Interview for NICU HELP!!

2banurse · Dec 22, 2002

First, congratulations! That really says something when you are in a sense referred. Although the OB position didn't come through, they thought that you are too good of a nurse not to be part of their hospital.

I just wanted to wish you the best and let us know what happens!

Kris

OBNurseShelley · Dec 22, 2002

I dont' work NICU either.....but my advice, ask about staffing, staffing, staffing, staffing, as you know, NICU's cenus can be feast or famon, and it can get ROUGH! I work high-risk OB, and our NICU staff is EXTREMELY overworked and understaffed MOST of the time, also ask about floating, will you float to all areas, ie, higher acuity, feeders/growers, etc. Just how LONG of orienation will you have before you're on your own...these are just some things I would want to know if I was going to work NICU....good luck!

Anaclaire · Dec 25, 2002

I worked on a Mother-Baby Unit for 7 years before going to the NICU. I found that my experience with helping moms breastfeed, and helping the parents learn how to hold, diaper, and feed their babies was very helpful when I got to the NICU. I also had a deeper understanding of what the families were going through physically and emotionally during the hormone-topsy-turvy time of the postpartum period and was able to use that information to help them become acquainted with the NICU and having a baby in NICU. On the Mother-Baby Unit we had several moms whose babies were in the NICU and that experience was extremely helpful to me as I knew from the mom's point of view how devistating it was for them to not have their baby in their room with them and wondering each waking moment how their baby was doing, etc. We also had lots of antepartum moms who were not ill enough for the one-on-one care in the L&D but too ill to go home. Caring for them as they were on bedrest for weeks, fighting blood pressure problems, preterm labor, bleeding, etc. helped me understand more of how better to relate to them once I had them as the family of a preemie or ill term baby in the NICU.

As far as the work in the NICU goes, I'd say that your postpartum experience can only be a plus. In the NICU your patients will be tiny babies who can't point to "where it hurts" but you will learn quickly by other means what they need and when they need it. Lots of people are afraid of the babies because they are so tiny and unable to interact with us like adults do. If you can get past that, you can do fine. Also, never underestimate the importance of the parents and other family members because they are as important as the baby is. Always remember the baby will most likely be going home with them and the more you can do to foster a loving, confident, and deeply bonding experience between the parents and their baby from the beginning, the better off you and everyone will be for it.

It's a very rewarding area, full of ups and downs but thankfully more ups than downs. The downs are, however, at the bottom of the bottom!

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

Warmly,

Anaclaire

:)

shay · Dec 29, 2002

I'm totally jealous Ferg. I want to get back into the NICU, but dang it, my mgr won't let me cross-train right now 'cause we're short on experienced L&D staff.

I would go in a minute if I could, but only to a very select few hospitals. Nevah back to the NICU I worked at as a new grad. :eek: That place was horrid with a capital H.

Anyhoo, I loved the work, loved the pts, hated the staff. :chuckle They were evil old hens. However, from what I hear, that's not always the case in NICU's. You need to be very detail oriented (read: anal) and organized, which from what I know of you from this bb, you are. I think you'll really like it. :)

fergus51 · Dec 29, 2002

LOL SHAY! My current charge nurse was not happy to hear I may be moving, because we are also short on L&D staff. I am one of the most experienced nurses and I have only been doing this a few years!