Is the nicu and nursery easy?

Specialties NICU

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Is it hard to find jobs in the nicu or nursery right away? They seem to be the easiest jobs in the hospital. Is there anything difficult about them?

Specializes in Med/Surg,Cardiac.

If NICU were so easy, everyone would do it. I couldn't handle taking care of unhealthy infants. It would break my heart. In addition, having to be extremely cautious with even the amount of a saline flush would be unreal. I have utmost respect for all the NICU nurses out there.

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Telemetry, Med-Surg.

Unless you're referring to the physical demand it puts on your body, NICU is far from "easy". My mom has been a NICU nurse for 15 years, and there are still days that she calls me crying about an inconsolable crack-addicted newborn, or a 22 weeker whom - despite their best efforts - will not survive. Maybe the OP has never stepped foot into a NICU and doesn't realize what it entails, but these are not well babies, OP. I can't imagine seeing a newborn take their last breath is ever "easy", no matter how many times you've seen it.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

Back to the question at hand: OP can you come back and tell us more details. BTW just a friendly admin reminder: keep the debate focused on the topic, not the poster. Thanks.

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I am an LPN now RN student. I do not think any floor I have been on is "easy". Some of our more energetic students who literally run circles around the younger 20 somethings are "older". I am friends with them but I have not asked their age. I however am in my 30"s and they state that they can be my mother.

50 is not old. She might have a harder time pyshically on a ortho floor ( not sure how you orhto nurses do it) turning, lifting, and moving pts.

When I was in NICU there was a ton of running around. The only time I saw a nurse sit was for one minute while she started to feed a baby and one of the nursing students offered to help, so she passed the tiny baby off.

If your mom has started her clinical rotations I am sure she will find a "fit" or a place that she really wants to work. I have added more "fits" to my list. I loved floors I thought I would hate, love floors I thought I would love, and dislike floors I thought I would hate. I really cannot say there is but one floor that is just not me. I know a few floors that if I got a job on right out of nursing school I would do a little happy dance but even then sometimes once you have worked that floor you grow to see that it was not the fit you thought it was.

I wish the best for you and your mom.

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Specializes in L/D 4 yrs & Level 3 NICU 22 yrs.

No part of nursing is easy. It is all difficult. It is the world we live in.

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Is it hard to find jobs in the nicu or nursery right away? They seem to be the easiest jobs in the hospital. Is there anything difficult about them?
My only experience in both well baby nursery and nicu were in clinicals. In retrospect the Nicu especiay was a super easy area. Like most of critical care the nurses did nothing since the pts were on monitors. All the drs , nps /pas and nurses sat around watching tv. It is especially a cushy job in a teaching hospital with the medical and nursing students doing everything. (for the dense this is sarcasm).
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Specializes in geriatrics.

You're dealing with critically ill infants. IV's, vents, incubators, family members. I'm not a NICU nurse, but even I have enough sense to know it's not an easy job. I can't think of any nursing specialty that's easy. Let us know when you've found one.

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I have a question, and I am not trying to insult here. Does your mom speak English? I'm just wondering why you're the one always asking questions for your mom. Is she asking you to? Anyway, I'm sure there are no "easy" nursing jobs. It is hard work and lots of dedication. And 50 is so not old. Can she do it?

No my mom doesn't speak english very well but in Miami there is mostly spanish.

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I meant nursery nursing, sorry I put nicu.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

What about working in a flu shot clinic if you're helping look for something "easy" for your mom? I did that one season & thought it was cake (the clinic maybe had 4-5 patients walk in per hour & there were 2 RNs working). You won't find anything easy as far as bedside nursing in a hospital, ICU or not. Even with healthy babies or adults you're running your tail off busy. I also know several RN's who began their career after age 45 (my dad included) in a hospital setting who have done just fine in the hectic environment- but none of them expect stress free. Good luck to your mom!

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What about working in a flu shot clinic if you're helping look for something "easy" for your mom? I did that one season & thought it was cake (the clinic maybe had 4-5 patients walk in per hour & there were 2 RNs working). You won't find anything easy as far as bedside nursing in a hospital, ICU or not. Even with healthy babies or adults you're running your tail off busy. I also know several RN's who began their career after age 45 (my dad included) in a hospital setting who have done just fine in the hectic environment- but none of them expect stress free. Good luck to your mom!

Thanks! I am sure she will pass the nclex in October.

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I am not an RN, and I am still taking my pre-reqs. My daughter was in the NICU when she was born, and those nurses were complete Angels. They play so many different roles. A parent of a healthy newborn is a nervous wreck, so think about how parents of a child with life threatening issues might be. There were many of times when the nurses had to treat me, and by that I mean just sitting with me while I cried my eyes out. Also, I don't recall any of the nurses having any down time. They were always busy.

I would think that if someone is looking for an easy job that nursing wouldn't be the route to take. Good luck to your mom.

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