Love NICU so much, everytime it just makes me shiver...

JVanRN · Aug 13, 2005

Well, I didn't really know to much...other than the basics of baby care from taking care of family and friends babies. But there is more to it than that. NICU babies aren't like your regualr newborn. So don't feel intimidated if you don't have children or haven't spent much time around babies yet.

A good preceptorship/internship program can make all the difference in the world. Make sure you get a good one. Mine was 12 weeks long. I attended a Neonatal class offered by the hospital once a week for 6 of those weeks. In it I learned the basics. This was combined with working with a preceptor on the floor. I find this seems to be a basic orientation from looking at the responses on here. Some get a little more...some get a little less. The hospital also payed for me to get my Neonatal Resuscitation. You will need this. I got mine shortly after I started working.

Neonatal seems to be different than most areas. Even though my orientation was over, I never felt "thrown" out there. We have a great neonatologist and most of the nurses that I work with have been there forever and a couple of days...so they are very experienced. You do have to be on your own eventually but don't be afraid to ask for help. I used to work on a telemetry floor. I don't think I could ever go back. I love neonatal.

Good luck to you!!

Also check out the sticky at the top about good neonatal books. One that I love is: "Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care" by Merenstein and Gardner. It has been reccomended on here and many of my co workers reccommended it to me. It is a great book.

Another one is called "Premies: The Essential Guide for Parents of Premature babies" (don't remember who it's by...but check Amazon) This is a book more for the parents but it is also a great help...it explains things in an easier way. It also helps me in communication with parents.

I guess the only other thing I can suggest is maybe get you a good book and read up on the basics of neonatal care so you can make yourself familiar with it. Good luck to you

Sandhya · Aug 13, 2005

Thank you JVanRN for your suggetions. I will certainly follow them. Your article was soooo... helpful.

Thanks again!

Adieu,

Sandhya