New Grad NICU Support Thread

dlr13 · Feb 4, 2019

I just found out about this thread. I started in the NICU level 3 unit in early fall. I graduated last May. I havebe been off orientation from 3:1 for a while. Recently oriented to CPAP. Our unit orients in stages. I like most of my coworkers and love my manager! However, not sure that I love the NICU. I prefer the postpartum unit. I’ve loved floating there. Running myself ragged in the NICU is getting old quickly. Anyhow, glad to have a support thread.

YuHiroRN, BSN · Feb 5, 2019

21 hours ago, dlr13 said:
I just found out about this thread. I started in the NICU level 3 unit in early fall. I graduated last May. I havebe been off orientation from 3:1 for a while. Recently oriented to CPAP. Our unit orients in stages. I like most of my coworkers and love my manager! However, not sure that I love the NICU. I prefer the postpartum unit. I’ve loved floating there. Running myself ragged in the NICU is getting old quickly. Anyhow, glad to have a support thread.

My unit does orientation in stages also. You might find your niche once the acuity of your patient load is kicked up a notch. I don't really take care of stable feeder/growers anymore, which is fine with me.

NICUorbust, ADN · Feb 5, 2019

I'm so glad someone kicked up this thread from the trenches ?! I start in the nicu in a few weeks! Level III I can't wait! Graduated in May and have worked in tele/ortho and Pediatric HH (Medically fragile). NICU was always my end goal so I'm beyond excited (slightly terrified too) to begin! Any wisdom appreciated!

Nurse Magnolia, BSN, RN · Feb 6, 2019

I graduate in April and I was recently hired for a level III NICU in a large hospital system. Honestly, I can't believe I landed this job right out of school. It was my goal, but I figured I'd have to start somewhere else first. I was beyond thrilled when they offered me the job. I will be in a one year residency program with the hospital and will receive 13 weeks of orientation on the unit.
I'm still in the middle of a hellish 8 week semester of critical care, but as of March 1, I will only have transitions and precepting left, so I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel and starting to think of ways to prepare for my new job (other than passing the NCLEX of course!). I'll be following along here!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Feb 7, 2019

Here is a couple of books that are highly recommended for new NICU nurses. You don't need to buy the newest edition.

https://www.amazon.com/Merenstein-Gardners-Handbook-Neonatal-Intensive/dp/032332083X/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

https://www.amazon.com/Curriculum-Neonatal-Intensive-Nursing-AWHONN/dp/032322590X/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=032322590X&pd_rd_r=8d184d18-2ae8-11e9-9383-b9ef8e54b940&pd_rd_w=vSjy0&pd_rd_wg=bbSUh&pf_rd_p=90485860-83e9-4fd9-b838-b28a9b7fda30&pf_rd_r=1ZCTZHZG17E2DARAD5M8&psc=1&refRID=1ZCTZHZG17E2DARAD5M8

nontrad1 · Feb 13, 2019

Hello!!

this is my first time using this platform, and I’m in need of some help. I got offered a NICU job at a level three, I’m graduating in May. Although I am excited I am conflicted because I love ICU and did a whole internship in adult ICU. I also want to prefece this by saying I never got to do a clinical in the NICU.The parts about working in an ICU that i enjoy is the fast pace-think on your feet, critical thinking. How similar is the NICU? do you think someone who thrives in ICU could do well in a NICU? I love babies but I’m afraid either because I just haven’t been exposed enough. Also maternal newborn is something I am not currently really interested in, i don’t love OB. Does this mean i shouldn’t be a NICU nurse?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Feb 13, 2019

NICU has far less unstable patients than PICU or Adult ICU. If you thrive on having very sick patients every shift, then NICU is not the place.

LilPeanut, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 14, 2019

21 hours ago, NICU Guy said:
NICU has far less unstable patients than PICU or Adult ICU. If you thrive on having very sick patients every shift, then NICU is not the place.

I think that depends on the unit. If you are at a tertiary level IV referral hospital, there's always someone falling apart, being admitted and having issues.

Now if you want a fully different diagnosis every night, that's also a little harder to find in the NICU. We have a lot of preemies, then we have the surgical kiddos, infected kiddos, malformations, and genetics. But while you can definitely get super interesting flavors of all those things, you're not going to have cancer, then dka, then alcoholics in DTs, then MVA then MI and then who knows what else because who knows what big people need an ICU for

Lesser thought of benefits of the NICU though: it saves your back, since the babies are small, and their beds adjust up, and their poop and puke is not nearly as bad as big people's ?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Feb 14, 2019

10 hours ago, LilPeanut said:
I think that depends on the unit. If you are at a tertiary level IV referral hospital, there's always someone falling apart, being admitted and having issues.

Yes, we do get a wide variety of different babies (myelomeningocele, gastroschisis, HIE, hearts) most are not unstable. A majority of our patients are RDS and preemies. Not the fast-paced, adrenaline pumping, critical thinking type of job "nontrad1" was looking for. There may be days that she gets very critical patients, but that will not be a daily occurrence.

sergel02, BSN · Feb 25, 2019

On 2/3/2019 at 6:24 PM, dlr13 said:
I just found out about this thread. I started in the NICU level 3 unit in early fall. I graduated last May. I havebe been off orientation from 3:1 for a while. Recently oriented to CPAP. Our unit orients in stages. I like most of my coworkers and love my manager! However, not sure that I love the NICU. I prefer the postpartum unit. I’ve loved floating there. Running myself ragged in the NICU is getting old quickly. Anyhow, glad to have a support thread.

3:1 can be very busy in NICU, I've noticed. Everyone seems to feed at the same time, depending on your hospital.

My hospital was 3:1 for the longest time for the feeder/growers, etc., but just last year they went strictly 2:1 for them.

Sherrylin22, BSN, RN · May 30, 2020

On 7/25/2010 at 7:21 AM, followmydream said:
I am so happy to see this thread. I start a year-long NICU internship next month, which is followed by employment. I am nervous and excited. I feel like everything is falling into place and I need to pinch myself to see if this is all real. I know that I'm in the honeymoon period and it will be tough, but I am so ready to learn!

WOW! 10 years later...how are you doing? just wondering which hospital had a year long nicu internship? now is only 2 months...I feel unprepared...