Guys in the NICU

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · May 19, 2005

How do you deal with the teaching subjects, such as breastfeeding, etc? Do IV sticks, and drawing up and calculating minute amounts of drugs get easier as time passes? Am I hurting my career options by boxing myself into a highly specialized and different field? Will I forget all the stuff I learned about caring for adults, in case I need a break?

sorry, I probably asked too many questions!!

Stevern21

maleNICUnurse · May 23, 2005

How do you deal with the teaching subjects, such as breastfeeding, etc? Do IV sticks, and drawing up and calculating minute amounts of drugs get easier as time passes? Am I hurting my career options by boxing myself into a highly specialized and different field? Will I forget all the stuff I learned about caring for adults, in case I need a break?
sorry, I probably asked too many questions!!
Stevern21

Hey Steve and 2 all.........with breastfeeding......teaching is it is the same as any other subject......when it comes to actually assistance, one, be professional and respect privacy.....even offer if mom would like a female nurse to assist....two, talk the mom thru the techniques as taught to you like positioning, nipple placement, holding, and things mom should be doing when not with baby........three, just be patient and easy about the akward situation......yeah, it's kinda weird, but it's part of our job......IV sticks.....not difficult.....just practice, practice, and practice and be willing to attempt whenever the opportunity is available......depending upon the drug, most calculations are equated to be given in a certain amount of cc's over time.......that's how my unit is.....not to many drugs go down to minute calculations that we give......dopamine and dubatamine may be a couple that have to be equated down to a minute then eventually to a hourly drip.......address the issue of "hurting your career options"...what do you mean? as a new grad, I came str8 here.......for me, my ultimate goal is CRNA and one year of ICU experience is required for admission....I chose to gain my ICU experience in the NICU opposed to adults.......the schools I was interested in accepted NICU (level III), so I went str8 for it......the "go to med-surg first, as a new grad" myth is such BS........trust me, in the NICU, you will be forced to adapt fast and be organized......as far as forgetting information on adults taught in school.....yes, you will forget some things....the reason, to some extend, the adult nursing teaching will not apply to the NICU....for me, I had to kinda "unlearn" some things I learned in school regarding adults......it's interesting......adult nursing becomes kinda foreign to you.........if you have an interest of any kind in the NICU, go for it!.......I'm the only male on my unit......it's crazy!......anyway..........hope this info helps.....Peace!

nibot · May 23, 2005

Steve, How times are changing. When I trained as a nurse (UK - 1977) I was the only male in a group of 20. I had to leave the lecture hall whenever anything to do with the female patient was offered. I was not allowed to care for women and indeed my first female patient was when I was working in my first post after I completed my training. I was working in a CCU and I remember the embarrasment of having to put on the cardiac leads - only to discover that having done this on numerous occasions to my male patients - it was (understandably) somewhat different on a female!

So go for it Steve. Now here in Ireland we have an increasing number of male midwives and the mothers love it! Fathers also like to see a male face about - having lived through four visits to the labour ward - I can tell you from experience it is nice to see a male in there!

I'm graduating in 26 days and hope to land a job in a level III NICU. Any ideas, tips or tricks? How did you adjust? What's great or bad about men in the NICU, aside from the breastfeeding teaching?

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Jun 20, 2005

as a new grad, I came str8 here.......for me, my ultimate goal is CRNA and one year of ICU experience is required for admission....I chose to gain my ICU experience in the NICU opposed to adults.......the schools I was interested in accepted NICU (level III), so I went str8 for it......

Just curious...which schools are these?

I would love to pursue anesthesia, but it seems that most anesthesia programs look down upon NICU experience, as if it were not "real ICU" experience. I would love to hear about anesthesia schools who recognize NICU experience.

Have you applied to any programs yet? If so, how is the process going so far?