NICUgirl77

NICUgirl77 has 2 years experience and specializes in NICU.

Latest Activity

1. 24 week preemie

   NICUgirl77 replied to SweetRN007's topic in NICU

   I know it is hard to hear but really ever baby is different. Especially when they are that small they can be doing great one day and then get sick really fast. They are really prone to infection and just very fragile! Things can change fast so we are...

2. Do you use music therapy?

   NICUgirl77 replied to BittyBabyGrower's topic in NICU

   We have a music therapy team that comes to the bedsides of appropriate infant. they attach ipods to their bedsides with lullabys etc. they also have a guitar and occasionally sing to the babies. Some of the older chronic kids love it!

3. I start in the NICU in less than 2 weeks!

   NICUgirl77 replied to Disneyfan's topic in NICU

   Congrats! You will do great- it will take a while to get comfertable but orientation is very extensive and people are always willing to answer questions and help out once you are off. good luck!

4. Precepting: One preceptor/2 orients?

   NICUgirl77 replied to yogi2000's topic in General Nursing

   I agree with you and think that having 2 orientee's is not good for you or the new nurses! The new hires won't get as much of a chance at hands on experience and you wil probably get burned out. Our unit staggers when they start all the new grads so ...

5. Ordering from Allheart.com

   NICUgirl77 replied to whippoorwill's topic in Uniform/Gear

   I ordered my steth from allheart.com and didnt have any issues with shipping- think I got it within a few weeks, but it wasnt personalized. I think if you give yourself enough time I wouldnt worry about it.

6. How Many Times Did You Apply to Nursing School

   NICUgirl77 replied to wannabenursi's topic in General Nursing

   Applied once for a BSN program and got in...thank God:) GPA was 3.5 Applied once for MSN and got it...GPA 3.6 It also helps a lot to have some sort of experience and volunteer work in the health care field.

7. Do you feel you have safe staffing ratios at your facility?

   NICUgirl77 replied to UM Review RN's topic in General Nursing

   We have great ratios in the NICU i work in. I have never had more than 3 babies and will often have only 1 if they are really critical. We also always have a "resource" nurse who doens't have a patient assignment and just helps out around unit. If we...

8. peripheral line insertion

   NICUgirl77 replied to corks's topic in NICU

   Does depend on the age of the baby...for ELBW babies we do not use any alcohol- use betadine for any invasive procedures followed by sterile water. but for term babies we just use alcohol for PIV's and chlorhexidine/betadine for PICC's/midlines.

9. "Must Have" Gear

   NICUgirl77 replied to kmm5117's topic in Uniform/Gear

   You will need a good stethescope for clinicals but as for all the other stuff (scissors etc.) it is usually supplied on the unit you will be on. Pocket references are also nice for common diseases/drugs etc. I also found it helpful to carry notecards...

10. Need advice about applying for NICU jobs.

    NICUgirl77 replied to JunebugRN28's topic in NICU

    You probably dont need to apply this early, but I would try to get your application in and hopefully get an interview before another new batch of nurses graduates. Also, we have a handful of nurses in our NICU who worked in adults prior to coming to...

11. Night shift NICU

    NICUgirl77 replied to BiologyNerd's topic in NICU

    I am a day shifter now but worked nights for about a year...night specific duties were getting weights, giving baths, changing beds, getting AM labs and chest x-rays. If a baby is going to surgery in the morning the night nurse will get everything re...

12. Funny Names

    NICUgirl77 replied to nurserynurse55's topic in NICU

    hmm there are too many to count...I think my all time favorite was Aloveli Myracle:wink2:

13. did I make the wrong decision??? allowing a parent to hold

    NICUgirl77 replied to wnydapoo's topic in NICU

    I agree...you did nothing wrong. Babies lose their IV's all the time, it was well worth it to give that mother time with her baby, especially since he has already been there so long!

14. Stethescope??

    NICUgirl77 replied to SmileyGirl :o)'s topic in NICU

    I do not even bring my own stethoscope to work as our NICU provides one for each bedside. Plus you would need to clean your's off between listening to each patient every time to prevent transfer of bacteria.

15. PLEASE HELP (neonatal nurses)

    NICUgirl77 replied to kgentry's topic in NICU

    You're welcome. Good luck with your nursing career!