nicurn5

nicurn5 has 11 years experience and specializes in neonatal intensive care.

Latest Activity

1. Mandatory "on-call" scheduling

   nicurn5 replied to IttyBittyBabyRN's topic in NICU

   Right now we are on mandatory call 12 hours in 2 weeks. We have had several people quit and the last few months and are trying to replace them but it is taking a while.

2. Securing ET Tube

   nicurn5 replied to MedEngineer's topic in NICU

   My current unit uses tape but I don't like the tape they use it is very easily torn when wet with secretions. I prefer to use the Neobar and tape it in place (and yes it still moves around but not nearly as much as the tape we use to secure out ETT's...

3. Changing out isolettes

   nicurn5 replied to ccnicurn's topic in NICU

   My current unit changes them out every seven days when the infant requires humidity and every 30 days when they do not. My previous unit changed them out every seven days regardless of humidity.

4. Research for NICU Tourniquet

   nicurn5 replied to alex.IPI's topic in NICU

   I have used rubber bands, a nurse holding a limb, and Coban. I believe that the rubber band is easier to use as it is easier to remove when no longer needed.

5. Is EPIC coming to your facility??....

   nicurn5 replied to NYRN08's topic in Informatics

   It came and we use but I do not like it. I came from a facility where we had brought in Cerner and it has more features than EPIC. EPIC won't add up our blood loss from tests. A true pain in the ..... The IT guys tried to tell me that Cerner went dow...

6. My Very First Patients Funeral: A Thank You to Nursing Instructors

   nicurn5 replied to malestudentnurse's topic in General Nursing

   I completely agree with the impact our mentors can have on our care. My first preceptor after nursing school was a 20 year veteran but she had never seemed to slip into the trap of being jaded or biased. She taught me that we have a duty and a privil...

7. Do I Love Nursing? What Day Is It?

   nicurn5 replied to Purple_Scrubs's topic in General Nursing

   When I was orienting the new nurses that came on our unit, they would always seem to ask about the "good days and the bad days". I was very truthful with them. I told them there are days when you walk out the door saying "Slap that big red S on my ch...

8. Hope: Losing a Child

   nicurn5 replied to jvqantipolo's topic in Pediatric

   One of my most poignant memories from my previous job was the Mother's Day I had been assigned a small premature infant who was dying. His mother stayed at the bedside all morning long. I watched her heart break into a million pieces when the doctor ...

9. My God, these family members!!

   nicurn5 replied to SoundofMusic's topic in Relations

   I also work in a facility where the "powers that be" have instituted a program for the staff to use trigger language to prompt the patients when they are polled after their stay to say that they had a good experience in the hospital. STUPID!!! It has...

10. Name your poison

    nicurn5 replied to netglow's topic in General Nursing

    My choice is COKE as well... in fact you can tell what kind of day I am having by the number of bottles in front of me at my station. If it is just one, no problem but if you see 2 or 3 look out!

11. Care of mothers with babies in intensive care

    nicurn5 replied to Elvish's topic in NICU

    As an NICU nurse, I have to agree that caring for these mothers takes a special brand of caring. I help to care for these moms after they have been discharged from our facility. They usually don't need any physical care but the emotional care is very...

12. NCC Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Certification

    nicurn5 replied to jack4408's topic in NICU

    I used the Handbook for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing (edition 5?) I just reviewed the topics on the outline provided by the NCC. Jennifer W:nurse: