I had a really bad shift the other night, and can't stop thinking about what could've been done differently.I work in a 50 bed level3 NICU...we are combined with a step down/level2 nursery.
All of the nurses, pretty much, are assigned randomly, sometimes you'll go for mos in the highest acuity/level3 area. Other times you'll spend weeks in the step down nursery w/only grower/feeders. then boom you're back in the ICU w/vented kids w/liones, drips, etc.Usually this is OK, I guess.
I have only been in this unit since last Jan. And part of last yr I was out on maternity leave, then right after Christmas I had surgery, so I was out 3 wks. I have 10 yrs previous experience w/L&D-LDRP, normal newborn and Peds. However, as you know, NICU is a world unto itself! :chuckle
I have been PRN since I came back from maternity leave, so the last 4 mos or so. I try to work 1 to 2 days per week. I am certainly feeling more comfortable in this area, I really like it, but I know I still have a lot to learn...I'm not to the point where this is "old hat" yet. LOL! :)
OK so the other night I come in and have 2 ventilated kids, 1 kind of unstable. And I've been assigned to get the 1st admission. There are a few other nurses w/babies only on cannulas, not as sick as mine. The nurse I was relieving could not believe I was up for an admission.
Of course, I got an admit w/in the 1st hr, a 30wkr....needed a lot of stabilization. No one took over either one of my 2vent babies. I had told the charge that I didn't feel comfortable w/the situation. Went in one ear, out the other. A couple hrs after my admit, the unstable vent kid I had coded!
My night was soooo horrible, I was so behind the whole night, I could not keep up w/all the charting! Plus, there were nurses sitting around reading magazines! :angryfire
Am I just being overly sensitive? Is it just that I'm not as experienced in this area yet that I feel frustrated by all of this?
I guess I just needed to vent....thanks for listening. :)