Not cut out for NICU

GuEsT78 · Jun 23, 2015

I can understand how you might get "stressed and rattled" in an NICU. I occasionally floated to a unit where I was sometimes given the care of post-NICU babies being fattened up before discharge. Even that made me nervous. They were so tiny, frail and vulnerable. Used to caring for kids who could point to their "owie," I was uncomfortable with patients who simply cried. Later, when I worked with teens, I was delighted that many of them understood their illnesses better than even their doctors.

It takes a very special nurse to work in an NICU. Maybe you aren't "cut out" for it as you suggest. That simply means that you are better adapted for some other area of nursing.

That said, it does take time to develop the intuitions that a difficult job like the NICU requires. That maybe be why your colleagues are suggesting that you wait a year. You might look at yourself as objectively as possible and ask, "Am I getting significantly better at this?" If that's true, then you might find the stress level going down by the end of your first year. If those stresses aren't going down, then maybe it is time to move on.

It's the direction things are going that matters most. And keep in mind that there is a special delight at being really good at something difficult.

LisaNICUrn, BSN · Jun 23, 2015

Well it's one of two things, either you like the NICU and you are just worried about making a mistake or you don't like the high acuity, stressful, intensity of an intensive care unit.

If you are just worried about making mistakes, not knowing enough, hurting a baby, things like that, then yes, I totally believe you should give it more time. Don't be so hard on yourself, there is no way to know everything in NICU.

But you stated you might be better in well baby or level II, that tells me you don't like the high acuity of the unit. You might be worried of making mistakes or doing something incorrect, but I don't think that's the main issue. And no about of time will ease that. You either like the ICU atmosphere, or you don't. It's not a bad thing, it just means it's not for you. If you still want to work with children, then I would definitely look in to transfering. Don't wait until you completely hate your job. Be honest with yourself. There are plenty of other departments you can go in to.

As for the NNP. You can still be a NNP for newborn. there's other options like lactation consultant, and there are so many other things you can transfer in to related to infants.

Sorry, I can't be too helpful on the NNP thing, but like I said, if ICU atmosphere is too much, too stressful for you, then definitely try to transfer out of it. Good luck to you.

babyNP., APRN · Jun 23, 2015

If you want to do newborn nursery, there are many that are staffed by PNPs, but NNPs generally don't work there. Keep in mind that no school I know of will allow entry without at least 1-2 years of level III NICU RN experience and you will go to clinical that will be in a Level III/IV.

Good luck deciding, keep us posted on how things go.

Jolie, BSN · Jun 24, 2015

I have a slightly different take on your post. I'm not alarmed by your reaction to NICU at all, and actually think it indicates that you'll make an excellent NICU nurse, if you give yourself the chance.

What you are describing sounds to me like normal conscientiousness in an uncertain new nurse. I'm willing to bet that if you polled your fellow new grads, most of them are experiencing the same thoughts and fears, regardless of their practice setting.

I remember the days of coming home and needing hours to unwind from a shift. Waking up in a panic remembering something I forgot to do, or forgot to pass along in report. Dreading the start of a new shift, certain that I would do something that would harm a baby. Unfortunately, it's part of the territory for those who give a darn about their work, and especially for those who practice in settings they didn't have the opportunity to experience as students.

Given time and adequate support from senior staff members, managers and educators, it will pass. I was once told by a well-known NICU lecturer that it takes 2 years for a NICU nurse to become an "expert." She was right.

Only you can judge whether your anxiety level is normal or pathologic, and whether you enjoy your job enough to tough out the learning curve. But I suspect that if you choose to change specialties, you will experience the same thing all over again in a new setting.

Best wishes to you. I think you'll do fine :)

NICURN29 · Jun 25, 2015

Honestly, it took me a good two years of working in the NICU to not feel anxious coming to work everyday. And I think that was an important part of what made me successful...I had respect for the acuity of the babies and knew that anything could happen at any time, and I could not let my guard down. Now, of course, my "Spidey Sense" is better developed, so I don't have be on high alert quite as much. But I think not feeling that worry means that someone is not getting the whole picture and may not be cut out for being in a critical care environment. I am SO GLAD that I stuck it out and made it from novice to expert because I think being a NICU nurse is the best job in the world. BUT no one will judge you if you decide to do something else...the most important thing is that you get to do work you enjoy that 8is meaningful to you.