NICU-BRAIN-Capstone!

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Hi! New member. I am a nursing student entering my senior capstone in the NICU. Trying to put my brain worksheet together! any advice? or examples would be amazing.

I have only had one shift in the NICU, so needless to say I am excited but nervous!

Thanks so much. :redpinkhe

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Specializes in ICN.

Hi, I think I know who you are--and I'll see you in a few days. lol

Just take things slow--you already know how to do an assessment, it's just a smaller patient this time--and you can't ask the patient questions, so use your eyes even more. Is the patient pink? Moving all extremities?

A great deal can be learned by just changing the diaper and taking temp and using the stethoscope. Does he lie there? Does he scream and wave his arms symmetrically? Feel the fontanel while calming him with a pacifier. Does he suck vigorously? Does he calm with touch?

Get used to glancing at the baby's extremities when checking the temp--and while you should look at the monitor for the pulse oximeter reading, don't rely on it, because it is slow. Even if the saturation says low, look at the baby, he may be much pinker--and therefore higher saturation that the machine.

It all takes practice. We all feel like we never went to nursing school the first day in the nursery--and then after a while, it's easy.

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Thank you for the words of wisdom. Many more to come this I am sure of.

See you very soon!

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