My first long term baby going home

[LisaNICUrn, BSN]

I have only been in the NICU for a short time, since December. I have only been off orientation since March. I want to start out saying how rewarding this career is. I absolutely love coming to work each night (work nights) and love there's something different even single night I'm there, especially in level III. I feel so blessed, and sometimes just watch a baby sleep, on the far and between nights I have more than 5 minutes in between things, just to think about the precious little angels we take care of. I love learning new things every single night, rushing to a vented baby when he/she desats not really knowing what to do, (we cant care for a vent baby for a year), then realizing it's only a matter of a few months before I'm thrown in to the next level of acuity.

Ok sorry, got a little carried away. I only have a few friends, and none of them understand my love for my work. They don't understand how insanely tired you can be after a night, caring for only two little babies. They don't understand how you can be tired after "working only 3 days a week" when the rest of the world works 5 days a week.

When I was on orientation, we got a delivery. A 24 weeker who's had PROM like 6 weeks earlier. This infants main problem was hypoplasia lung. She also had many other problems and all I remember and understood at the time was nurses didn't understand why we were even trying. This diagnosis was very bleek. Well long story short, after roughly 4 months, she went home, without oxygen support, almost unrecognizable from admit. She is my first long term infant to go home. I have waited for this wonderful feeling for a while. I just wanted to share how amazing that feeling is. Most I have taken care of stay a few weeks, maybe a month, but nothing compares to this feeling.

Sorry to be so mushy on here, but I had to tell someone how wonderful this is. Anyone else want to share a first for them that just make the job worth every ground pounding night, continuing care on a baby when no one gave him/her faith.

[lovebug86]

THIS. This right here is why I want to be a NICU nurse. Thank you for sharing!

[Michnurse03]

Hi Lisa,

Thanks for sharing.

I work in Home Health, transitioning these little ones home.

I will often talk to the parents about their NICU experience and the idea if knew then what you know now, the fear that they experienced when the baby was first born. It's amazing how resilient these babies are, and parents for that matter.

I appreciate the blessing of being part of the process, it's very rewarding indeed.

Congrats on completing your orientation,

Suzanne

[Baby Wrangler]

Just worked a shift yesterday, had a quiet moment near the end of shift change and was just watching my little primary sleeping in her isolette. Little IUGR 500g baby that's more than doubled her weight in a month. She looked so calm and comfy, it just made my day. Or when you help catch a baby with NEC early enough and come back in the next week to check up on them and they're extubated, and looking a hundred times better. BAM gets you right in the chest. :)