Poll: What do you love about the NICU?

k8ie · Nov 20, 2005

Ive just started on a nicu this week and so far im still trying to find my feet. I work in a level 3 unit so get to work all areas, which means i get an all round experience, from the really sick and tiny 23-24 weekers to the term babies in transitional care on the verge of going home.

Although i haven't had personal experience of this environment, its an area of nursing ive always wanted to work in and once im settled into the job and confident in what im doing, im going to love it. It can be tough....emotional, stressful and busy but i feel extremely privilaged to be caring for these tiny vulnerable babies, who a few years ago wouldn't have made it!

NICU's a great place to work and an exciting and developing, forward thinking area to practice - if you like premmies then go for it.

Good luck :yelclap:

poetryeclipse · Nov 21, 2005

wow, first of all i'd like to say that each and every one of you are amazingly talented individuals and i admire you all. i am looking into becoming a nicu nurse, finally after weeks of looking into the different fields of nursing i know that this is where i should be. this is my "calling" although i lost my daughter when i was 5 months pregnant with her, i know that if i had made it to the hospital just a few hours before my baby would of still been alive when i delivered her, 14 ounces, 10 inches long it still would of been a struggle for her to survive. although i would of put my complete faith into the loving and caring nurses who work so hard in the nicu unit just so that parents get to take their little one's home. i would of known that if she had not survived that everything had been done to keep her little heart beating. yes nicu is definately where i want to be.

~amber~

tanaynicole · Dec 10, 2005

Thank you for the NICU love stories. I will be graduating the May and hope to pursue an career in the NICU. I've always known that I wanted to work with babies, or children, but initially the NICU was never an option. The thought of those super small, super sick babies just scared me to no end. Until that is I had a chance to spend two days observing in a level 2 nursery. It was incredible to watch nurses work not only with the babies, but with the families. I felt such warmth and love while there, it completely changed my thinking!!! At that point I knew that the NICU was for me. Ever since working the NICU has been my goal. I hope that some day I will make a difference in the life of a family. I hope to be a wonderful NICU nurse like you wonderful ones out there.

Thank You for the inspiration.

TanayNicole

NicuNightRN · Jan 17, 2006

I don't know why NICU nursing has been my calling...but I knew when I started college that the NICU was the place for me. I had a couple of friends growing up who were former preemies. One had been born weighing 1 1/2 pounds, and you would not know it to look at her - honors student, dancer, etc! Perhaps that's why I chose NICU.

I graduated in May 2005 and started immediately in the NICU. I love everything about my job...one night I can go to work and have a sick level 3 baby, and the next I'll find myself with a feeder/grower assignment. Anything can change in any baby at any time, and I love not knowing what will happen. My patients are within 10 feet of each other...and I don't have to go much further to grab the supplies I need for an IV start or lab draw. I remember handing a former 24 weeker to his dad for the first time for a feeding...the dad had never gotten to feed his son before, and I spent the entire feeding with him, showing him how to hold the baby, etc. The first time a baby started to crash on me I was terrified, but my coworkers were there before I even had a chance to say I needed help.

Some days I think, "I don't want to go to work tonight." But when I get there, I wonder why I ever thought that. I love the NICU!

Cajundago · Jan 24, 2006

I agree with alot of what everyone is saying. My love of NICU started when I was a Senior Nursing student and we got to walk thru and Gavage feed a few babies (that was it in the late 80's). I was facinated by the babies, how tiny they were and how (most of them) had all their little fingers and toes! This was a new line of medicine changing all the time. This would keep me on my toes! And it has!:) Cajundago

wanna-be-nurse · Jan 24, 2006

I love the fact that every single thing that I do for that baby matters.... I love the hi tech atmosphere... I love being respected and made to feel necessary by the docs...I love being actually asked by the docs "what do you think we should do for this kid?" and them actually take my advice.... I love making a scared parent feel more at ease with just looking at their frail infant.......I love when a tiny microchip that I helped care for, is a chubby lil one, on full feeds, going home to their family......I love working alongside some of the best docs in neonatal medicine in the country...I also dont mind not ever being allowed to float (we can NEVER spare nurses).... I love telling people what I do, and really sensing their admiration.....I love the overtime in my paycheck, which there is plenty of........I love having a doc around 24/7 365, (not so in so many areas of nsg).I love having just 2 pts to focus on.......I also love going to the feeder grower room sometimes where I can wrap a baby like a burrito and feed her a bottle... and think... "I get paid for this, it doesnt get any better"......I love that I am entrusted with caring for these babies, I truely feel priveleged. I love that my borderline OCD is actually a good thing at work!!!:chuckle ..........I love that I never have to work adult med/surg....I love that I love it so much!!!!! Almost everybody I ask, knew right away this is where they wanted to be. NICU isnt a place that can "grow" on you....I believe its a calling. It's scary, and if your not scared, then watch out... you -dont- know- what- you -dont- know!!!! Good luck, in getting the NICU spot... my school never had that option........

Do you mind if I ask where do you work at? I would also like to know where the rest of you work? I love that you feel that way. Its difficult to keep my head up when all you hear is the negative in nursing. But I guess nursing wouldn't be nursing if it wasn't for the negative.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jan 24, 2006

Do you mind if I ask where do you work at? I would also like to know where the rest of you work? I love that you feel that way. Its difficult to keep my head up when all you hear is the negative in nursing. But I guess nursing wouldn't be nursing if it wasn't for the negative.

It's not a good idea for any of us to post what hospital we work at. With all the new HIPAA guidelines out there, we don't want to put ourselves at risk, since we do post here about patients and issues at work.

If there is a city in particular that you are interested in, maybe ask about that city and tell people to private message you if they're going to specifically say what hospital they work at.

wanna-be-nurse · Jan 24, 2006

It's not a good idea for any of us to post what hospital we work at. With all the new HIPAA guidelines out there, we don't want to put ourselves at risk, since we do post here about patients and issues at work.
If there is a city in particular that you are interested in, maybe ask about that city and tell people to private message you if they're going to specifically say what hospital they work at.

Thanks I wasn't aware of that. Sorry about that. Okay any message regarding where would be great, even if its just the city (I'm from NYC) or an IM would be appreciated also. Thanks again Gompers.

SarasotaRN2b · Jan 25, 2006

. I am in the best hospital on the East Coast (U.S.) we are a level 4 and we have 2 helicopters that fly patients from all over. I will be working night shifts after my 16 week orientation and training, I have 2 days of class and 2 days of 12 hour shift. Can't wait to have my first patient on my own. NICU nurses, keep up the good job, you are the best.

Where do you work?

SarasotaRN2b · Jan 25, 2006

It's not a good idea for any of us to post what hospital we work at. With all the new HIPAA guidelines out there, we don't want to put ourselves at risk, since we do post here about patients and issues at work.
If there is a city in particular that you are interested in, maybe ask about that city and tell people to private message you if they're going to specifically say what hospital they work at.

Actually, I don't agree with this. As long as you are not mentioning any patients by name or identifiers, what harm can it be to mention a hospital?

Kris

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jan 25, 2006

Actually, I don't agree with this. As long as you are not mentioning any patients by name or identifiers, what harm can it be to mention a hospital?
Kris

There's nothing wrong with PM-ing where you work if someone really wants to know, though some members might not feel comfortable doing that even in a PM. Overall, it is just much much safer to keep that info private when posting on the boards. HIPAA violations can get you fired.

Your profile says you are still a student - I don't know if you guys had to go through HIPAA training in school. It's very easy to trace back through the posts on this site and figure out who the posters are and what patients they're talking about if they reveal what hospital they work at. And sometimes we need to come here and vent - either about coworkers, patient care, ethics, management, etc. It's great to be able to come here and be anonymous. Once you disclose information about yourself or your workplace, you lose anonymity.

prmenrs, RN · Jan 25, 2006

Thank you, Gompers.

Please relay more personal info (not patient info, obviously) in pms. Also be careful about doing that! You never know who you're really talking to. Just a cautionary note? :nono:

Now, back to your regularly scheduled "Why I love NICU Thread".