HELP! advice please

[pedinurse05]

I have recently started doing some agency work because my daughter has recently been diagnosed with a chronic condition...this way I can do a few shifts a month when she is well and my husband is with her. I am a pediatric nurse and hold PALS certification. I have worked 2 years in a busy teaching hospital stepdown unit. With that said, I was booked at a hospital that I have been to on the basic pediatric unit. At 5pm (not uncommon) the agency called to say the census was low and I was cancelled HOWEVER he had booked me for a hospital I have never been to on the NICU...growers and feeders only he said. I felt uncomfortable because I don't have NRP and I have never been there before. I said I did not feel comfortable...end of story I said "no" and he said then maybe we can't work with you if you aren't flexible. opinions please...I feel really upset.

[TazziRN, RN]

Agency nurses need to be flexible in terms of where they're sent, unless they've let it be known they will not work at a certain facility for whatever reason, but flexibility has nothing to do with refusing to work in a specialty that you have no experience in.

HOWEVER......growers and feeders are pretty safe, to my understanding. No life support, low risk. I don't think NRP would have come into it had something happened to one of those babies. I think PALS would have been enough.

Maybe you should contact a supervisor at the agency and have a heart to heart?

[FLAreN]

I was in the same situation as you and was asked to work with growers and feeders and was reluctant but I did it. It's not that bad and there will also be others there to help you out. Be honest and make sure the agency speaks to the manager or charge at the facility to let them know you have not worked NICU and may just need a little guidance. If they are OK with that then you shouldn't worry about it. Usually people who work with growers and feeders are pretty cool and won't mind helping you a bit.

Good luck! If that doesn't work out for you then just goto another agency! I am sure there are others out there.

[CHATSDALE]

a] license is the most important thing you own..this represents the time in school, the money you need for the support of your family

b]does this prson you spoke to have the authority to determine if you are off their list or not..sometimes if they can't find someone they have to go in themselves

c] 'feeders and growers' can be fine one minute and in need of critical care the next..by going in you would be representing your self as someone who make a critical assessment of of a neonate and that you will be capable of doing a code if need be

you will find other work if you cannot return to this agency..GOOD LUCK

[rn/writer, RN]

Without NRP, you should not be left alone with babies in the NICU. If, however, there would always be other staff around and they would respect this limitation, you should have been fine with feeders and growers.

What about getting certified in NRP? If you want to work for an agency, it's a good idea to appear flexible (to a point) and willing to learn.