Newborn Nursery

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I'm not sure this question goes in OB-GYN nursing, but I am in the last year of nursing school, graduating in May, and I would like to know what kind of experience would I get from working in a newborn nursery, and what it's really like. Thanks.

Are you wanting term newborn nursery or preemie?

I'm sorry it's taken me awhile to return to your reply. It's been a little crazy this weekend! I'm not quite sure which one I would prefer. Either I suppose. I was a premie, so that interests me, but if it would be better for me as a new grad to do term, then that is fine too. Thanks for helping me out with this. Any advice you have would be wonderful. Also, we have our fluid and electroyte test this week. It's tough stuff!! Any advice for that?:confused: :rolleyes:

Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I agree with Kday that there is no better place to be than in the Nursery, either well-baby or NICU. What makes it so awesome is that you, the nurse, are the first person to put your hands on and assess a brand new life. You're part cheer-leader for the parents, and part detective (determining whether the baby is indeed OK). You're first assessment of the baby's health is SOOO important!

In well-baby, you will spend most of your time teaching. That is also a critical part of NICU nursing. You'll learn some advanced skills in the NICU such as IV starts, art. sticks, blood draws, vent management, etc. There is definitely a certain satisfaction that comes with mastering these technical aspects of care, but the low-tech teaching, family support, and yes, rocking are still the best aspects of the NICU.

Good luck to you. I hope you find what you want!:)

I also love the newborn nursery. In a level II you will have corpaks, monitoring, IV antibiotics, billi lights, drug exposed newborns and still get to encourage and teach parents. Also the NBN is usually a social hub, lots of people coming in and out... very fun.

But if you have those big windows, it can feel like you are putting on a puppet show at times.

NEWBORN NURSERY!!

I LOVE IT! Just started maternal/child in a small hospital. I get the best (and worst) of all. My first love when I started was L&D, then I got the chance to work in the nursery. I love the healthy newborns, but when I went on call for "bad baby call", we got one. The adrenaline was amazing! Also, those newborns can handle just about anything! Most are so resilient! Had a thick meconium precip. Intubated, stabilized, and shipped him to UAB.

After a really bad week, I enjoy a routine night now and then in newborn. Then when it's been slow, I enjoy the adrenaline of a potential problem. We don't have a NICU, but I have requested a shadowing experience with an affiliate hospital in Montgomery at Baptist.

The nice thing about a small hospital, is that we get to experience a little of it all. On most nights we get to choose where we want to work that night. This helps prevent burn-out I think, being able to float from nursery, L&D, and PP. However, we do occasionally get those attitudes flaring! I have run into a lot of those in the past 2 weeks. Recuperating with 4 days off right now! Of course they called me to come in last night at 10pm. I didn't answer the phone.

We have a wonderful pediatrician as well as a locum tenens ped that fills in every other weekend. We have had some interesting peds cases too. Did I mention that our area is also peds? Alot of experience in a small hospital. Something you might want to consider!

Happy nursing!

Lisa :)

I have been working with the newborn for 9 years now......there is no other job I would rather do than newborns...........newborns is a speciality like any other field of nursing..........I wish I had a dime for every video camera and someone's photo album I have been in.........we just opened our new L&D, PP, and Nursery units and it is gorgeous.....we have these huge windows and I have a new respect for the animals at the zoo........sometimes we say " smile yall maybe someone will throw us some peanuts"......lol...........I value all my experience that I have in assessing the newborn.....I feel like I can spot a GBBS baby a mile away............Thanks,

Sherry

Specializes in Perinatal and Nursing Informatics.

I love the newborn nursery too. I think our newborn nursery is a little different from most. We start IV's and administer fluids sometimes, I do art sticks, antibiotics and still admit well newborns. It gets to be too much at times but I love it. My skills have grown and i wouldn't want to work in any other area. I love it mostly because I'm usually in there by myself and I can control that environment:D Plus I don't have to deal the baby-mama-drama outside of the nursery. Babies are the best!

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