Funny/happy NICU moments needed

Specialties NICU

Published

:scrying: After a wonderful 6 months maternity leave home with my girls, I'm headed back to the NICU and I need some encouragement. Help me remember WHY I love my job despite the horrendous hours.

OH, and my fridge died so 3/4 of my frozen milk supply was thawed:( and therefore ruined.

Need funny NICU moments to cheer me up! Thanks!

Specializes in NICU.
Unless of course you wait until the next shift to poop. Then it's ok.

But never, ever realize your baby hasn't pooped in three days and give a glycerin at 5 o'clock, or whenever your last hands-on cares happen. The next shift will NOT be happy.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in LTC.

Previous NICU parent here...My daughter was born 1 week early...She was a crash c-sec d/t cord aneuysym...her heart rate was in the 50-60 range...shipped 4 hours from me...They had her on the ventilator for 24 hours...I had to stay overnight in a different hospital...the dr. called me that was taking care of her...He was very honest and told me how unsure they were of her making it...I really liked his honesty...the dr.s here didn't want to tell me much...in fact they told my family that I'd be able to have other babies d/t them not knowing if my daughter would make it!!! Anyways 24 hours later I get to Spokane (where daughter is!) I see daughter and she has her eyes covered. The nurse was SO nice. Just like my best friend. Reassuring me, being there for me, ect. This lady was so energetic and so HONEST!!! Over the course of 10 days they took my daughter off the anti-anxiety meds, off the ventilator, start feeds, the next day go from 10ccs to ad-lib...It was just amazing..I cried, laughed, smiled, ect. Those nurses helped me deal with so much. They are the backbone of the NICU! I was just amazed at how those nurses were. I did have a rude nurse or two but the amazing ones shone through! Thank you all for the job you do!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Wow! I just read all of those post, thanks for sharing! You had me crying so hard and then laughing so hard I cried lol... I start school in a few weeks and can't wait to get started. Every time school gets hard, or overwhelming and I feel like quitting I will come back to this thread to remind me what nursing is all about! Thank You all so much for sharing your stories!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Hi

Just wondering how you found a volunteer NICU position? I am a nursing student in NYC and would love a volunteer position in NICU or L&D. Any suggestions?

I'll sure a few of my cute stories from the last 2 months working as a NICU volunteer:

- the little girl who was trying to escape, arching her back, perpendicular in the warmer, stamping her feet against the plexiglass. I picked her up, she gave me an innocent look of "Nooo.. that wasn't me who was causing all the noise, honest!

- yesterday, the little screamer boy who had to be moved because he was bothering some of the more critical babies. This boy had lungs for a mec aspiration/PPHN! Noisy boy. Once we got him his bottle to nipple feed, he instantly gulps down enough to satisfy his taste and immediately goes to sleep, curled up in my arms, again with the look of, "I couldn't possibly be the one causing all the trouble."

- all the crazy names you see. You can't beat "Candy Apple". Or "Precious".

Hope this helps you in your first days back to work! :)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

To all of you who work in NICU anywhere- I am a 31 year old 29 weeker who is thankful to all of you who work in the units!! Without nurses like you who are dedicated to taking care of the little miracles I wouldn't be here today about to get my RN license to also work with you guys in the NICU! Thank you for your dedication and love!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Level III NICU.

My current primary (Love her, we have the same birthday!) has been in the NICU for about 2 months now. Her parents are just the nicest, most caring people out there. So for Christmas, as a surprise, some of her other primary nurses got the baby all dressed up in cute Christmas clothes and had a little photo shoot. The pictures came out amazing, and they made a Christmas card and a photo album for her parents. Mom cried when she saw the pictures. We're all just in love with this little girl, and hopefully she'll get to go home to her amazing family soon. Send some "get over your oral aversion and learn how to bottle feed" vibes this way for her!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

This happened during senior practicum in school:

We had a baby under a warmer, about 34 weeks, and while looking at the other kiddo, this kid starts screaming his head off. Go over to see the problem and he has his hands around the electronic leads--they're hurting his skin because he's pulling on them! If you'd let go of the leads, baby, it might not hurt anymore :D

He didn't understand, so we took them out of his hands anyway.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in premies, peds, adults.

the 24 and 4/7 wkr now on jet and INO, plus a morphine drip and maybe we're titrating dopamine who still manages to squirt the back of the isolette just as you want to change the wee-pee diaper. Any baby who manages to flip the bird while sleeping.

Each and every baby you see at the reunion melts everyone's heart.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
If you'd let go of the leads, baby, it might not hurt anymore :D

He didn't understand, so we took them out of his hands anyway.

I hate how they don't get logic! I find myself patiently explaining stuff to my kiddos, like, every shift, but they NEVER LISTEN.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
I hate how they don't get logic! I find myself patiently explaining stuff to my kiddos, like, every shift, but they NEVER LISTEN.

Oh yeah ..... and I love how they can't tell time either! No, it's not time to be suctioned .... no, it's not time to eat. Do I need to move your bed so you can see the clock??

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.

Or with every heelstick/IV start/diaper change: If you'd stop KICKING ME this wouldn't take so long and I'd leave you alone again!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in NICU.
Or with every heelstick/IV start/diaper change: If you'd stop KICKING ME this wouldn't take so long and I'd leave you alone again!

Seriously.....

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment