NICU Career Advice - Emotional Toll?

[MaybeNurse]

I am considering becoming a nurse, and I am most interested in NICU. I told this to a friend who knows me very well, and he got very upset. He has a lot of nurses in his family, and has said it is a very difficult job, especially emotionally.

I am a highly empathetic and idealistic person. He is concerned that I would either be unable to take the emotional stress of the position, or that I would change as a person, and that change would be for the worse.

My questions are: What are the emotional tolls for a nurse? Are highly empathetic and idealistic people able to thrive in this profession? What is the worst that has happened for you as a nurse?

Thank you for your answers, and for your help.

[suzanne4, RN]

Caring for the little ones in a NICU is very, very different from what you actually learn in school. And NICU is not covered in most programs............

I would choose nursing because you want to be a nurse, not that you are the most interested right now in NICU. You will be seeing so many new things in school that there may be something else that you would like to do.

It can be quite hard on anyone when you lose a patient, but especially with the little ones. Most NICU nurses are assigned the same baby for the infant's stay in the NICU and they become very attached.........each nurse is different in how they will respond..........think of haivng to say goodbye to a healthy one that you are discharging to home after the three months, that can be very hard on some also.

My suggestion to you is that if there is a hospital with a NICU in your area, try to get some experience there as a volunteer this summer. That would give you the best idea of waht actually goes on in there and if it is something that you realy want to do. It can be quite scary to many to see an infant that small. Quite different that what you see on television or hear from others. :)

[BabyNurse513]

I have worked in the NICU for almost 4 years and while I won't deny that it does take a toll on you emotionally, to me it is one of the most rewarding jobs. I think that can be said of any area of nursing from NICU to Geriatrics. Personally, I can't imagine ever working in any other area of nursing and I know that there are nurses out there that could never work in a NICU. It is really a personal thing so don't let your friends advice discourage you from what you want to do.