Cards for Parents

Specialties NICU

Published

Hi everyone! I just rejoined all nurses after several years (was on back in nursing school). I was just hired for my dream job in the NICU at my current hospital and I am beyond excited. I will be switching from adult ICU so it will be very different but I can't wait to start. I have read the NRP book about 3 times already and have done the test for the new edition NRP which I have to say is pretty awesome with the Esim. I also have the Merenstein & Gardner's book as well and have read several chapters. I am beyond excited and just can't wait to start. The reason for my post is regarding cards for NICU parents. When I interviewed on thing the manager mentioned was that she wished that the nurses would give the parents cards congratulating the new parents. Since the babies are in the NICU she said parents usually miss out on the joy of having a baby, and although it is a rough time they still had a child and should be congratulated in some way. I was thinking about getting this started in the unit when I get into the swing of things. Do your units do anything similar to this? Any ideas on what you would do or say in such a card? One thought I had was buying some blank cards and putting the babies foot prints on the front page. Of course I would have to check with the manager and work with her to get this started but just looking for ideas. Thanks everyone! So happy to finally be joining the NICU community.

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Specializes in retired LTC.

I don't want to be a Negative Nellie and this may just be my COB cynicism coming through. Might this NOT just be some ploy by management to garner positive responses for the PG survey?

On one hand, it does sound like a thoughtful idea. But the implementation mechanics should be coming from the HOSPITAL itself, not coming out of the pockets of the staff. If the idea was actually thought of by your manager, why didn't she take the idea and run with it? Or perhaps there's been a kibosh on it from somewhere else? While the idea could be a gracious caring gesture for new parents, some could also see it as a maneuver to just gain 'brownie points'.

I strongly suggest to proceed with extreme caution. Something just doesn't sound right to me. JMHO

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Agree with AmoLucia. This is gimmicky and smells bad.

Trust me- people who have preemies get as much if not more support than any other parent. Cards from nurses are not going to change that one way or another.

Ugh- what a thing to bring up during an interview.....

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Specializes in retired LTC.

MMJ - TY. I thought that interview approach was not the place either.

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Hi everyone! I just rejoined all nurses after several years (was on back in nursing school). I was just hired for my dream job in the NICU at my current hospital and I am beyond excited. I will be switching from adult ICU so it will be very different but I can't wait to start. I have read the NRP book about 3 times already and have done the test for the new edition NRP which I have to say is pretty awesome with the Esim. I also have the Merenstein & Gardner's book as well and have read several chapters. I am beyond excited and just can't wait to start. The reason for my post is regarding cards for NICU parents. When I interviewed on thing the manager mentioned was that she wished that the nurses would give the parents cards congratulating the new parents. Since the babies are in the NICU she said parents usually miss out on the joy of having a baby, and although it is a rough time they still had a child and should be congratulated in some way. I was thinking about getting this started in the unit when I get into the swing of things. Do your units do anything similar to this? Any ideas on what you would do or say in such a card? One thought I had was buying some blank cards and putting the babies foot prints on the front page. Of course I would have to check with the manager and work with her to get this started but just looking for ideas. Thanks everyone! So happy to finally be joining the NICU community.
I am an RN of 30 years but I'm also a Stampin UP demonstrator Blessings and congrats on NICU Sincerely Mary Ellen
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Specializes in NICU.
When I interviewed on thing the manager mentioned was that she wished that the nurses would give the parents cards congratulating the new parents.

So, is she wishing the admitting nurse provide the card or every nurse that is assigned to that baby for the length of their stay?

Why would the manager wished the nurses would provide cards? Why doesn't she have the hospital print up the cards and have the card ready when the baby is admitted?

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Specializes in School Nursing.

We mail cards home after the baby is discharged. Each baby has an identical card in their chart that each nurse who takes care of that baby signs.

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Specializes in Neonatal Nurse Practitioner.

We send our patients cards after discharge (I think the whole hospital does). It's kept in a sheet protector on their clip board. Everyone who has the baby who remembers signs it throughout their stay. We also give them footprint cards at birth.

Our hospital printing service supplies everything for us.

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