lexann75

Thank you so much for the encouragement and thee nicu brain sheet. I will try it tonight. Out NICU educator found a software from healthstream, for nicu orientation, and neonatal development, I will start it tomorrow. ill keep everyone posted how it goes . thanks again for listening.

hello this is long ... warning.. but I took the jump from adult nursing to NICU .. here is my journey I have been an RN for 15 years. The past 10 years as Clinical system analyst. I "helped out" on med surg and ICU off and on but mainly I wrote policy and processes and built the EMR to the best I could with trying to meet the needs of regulations, EVBOS, government and the enduser. I needed a change. I loved my IT job, but my personal life changed and I was not able to balance work and life or life and work.. I have been in a level IIb NICU since August. Mind you I though I was going to hop in and take care of babies, just like you do with well babies, and adults. I was so wrong. Like the ladies above said, Time managmentt is key. I really struggled with " this is expected because they are a 30 weeker" I am enrolled in a NICU orientation online class from health stream that I will start next week. it's my fault I have not taken it sooner, but we are really busy and I don't have time to work on it at work. I have made time at home to get it done. I have also really struggled with a " brain sheet" ... I have been in the hospital setting way before computers and, as much as I pushed the EMR, I need my paper!!! *** If anyone has a brain sheet that they would like to share, you have no idea how much it would help us new NICU nurses, the ones that are transitioning.. I would really appreciate it. NICU Nurses, have their ownlanguage. I have always known SR to mean Sinus Rhythm on a brain sheet.. not in NICU.. self resolved, Nursing school doesn't do much for NICU, at least mine didn't, but i also might have dodge it like a bullet. I never thought I would work as a NICU nurse, or do labor and delivery. Like I said I needed a change and my family needed me home a lot more. 1st. just know .. IT nurse, is a great job and pays well, but they hear nothing but problems and usually can not fix them. There was a time that I told myself that I was making a difference just in a different way. My heart needed to be a nurse again, I need i guess to see that instant, yeah it worked you feel bettere...? the first 2 weeks I was in thee NICU, i am pretty sure I was in shock. I have always worked in a rural community hospital, now I am in downtown KC. I had no idea the difference between a resident , fellow and attending they all go by their 1st names, which is really nice, but so incredibly different. I was used to giving report to the dr and in a teaching hospital, at least ours you do not.. you listen during rounds. like i said this is all soo new. coming from IT, and chart auditing, I also struggled with so many "different ways' to do the task or procedure checking residual and when to feed back and when not, how many times to take a blood sugar after fluids are dc'd when to start the feeding tool? admitting a baby from well nursery for sugar issues or bili issues, is a transfer to me , but to others it is and admit. I will tell you, that I have not been this happy, and look forward to work .... goodness, I can't remember when because of my new career in NICU. I have found my soul again, I am a nurse, a real nurse. lol I am new, the babies I see are usually premature. they are fighting for a life they have no idea they are fighting for. I am humble, more compassionate , than ever. if anyone has a brain sheet for those of us that are learning all of the lingo NICU nurses use I would be so so greatful. I thought my preceptor was cussing me out when she kept saying "ducks up , ducks up" I get it now!! I experienced my 1st NEC baby over the weekend. I have no words. Thanks for listening. I am really glad a found this site for information and tools to become a better NICU nurse