Is the NICU part of the Maternal rotation?

Specialties NICU

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Based on many of the posts from members of this board, the NICU sounds like an amazing place to work.

I was wondering whether there is usually an opportunity for a rotation in the NICU while a nursing student during the maternal segment of the training? Are nursing students exposed to the NICU or do you have to special request this experience? Thanks, Stephanie

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We had it as part of our ob semester. We spent time in l&d, postpartum,wellbaby nursery, and two days in nicu. These two days were optional, and some students chose to only go one day. (Of course I went for both!) We weren't allowed to do anything like in wellbaby (where we did everything)-we just shadowed a nurse as she took care of her patients. I was able to see things that weren't in wellbaby- bili lights, vents, 1-pounders-I'm so glad I was exposed to it b/c now that's what I'm doing! Also, you won't really get any info on nicu babies in nursing school-just well babies, so try to go if at all possible.

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Specializes in NICU.

At my school, we did our NICU days during OB as well. We were only supposed to go one day, but there was room at the end of the rotation so I begged and got a second day. Again, we also were only allowed to observe, nothing hands-on. Now, between OB and Peds, we barely touched on newborn problems and NICU care. We probably spent only one day in each class breezing over typical NICU nursing.

Many nursing programs have a kind of internship rotation just before graduation, so your best bet is to try and get a NICU placement then. That's when you'll get to do hands-on stuff and will really be able to tell if NICU is for you or not. Most of these rotations are over 100 hours long, spanning over 1-2 months. You are treated more as an orientee than as a student, and by the end of it, you will be doing everything as your preceptor just watches.

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We did one day in a NICU in another state close to my house. It was totally observational. I saw some pretty amazing things there. I was in an ADN program so we didn't actuallly rotate through the NICU. The BSN program in town did rotate through. I always wanted to be a L&D nurse, but now I have an interview in the NICU!

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I was lucky. We did an ICU rotation during our clinicals, and they let 4 of the 10 groups do ICU at the local children's hospital. So I spent 3 12's in the NICU, and 3 12's in the PICU. We got to do most of the patient care, including ET suctioning, etc. It was a wonderful experience. If I wouldn't have had it, I wouldn't have considered NICU, since before my rotation there I didn't think I would be able to handle the acuity of the babies. Guess I was wrong! :)

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