Neonatal Nurse Questionaire--PLEASE HELP ME OUT!

Specialties NICU

Published

I am doing a project about neonatal nursing and need to interview a current neonatal nurse. I have a list of questions and if you would please answer them and send them to mevia pm, I would be very grateful!

What do you think the top 3 traits a neonatal nurse must have to excel?

What do you enjoy most about being a neonatal nurse?

Least?

What is the typical salary of neonatal nurses?

What hours do you work?

What are your daily responsibilities and duties?

Why did you choose nursing as a career?

What advice would you give someone considering this nursing job as a career?

And any other information about neonatal nursing you would like to leave! If you dont want to email it you can post it back on here.

Thanks! Tasha

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Specializes in High Risk OB/NICU.

Tasha hope this helps:

What do you think the top 3 traits a neonatal nurse must have to excel?

1.Organization/Time Management Skills/Prioritizing

2.Assessment Skills pertaining to neonates/premies with great attention to the smallest details R/T the patient and equipment(better w experience)

3. Compassion and desire to be working in the area = better care, and better teaching and support for parents.

What do you enjoy most about being a neonatal nurse?

Patient care, seeing the tiniest of babies or the babies with the most complications go home healthy, and knowing you did your part to make that happen. As far as the nursing aspect of it, it is one of the areas that gives the RN a lot of autonomy in care.

Least?

Honestly, what I like the least about it is what most RNs probably like least about their jobs - being understaffed often or having to prioritize care instead of doing everything you would like to do for your patient.

What is the typical salary of neonatal nurses?

Can't answer that for everyone. I was a new grad coming in, in NYC, and started approx $37/hr.

What hours do you work?

Night shift 7:30pm - 8am (Day shift works 7:30 am - 8pm), 13 shifts a month (3 days a week x3, and 4 days a week x1 in a monthly schedule)

What are your daily responsibilities and duties?

Basically, entire care for patients. In the stepdown area, you could have up to 4 (sometimes 5 if short staffed) growing-feeding infants which basically you need to feed and change and do vitals on every three hours along with giving any meds, phototherapy, IVs, possibly Nasal Cannula. It is a lot of work because by the time you finish the 9 oclock feeding on all the babies (if you have no help) it is time to start with the first one again. In the critical area, amt of patients depends on acuity ranges from 1 to 1 or up to 3. Managing IVs, medications, drawing/interpreting labs, blood transfusions, TPN/Lipids, central lines, OGT/NGT/PO feeding (continuous or intermittent), VS every hour usually, Respiratory management along with RRT - cpap, bipap, IMV, Vents, Nasal cannula, Ossilators, Nitric Oxide administration, suctioning, CPT, etc. Pre-op, post -op care and development care as appropriate. The list can go on and on.

Why did you choose nursing as a career?

Nursing really chose me. I went to school and got a BA in Human relations, going into social work, which I never found my real niche in. I took a job in the social service dept at a hospital and was exposed to nursing as a career option truly for the first time. I was encouraged by the RNs to go back to school for nursing, and I explored the possibility. At the same time the guy I was dating was the son of a nurse, there was no escaping the possibility. I saw what the nurses did and truly thought that they were everyday heroes and thought I could do what they did, and so I went back to school. I always wanted to help people, never wanted to settle for a mundane career. Plus the opportunity and flexibility of the field made it even more appealing.

What advice would you give someone considering this nursing job as a career?

If you are the type of person who dedicates themselves 100% to their work and love to be challenged and rewarded (in other ways then monetary) then Just do it. Nursing school will not be an easy road, especially with many other responsibilites, but the day you graduate and the day you find out you passed the NCLEX and are finally an RN will be something you will never forget, you will be so proud of yourself and so will everyone else. The work is hard and frustrating at times but there will always be something that makes it worth it. The salary, opportunity and flexibility of nursing is truly remarkable and there are not many other fields that offer all of that.

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1. Organization just comes...to any nurse spcecialty.

2. Be thourgh...Don't rush; there are time constraints related to assignments, but know what you know. After severel hundrend, it is much faster; but get your routine.

3. I enjoy the outcome. It is a long task; but if you have patience and stay in your area, you will be rewarded with the well babies. Least, is the poor outcomes; but you can't redict. So, you treat every baby as if they have the best chance...even when history says different.

4. $ differs from region to region...shift to shift. If greater than $20 these days, I'd say your doing good. The larger the hospital the better the pay overall...diffs included.

5. 12's. Unfortunatly were are pigeoned holed into 12 hours. I tried 8's; but gave it up because my co-workers always compained when they had to go home or float. I loved it; but hated being the bad guy, so I gave it up and went back to 12 hrs.

6. Duties...vary. Routine care to Sunday head, length, etc; and Wed pm central line dressing change. Other than that the norm for a surgical NICU.

7. Chose me. I was working Well babies; then my firends went to NICU in a close by hospital. I followed them because they loved it. Only 2 patients.

8. Can you handle the sick and dying baby. They are common. Not everyone is to be saved by modern medicine. As much as we wish; so just aren't able to be saved.

9. I love the surgical NICU. Different from a delivery NICU. We know when admits are coming. Sergeons fix; we recouporate; and manage complications. I love it!

For anyone desiring the NICU; I'd say try it. You WILL be overwhelmed; but it comes in time. Our babies need strong nurses.

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I am doing a project about neonatal nursing and need to interview a current neonatal nurse. I have a list of questions and if you would please answer them and send them to mevia pm, I would be very grateful!

What do you think the top 3 traits a neonatal nurse must have to excel?

What do you enjoy most about being a neonatal nurse?

Least?

What is the typical salary of neonatal nurses?

What hours do you work?

What are your daily responsibilities and duties?

Why did you choose nursing as a career?

What advice would you give someone considering this nursing job as a career?

And any other information about neonatal nursing you would like to leave! If you dont want to email it you can post it back on here.

Thanks! Tasha

lol this doesn't sound like a school project. It sounds more like a personal project ;)

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Can someone please help me and reply to my questions. I want to become a neonatal nurse. I need to conduct an interview with a nicu nurse. I would like to know your education, background, training, and how long on the job. Talk about your daily routines and the things that you like most and least about your job and the hospital or corporation you work for. Please help me!!! Thanks, Landy Vines

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Specializes in NICU, ER.

What do you think the top 3 traits a neonatal nurse must have to excel?

Critical thinking, time management, and compassion

What do you enjoy most about being a neonatal nurse?

Least?

Enjoy- BABIES, co-workers, autonomy, teamwork, compassionate and family centered care, collaborative teamwork with allied staff i.e. RT, MD, NP, pt care techs, making a difference in peoples lives.

Least- Certain disease process like Intraventricular hemorrhages, Necrotizing Enterocolitis. Neonatal death. Loser Parents.

What is the typical salary of neonatal nurses? Varies

What hours do you work? Day shift 7 am to 7 pm, 3-12s 1 week, 4 the other.

What are your daily responsibilities and duties?

Depends on my assignment

When I am assigned to the Intermediate care nursery I take care of 3 pts "feeders and growers" need to learn how to eat and maintain their temperature. They may be on supplemental o2 receive feeds both nipple and gavage or NG. Variety of other assignments. ICU manage 1 or 2 based on their acuity, may be on ventilator, mand multiple meds, tpn/lipids.

Why did you choose nursing as a career?

Great combination of providing compassionate family centered pt care while being in the critical care setting.

What advice would you give someone considering this nursing job as a career?

Nursing is a great career for someone who is dedicated, a hardworker. The most important quality is caring for others.

Hope this helps. Good Luck.

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Specializes in ICN.

What do you think the top 3 traits a neonatal nurse must have to excel?

be flexible, have a good sense of humor and be adaptable

What do you enjoy most about being a neonatal nurse?

Taking care of babies! lol--the wide range of different diseases, conditions and types of babies we get--from micro preemies to big infants of diabetic mothers who don't eat well, we have them all.

Least?

Taking care of mirco preemies.

What is the typical salary of neonatal nurses?

I don't know a typical salary, depends on the state. I know we California nurses make the most in the nation, from what I have heard.

What hours do you work?

PM shift, 8 hours, 3-11:30.

What are your daily responsibilities and duties?

bedside nurse--so whatever the baby needs that day! lol. I also train new and student nurses on our unit.

Why did you choose nursing as a career?

I liked taking care of small children and babies and the acting degree I had didn't pan out. I also was fascinated by medicine.

What advice would you give someone considering this nursing job as a career?

It's fantastic because there are so many ways you can use a nursing career--bedside nursing is only one small part. There are so many kinds of bedside nursing--from infant care to critical adult cardiac to ER. There's home care nursing, travel registry nursing, working on a cruise ship or amusement park as the onsite medical team. There's being a medical expert in a court room, giving advice on a TV show, school nurse, teaching nursing, etc.

And the US always needs nurses!

And any other information about neonatal nursing you would like to leave! If you dont want to email it you can post it back on here.

There's nothing better than watching a very sick preemie grow into a big, happy, fat baby that you can hold in your arm, bottle-feed and cuddle close to your soul. How many other jobs can you say that about?

Dawn

Thanks! Tasha

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Hey :):p

This is a message for ERINSRINCESS (because i'am interested in NYC NICU) but also to all the NICU nurses here....

i am a soon to be RN from Israel, in a BA program (not BSN like in the states)..

i was wondering what are the requirements (educaion and work experience)

to become a NICU nurse?

is it an additional program?

how long does it take?

how much does it cost?

does it matter which state i go to study it in?

is NICU education from Israel is enough? (we have excellent programs here- 1.5 years long in addition to the 4 years of RN)

etc, etc (i would appreciate any kind of helpfull info).

Thanks,

P.S i love this website :)

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Specializes in ICN.

i am a soon to be RN from Israel, in a BA program (not BSN like in the states)..

i was wondering what are the requirements (educaion and work experience)

to become a NICU nurse?

is it an additional program?

how long does it take?

how much does it cost?

does it matter which state i go to study it in?

is NICU education from Israel is enough? (we have excellent programs here- 1.5 years long in addition to the 4 years of RN)

etc, etc (i would appreciate any kind of helpfull info).

Thanks,

P.S i love this website :)

Well, at least where I work in California, there is no extra training required before you are hired in the ICN. Often, the hospital wants a nurse who has had a year or two working elsewhere, but not always. We do hire freshly graduated nurses--and then there is a 12 week training course for all new hires, not just new grads. Taking care of preemies is totally different than taking care of adults and I felt like I'd never been to nursing school when I started out. I only had an AA, which is two years nursing school, but I've been in our unit for 22 years now and get to help train the students and new hires. It's fun! I don't want to work anywhere else in the hospital.

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Specializes in NICU.

what do you think the top 3 traits a neonatal nurse must have to excel?

1) ocd-like

2) not afraid to ask questions

3) good social skills to deal with families

what do you enjoy most about being a neonatal nurse?

babies getting to go home

least?

babies that will never get to go home (or if they do, will have no quality of life) on life support for months due to misc. reasons.

what is the typical salary of neonatal nurses?

depends on your location, years of experience, how much ot you work, but new nurses start around 50k here.

what hours do you work?

630p-7a

what are your daily responsibilities and duties?

can vary depending on the assignment but i always do my assessment and vital signs as ordered, change diapers, draw labs, keep an eye out for any funky behaviors, notify md/nnp if there is a change in pt condition, carry out any orders and question orders as necessary. i also get to pat a lot of bums to sleep, chase a lot of pacifiers around and sometimes hold the fussy babies (if i have time and they are stable). some days i don't speak with an md, other days, the md is camped out at my patient's bedside all night.

why did you choose nursing as a career?

i liked that even though the overall routine is the same, every shift is different.

what advice would you give someone considering this nursing job as a career?

sometimes it is hard to not get emotionally involved with your patients and families. some days really stink but the good days outweigh the bad.

and any other information about neonatal nursing you would like to leave! if you dont want to email it you can post it back on here.

thanks! tasha

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Specializes in neonatal nurse.

can i ask other questions i have an interview i need an answer by tomorrow school project and i need ur name and hospital this is real im a student junior taquitz high schoo this is my e-mail [email protected]

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I have a question too. What is a neonatal nurse's employer information?:confused:

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