New Nurse

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I was recently offered a job in the new born nursery. I start on the 31st (orientation) and I am kind of apprehensive. I had L&D and nursery in school but I still feel unprepared for the "real world". Can anyone tell me what I will be expected to know right off? I understand the basics and all of the book stuff. But, I know that it is totally different in a real job with out an instructor standing over you. I am nervous and would probably feel this way in even a med surg. job and they stuffed med surg down my throat in nursing school. I just need to know what I am in for in the nursery when I first start out. Thanks, Donna ;}

Having just come off of two 12hr shifts in the Nursery-where to start? just kidding. Its good to know newborn baselines as far as vitals, temps, etc. Take every policy available in the nursery and learn it well because when things happen these kids go bad FAST. Get used to using a bulb syringe-it will become your friend as babies choke on post-birth mucous/old blood etc. from their tummies OFTEN. Yesterday I sucked out and saved three kids alone. Because newborns can't tell us what is wrong you just have to work in the NSY alot and learn s/s inside and out. Yes, it looks fun and happy in the NSY from the outside and I get the same comment "oh how I would love to sit and hold/feed babies all day" but trying to jugle 20-30 infants feeding schedules w/ doctor calls, babies choking, moms with questions etc etc takes a skill of good prioritizing and multy tasking. On the other hand I do love it when I get in there--we rotate between OB, GYN and NSY here--

Originally posted by DonnaG:

I was recently offered a job in the new born nursery. I start on the 31st (orientation) and I am kind of apprehensive. I had L&D and nursery in school but I still feel unprepared for the "real world". Can anyone tell me what I will be expected to know right off? I understand the basics and all of the book stuff. But, I know that it is totally different in a real job with out an instructor standing over you. I am nervous and would probably feel this way in even a med surg. job and they stuffed med surg down my throat in nursing school. I just need to know what I am in for in the nursery when I first start out. Thanks, Donna ;}

By now you should be in your 4th month in the nursery. When I graduated from school, i started out on antepartum and mother/baby floor in New York. I now prefer to do nsy. At the hospital that i work at now, I do mother/baby but they shove me off to the nursery all the time. LOL. I guess they figured that i do a good job in there. I love it though. You have to know your body system, vitals, baseline lab values, neonatal resuscitation, how to start IV lines on them if they need fluids or antibiotics, drawing arterial/venous bloodwork....and this is supposed to be a well-baby nursery. HA! One time I found a baby with a preforated orifice...and the baby was seen by the Nurse Practitioner after delivery...sometimes i wonder how these nurses got into grad school. And I learned oall of this in the one year that I have been working there. Some people like it and some don't. I'm grateful to have the opportunity to acquire those skills. Just enjoy it and learn some serious time management. Babies come at anytime. You can't stop a mom from delivering! You'll be fine.

[This message has been edited by syranurse (edited February 12, 2001).]

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