Is NICU for the soft-hearted sensitive types?

Shanlee79 · Jan 27, 2011

Congrats and good luck!

RN2B73 · Jan 27, 2011

Congrats ijuanabhappy.....I have been an RN for 8 months now in an ICU and I want a NICU position desperately!!! I've always wanted NICU but it's very hard to get into one. I wish you the best and keep me posted as you live my dream..lol. Oh and keep your fingers crossed that I find my NICU position too:)

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Jan 29, 2011

Congrats ijuanabhappy.....I have been an RN for 8 months now in an ICU and I want a NICU position desperately!!! I've always wanted NICU but it's very hard to get into one. I wish you the best and keep me posted as you live my dream..lol. Oh and keep your fingers crossed that I find my NICU position too:)

Thanks, I feel thrilled and very, very fortunate. It will happen for you too, and just think you will have that ICU experience! I wish you the best ~

NeoNurseTX, RN · Jan 30, 2011

I don't think ANY nursing is for the soft hearted sensitive types. Heck, the rudest patient I ever had was on a ortho trauma floor.

You'll deal with ALL kinds of people and many family members/patients can be extremely rude when they are put in a stressful situation (hospitalization). You can't take it personallly and dwell on it.

Be soft hearted & sensitive to your patients but you have to have tough skin to be a nurse, period.

tralalaRN · Jan 30, 2011

Speaking from some experience(2 years in a busy level 3-b) I think sensitivity is an asset in a NICU. Your not only taking care of the precious babies, but you are instrumental in setting the tone for the beginning of a new family. Sensitivity is a double edged sword. The mortality rate in a NICU is very low, but when it occurs it is hard and takes time to deal with. So only you will know if the NICU is the right place for you or not. You have to learn how to leave work at work, a concept I am still finding challenging. The day I stepped through the NICU doors I knew I would never leave! Good Luck!!

The mortality rate in the NICU might be very low, but this is not the only concern! Morbidity! Most preemies 22-26 weekers are going to leave the NICU in serious shape. It might not be evident when they leave - I know of preemies who had a relatively smooth NICU course, left without meds, apnea monitor, deemed "normal" only to end up being dx with cerebral palsy, severe learning disabilities and autism years down the road. Please remember, that when your little one that you've cared for months finally leaves the NICU, this might be cause for rejoicing, as this is the end of YOUR chapter, but this is the beginning of this families' LIFE. That life might include really difficult life-long care issues. Parents who come through the NICU have gone to the internet and have been reading what many families before them have experienced. .raising children who were former preemies that have significant issues. Children who will never walk or talk due to complications of their prematurity, and a myriad of issues in-between. While parents may lash out at nurses in the NICU, please realize that they might be doing so because they are on the edge - they are terrified of what the future holds after your chapter with them is finished.

MisterSimba, BSN · Jan 30, 2011

I don't think ANY nursing is for the soft hearted sensitive types. Heck, the rudest patient I ever had was on a ortho trauma floor.
You'll deal with ALL kinds of people and many family members/patients can be extremely rude when they are put in a stressful situation (hospitalization). You can't take it personallly and dwell on it.
Be soft hearted & sensitive to your patients but you have to have tough skin to be a nurse, period.

Well said! I had a patient in clinicals who was not thrilled to be in the hospital at all. I walked into his room to introduce myself and get his vitals, and he said something along the lines of, "I've been in the hospital for X days, and I'm sick of it, so I'm not going to be nice to you. Now help me over to the commode, I have to take a s--t!"

I was slightly terrified for a moment, but the rest of my time with him went fine, and he ended up being pretty nice to me...LOL! I think that being sick and miserable can bring out the worst in some patients, as can being the parents of a critically ill infant or child.

I think that an understanding of their fears/feelings of hopelessness, etc. is important, as is using the "kill them with kindness" approach....

I am definitely the soft-hearted and sensitive type, but I'm working on having that tough skin...

aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN · Feb 9, 2011

If you're the sensitive type, for heaven's sake, don't do an ICU *of any kind* without some other experience. There are a lot of threads about why Med Surg is a good beginning, so I won't regurgitate all those, but I will stress that NICU isn't a place for a new grad.

I'm offended by that statement. I was hired into the NICU still wet behind the ears and have done just fine!

No matter what type of nursing you go into it's going to be hard. Real nursing isn't taught in school, it's learned on the floor and the learning curve is steep. It's certainly not impossible otherwise there would be no nurses.

OP, only you can decide if NICU is for you or not. "Sensitive" is so subjective that nobody can answer your question but you.

We can give you insight from our point of view but it's your decision in the end.

That being said, NICU is everything. It's happy, sad, rewarding, aggravating, busy, fulfilling, intense, scary.......and that's in just one shift.

I wouldn't trade my NICU job for the world though.

HazelLPN, LPN · Feb 13, 2011

I'm offended by that statement. I was hired into the NICU still wet behind the ears and have done just fine!
No matter what type of nursing you go into it's going to be hard. Real nursing isn't taught in school, it's learned on the floor and the learning curve is steep. It's certainly not impossible otherwise there would be no nurses.
OP, only you can decide if NICU is for you or not. "Sensitive" is so subjective that nobody can answer your question but you.
We can give you insight from our point of view but it's your decision in the end.
That being said, NICU is everything. It's happy, sad, rewarding, aggravating, busy, fulfilling, intense, scary.......and that's in just one shift.
I wouldn't trade my NICU job for the world though.

Very well written and well thought post.

Some new grads are simply born to work in the NICU, others sink like a stone as a new grad but may come back to it later in life. In my case, I spent 30 some years in adult ICU before I got cross trained in PICU and eventunally in the NICU ..this is when I was pushing 60! (oh to be 60 again....). I was never a REAL NICU nurse...more like a PICU nurse who prefered to take two stable vents vs a 23 weeker who still needs to be inside a uterus....or 4 cranky feeder growers who's parents need teaching on everything...including subject/verb agreement. Had I done NICU when I was still in my prime, I don't think it would have made any difference, except that I would probably still have my original knee due to years of lifting adults.

You're so right. Real nursing isn't taught in nursing school, that only comes with experience on the job and learning on your own, especially with the demise of the old diploma schools.

As for the "soft hearted sensitive types", I can name many exceptional soft hearted nurses NICU nurses....and many of them like me who have a stone for a heart and ice water for blood.....

A pleasure to read such an intelligent post....you have wisdom beyond your years.

Best to you,

Mrs H.

adoula · Feb 21, 2011

I would love to put in my 2 cents in as a 35 year veteran of NICU/Peds. I am an extremely empathic and sensitive person and have certainly experienced some heartbreaking situations in the NICU. My personal, non traditional, spiritual practice has helped a lot with this. One way to look at death in the NICU and anywhere, for that matter, is this. Grief is normal and healthy. Just being an attendant and holding a hand, if nothing else, be it at a birth or a death transition is one of highest honors of a healer. We do not often consider death as a healing in our culture, but it is one of the highest forms of healing. The nurse who compassionately assists another and their family through that process is to be honored. It is a most sacred service.

chunkiesundae · Nov 26, 2011

I would love to put in my 2 cents in as a 35 year veteran of NICU/Peds. I am an extremely empathic and sensitive person and have certainly experienced some heartbreaking situations in the NICU. My personal, non traditional, spiritual practice has helped a lot with this. One way to look at death in the NICU and anywhere, for that matter, is this. Grief is normal and healthy. Just being an attendant and holding a hand, if nothing else, be it at a birth or a death transition is one of highest honors of a healer. We do not often consider death as a healing in our culture, but it is one of the highest forms of healing. The nurse who compassionately assists another and their family through that process is to be honored. It is a most sacred service.

Wow, thank you SO much for this statement. It really helped me think about this field and my decision to go to nursing school, which I am nervous about. I am realizing that my experience with pets working in the veterinary field as a "primer for dealing with tragedy" may be very useful in all this. I have always felt that being present with a family when their beautiful best friend passes on is really a gift, and to be able to comfort them and show their pet compassion and love is so great.

I know this is so old, but this was such a great thread. :heartbeat: