CNA's/Tech's in the NICU

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Sep 27, 2006

We have PCA's that we call 'neo techs.' I don't think they're actually CNA's, but they do go through a lot of training. Among their duties: they feed babies, take vitals, change diapers, mix formula, and perform heelsticks.

TeachEmNursing · Oct 3, 2006

No offense to CNA's & techs but I started my nursing career in the NICU as an LPN and I'd rather see them in the NICU as opposed to techs. JMO.

MegNeoNurse · Oct 3, 2006

CNA's/techs and LPNs cannot work in our NICU. Pretty much you must be an RN to be on staff working with patients(of course with the exception of the NNPs, docs...).

BabyRN2Be · Oct 4, 2006

We have PCA's that we call 'neo techs.' I don't think they're actually CNA's, but they do go through a lot of training. Among their duties: they feed babies, take vitals, change diapers, mix formula, and perform heelsticks.

I believe that where I'm working as a volunteer, there are CNA's in the NICU but I never seen them. All the duties that Eric has described are either done by nurses or volunteers (of course with the exception of heel sticks and mixing formula). It would be wonderful if I was paid for it, but I'm really enjoying the experience angle of things. I've learned so much since I've started, and the nurses really are appreciative of everything and anything we do for them.

HazelLPN, LPN · Oct 6, 2006

The CNA is called a Nursing Assistant I (NAI). They set up for admissions, stock the unit, assists the unit clerk, fold linen, stip down the bedspot on d/c...and on occasion might do a little patient care...on a feeder grower who POs well. Many who are in nursing school and can advance to Nursing assistant II if they have completed their peds clinicals (NAII) or Nurse Technician (NT) if they are in their professional semester. They can take a patient assignment with an RN. They do more advanced care....such as OG feeds (though an RN/LPN much check placement), dressing changes (except deep wounds or ones around central lines), foleys, and can assess patients with an RN cosign. An RN can take an expanded assignment with an NA II/NT...such as 3 patients on 1:2 care....or a 1:1 with a 1:3 or easy 1:2. We have one per shift and it seems to work very well.....and the student nurses get great experience.

LPNs take their own assignment in the units as we have a full scope of practice in this state and hospital. The patients are covered by the charge nurse who takes no assignment....but we do 95% of the workload. The RN has to check blood products or certain IVP meds before we give them. We don't do the initial assessment or write a care plan or problem list.....so generally new admits are given to RNs.

cc_nurse · Oct 8, 2006

Generally in the hospital I work in, there aren't any techs in NICU- only RN's, physicians, support & administrative partners. That being said, they did allow me to start in a nursing student position as I had been hired to work there for after graduation. The role is extremely limited, I stock bedsides and unit carts, run for drugs and blood and can help hold and feed the stable ones. I have been able to assist in some procedures as an extra set of hands on occassion, but that hasn't happened very often.

I jumped at the chance to do whatever I could in the unit. I feel that any time I can spend there is well spent, I have been able to get to know everyone's name, where supplies are kept and what they are called plus the general culture of the unit. I think this will really help when I come on board as a GN.

Gompers, BSN, RN · Oct 8, 2006

We recently started having junior and senior year nursing students (who had finished their obstetrics and pediatrics clinicals) working as nursing assistants in our Level III unit. They only work with the feeder-growers and stable chronics. If it's a feeder-grower, they can do vitals, bathing, and PO feeding. An RN has to do a full assessment of the baby once per 8 hour shift and is assigned to keep an eye on the student as well. We also have trained our NICU-based respiratory therapists to do the same thing, though they can also do gavage feedings. Neither the students nor the RTs can give meds - the RN checks the meds and adds them to the feeding herself.

Most of the time, though, these students will only feed or bathe babies, not vital them. We just feel more comfortable that way. They are also a big help with stocking the babies' bedsides with supplies and are wonderful "buddies" for the chronics.

mistiffy · Nov 20, 2006

Hi, all! I am a pre-nursing student and I am taking my CNA class this december and was looking at job openings at the hospitals in my area and I noticed there was an opening at one for a cna in the nicu, and I was just wondering what exactly does a cna do in the nicu? Thank you!!

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2006

At the NICU I did my senior practicum at and will be working at there are CNAs. They do a lot. They feed babies, get vitals, stock each babies linen, set up the tubing on the hyperalimentum and lipids, when there is a new admission they set the bed up, they take the first photos, escort the families being discharged to the car, they are certified car seat specialists so they safety check all car seats and do car seat studies on babies getting ready to go home. They talk to the families, hold fussy babies, I am sure they do things that I never knew needed doing. They also sometimes sit in as the unit secretary.

EricJRN, MSN, RN · Nov 20, 2006

NICU CNA threads merged.