Bumped from NICU?

[Lady_Leijing]

I was a med-surg nurse for 2 years prior to starting in NICU. They trained me for 8 weeks before turning me loose on my own (prior to me the orientation classes, I might add). When a situation arose that revealed exactly how much I didn't know, the NM gave me 2 weeks reorientation with 4 different preceptors; I had the same one for 3 days and then three different ones in 3 days. The first preceptor thought I was improving and just needed more practice admitting critical infants (which is where the problem started). The other 3 all said I needed teaching on communicating with patient families because I was "awkward". My NM's next step was to force me to transfer to another unit; my options were Postpartum/Newborn or elsewhere in the hospital if I wanted to keep my job. Evidently I'm "excellent with level 2 patients" but "some of the charge nurses don't feel comfortable with giving [me] the more critical babies". I was completely blindsided; no one had said anything about this to me before then.

I'm currently biding my time on Postpartum/Newborn until my re-evaluation in 6 to 12 months. Has anything like this happened to anyone else?

[fifita2010]

Hi, just reading your experience.

Sounds like a hostile work environment.

Im sorry, it's not always that way.

I hope things are better now.

[tinybbynurse]

Seriously just sounds like the management and support in your NICU sucks. Even if you've cared for micro premies before I'm sure admitting one from the get go is a whole different ball game. Fact of the matter is you were in a high stress situation that you didn't feel comfortable with, and you tried to relay that to your charge, and you should've received support, and you didn't. You were set up to fail. Not your fault. Your NICU didn't provide the support and experience necessary to get you to where you should be at 8 months. Regardless, 8 months in a NICU is still pretty fresh considering its a critical care setting! And we should all receive support and help when we need it, let alone the babies need us to pull together. I can understand breaking down a little under a high stress situation like that where you asked for help but didn't get it and are trying to hold it all together and do your job while sinking. There was nothing wrong with that other nurse taking over for you for a bit, that was not "running away". In my nicu the providers are very good about instructing you on what they want you to do during assistance with a procedure. Doesn't sound like your team works as a team. Or they are uneccesarily clicks. And the awkard thing...really??? For alot of people it takes awhile to get used to talking to parents. And so what if someone is awkard? (Which I bet you're not so much as they say) as long as you do your best to answer questions and provide proper care for their bay... I promise there are more supportive work environments than that!! I'm so sorry you dealt with that. I'd def apply to a new nicu later if you still want it. I'm sure you'd do fine under different circumstances.

[Lady_Leijing, BSN]

Just an update if anyone is still following this thread:

It became an increasingly hostile work environment. On the Women & Newborn unit, I thought I was doing really well, but some of the day nurses were writing the managers complaints without every mentioning it to me. My coworkers on nights spoke highly of me, but I was called into the office back in November and written up for "poor practice" because I didn't do all of the unscheduled tasks that I could have (e.g. I didn't always get the hep b vaccines done the first night, or the bath which could be given anytime after the baby is 8 hours old be out policy, I didn't do the shaken baby doll demonstration with a very anxious mother, I didn't draw labs on one infant because I was in the nursery doing car seat tests and labs for a set of twins). Some of the complaints were several months old, and no one had said anything until that moment. I resigned in January, and I am now a travel nurse with a current assignment in an intermediate care nursery.

They've also fired several nurses for trumped up charges--nurses that weren't in the clique but were otherwise good or excellent nurses--so I think I may change which system I get my obstetrical care from. I don't trust the Postpartum/Newborn or the NICU in that hospital anymore.

[RockinNurse2018]

Just an update if anyone is still following this thread:

It became an increasingly hostile work environment. On the Women & Newborn unit, I thought I was doing really well, but some of the day nurses were writing the managers complaints without every mentioning it to me. My coworkers on nights spoke highly of me, but I was called into the office back in November and written up for "poor practice" because I didn't do all of the unscheduled tasks that I could have (e.g. I didn't always get the hep b vaccines done the first night, or the bath which could be given anytime after the baby is 8 hours old be out policy, I didn't do the shaken baby doll demonstration with a very anxious mother, I didn't draw labs on one infant because I was in the nursery doing car seat tests and labs for a set of twins). Some of the complaints were several months old, and no one had said anything until that moment. I resigned in January, and I am now a travel nurse with a current assignment in an intermediate care nursery.

They've also fired several nurses for trumped up charges--nurses that weren't in the clique but were otherwise good or excellent nurses--so I think I may change which system I get my obstetrical care from. I don't trust the Postpartum/Newborn or the NICU in that hospital anymore.

I'm very sorry for your experience. Without going into details, I've had a similar experience. Not with NICU but with hostility and backstabbing.

[bananas1]

Ohh my goodness that is unreal. I am sorry you have been treated that way. I had 4 weeks supernumery and then another couple of weeks with my own 'load' with a designated person to look out for me. My first load on my own? Two stable 33wk tube fed girls. I did lots of CPAP stuff while on orientation so that once I am confident on my own I can look after a CPAP baby.. but the number 1 priority should be the safety of the babies and giving you a complex admission was a stupid idea on their part.