU.

[blueinplaid]

Honestly I don't believe that there is an "elitest" attitude that is specific to one floor, ICU, NICU, PICU, etc. I do remember however that when I accepted patients from the ED when I worked in the PICU that I wasn't always happy with the state that said patients arrived in.....Since working the ER, I see now that priorities are different in each unit. When I say priorities, I am not referring to the basic ones, like ABC's, but beyond that. I have had to send patients upstairs in sheets that are a wrinkled mess and that kind of thing due to whatever other craziness that is emerging from the room next door, the ambulance coming in, etc. It would do us all some good to have a floor sharing experience to see the difficulties that we all share working on our prospective units and maybe those looks or sighs or attitudes wouldn't be as prevalent.

[SteveRN21]

I don't consider it an elitist attitude, but I think NICU nurses in general are more type-a personalities that can be VERY protective of our little ones. I had an L&D nurse comment to me the other day that NICU nurses seemed to be overly concerned about clean, neat beds and workspaces. I realized that she was partially right. We tend to be very protective, always making suggestions to the medical team, groan inwardly when NBN or L&D calls us to check a baby (not because we don't respect those units....it's because we've got enough babies to deal with already.) Maybe some get that impression of us because NICU is like a black hole in the middle of the hospital. No one goes in/out except for staff and parents. No one is sure what we actually do (rock and feed babies all day, right? :>P) So they only see us when we swoop into the delivery room, OR or nursery, hurriedly ask for a report, "rescue" the baby and run off. I can see how we could get that reputation. I just think that no one really has a clue what goes on in NICU unless they've worked there....

[socalpca]

It's been my experience, albeit a brief 7 months, that almost every nurse in every specialty thinks that they have it as tough or tougher than the other nurses in other areas of the hospital. On my unit, there is quite a bit of bad-mouthing of the ER in general for various things. I'm sure there are other areas of the hospital that bad-mouth my unit. I don't really care. I'm just trying to clock out less than 30 min late.

[Sweeper933]

Well I had started typing a response out, but I had to go attend to my primary - he's not having a very good night... Anyway, what I was going to say was pretty much what Steve just said... That NICU nurses can get very "protective" about their babies, especially when it's their primary. To an outsider, I can see how that could be perceived as an "elitist" attitude...

[littlepeach]

I have been very guilty of being overprotective. I see these kids as mine until they are discharged. Whenever somebody else comes in the unit and starts asking questions about this baby, or that baby, I try to say as nicely as possible, that the status of the baby is none of your business. I have been called out as being too harsh or aggresive, so the elitist persona can definately be out there.

[danissa]

I never thought about this, until some remarks from a doctor, and from l&d staff. The remarks to my colleague, were that we think we are "elite", and frighten off every visitor. And the remarks from the doc..well he said he was afraid to offend the nicu nursing staff..he felt like his mum was on his back the whole time!!!!

Do I agree with them, well, I think to a certain level I do. Doctors are sometimes a transient population, and don't know one end of a neonate from the other, in our opinion, if getting in there to take boods(painfully), is your goal, then get outa here! Go read up on your patients before you touch them, oh and BTW..ASK their nurses!
As for other midwives/nurses opinions..well, I respect that a 3 pounder, who we think is a "big" guy, may still be scary for those who are coming to help with tube feeds when we have a load of icu admits! A sat of 88% may warrant a shout for help, hey, as a midwife, I may have done the same thing!

So, do I see where they are coming from, thinking we are elitist? Yes, I do. But flipping the coin....who wants to do this?
HOPE i kinda made my point without offending anyone...never was my intent!

[kitty29]

Originally Posted by danissa

I never thought about this, until some remarks from a doctor, and from l&d staff. The remarks to my colleague, were that we think we are "elite", and frighten off every visitor. And the remarks from the doc..well he said he was afraid to offend the nicu nursing staff..he felt like his mum was on his back the whole time!!!!

Do I agree with them, well, I think to a certain level I do. Doctors are sometimes a transient population, and don't know one end of a neonate from the other, in our opinion, if getting in there to take boods(painfully), is your goal, then get outa here! Go read up on your patients before you touch them, oh and BTW..ASK their nurses!
As for other midwives/nurses opinions..well, I respect that a 3 pounder, who we think is a "big" guy, may still be scary for those who are coming to help with tube feeds when we have a load of icu admits! A sat of 88% may warrant a shout for help, hey, as a midwife, I may have done the same thing!

So, do I see where they are coming from, thinking we are elitist? Yes, I do. But flipping the coin....who wants to do this?
HOPE i kinda made my point without offending anyone...never was my intent!

I agree and I wouldn't change my behavior one bit because I defend someone who can not do so for themselves!