NICU Resource Books

[NICU<3RN]

I am THRILLED to announce that after over a year of searching I will be starting a position in a level III NICU in a couple of weeks!

I am nervous and excited! I'd really love to read some resource books to prepare me for my new position. I saw one poster suggest Merenstein and Gardner's Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care. Are there any other fantastic books I should read to prepare me for this new position? I'd love discussions of physiology as well as nursing care techniques and things like what to watch for, lab values, vitals, etc.

This is my dream position and I want to excel at it. I think that reading some resource information will help me to feel more confident in learning, be able to take in more information as I will have some base knowledge, and help me feel less overwhelmed. :) If you have any suggestions to help me out - please do!

[bmsrn]

Congrats!!

Other then the book that you mentioned the only other one I have is Core Curriculum for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing, and it's by Verklan and Walden. At least mine is, it's the 3rd edition and I believe there is a newer one. This one is all outline format. The one you mentioned about is paraphraph format. I think these are the 2 major NICU nurse resource books.

Are you going to have any kind of classes?

[karnicurnc, MSN, APRN, CNS]

As a clinical preceptor, let me offer you a piece of advice. Don't try to read the books from cover to cover. As you come across patients with specific medical problems, read the corresponding section in the book and you will be able to relate them to each other. For instance, if you hear a murmur and the baby has a PDA, read about that including patho, symptoms, treatment, etc. if you have a baby with PIE read that section. This will help you remember the info since you can apply it to a specific patient. Good luck!!