nicumom

Thanks for your reply. That is what I have done in the past, but I wasn't sure if this was the "best practice." I looked online at nanns message board and didn't find anything. Thanks again !!!

I was wondering what your policy is for warming starter Tpn. Some units I worked in leave them on the counter to warm, others allowed the bag to be warmed between blankets in a blanket warmer. Ours ts comes up from pharmacy freezing cold....how does your facilities warm it before administration? TIA

Thanks for your reply. So is it the policy if your facility to not discharge until the infant is 4lbs? We had a baby the other day that was former IUGR that was 3lb 14 oz and ready for dc, passed the car seat test but we delayed dc bc the infant didn't meet the seat weight requirement

We are having some issues in our NICU about what to do with the little ones (ie former IUGR) that are all set to go home (eating, gaining weight) and pass a car seat test but haven't reached the 4lb requirement for the manufactures recommendation of the seat. What do you guys do at your facility? Wait until they're 4lbs? Send them in a carbed? Discharge them in a 4lb seat knowing they will most likely reach it in the next few days? TIA for any insight

Sorry...obviously I shouldn't be posting after midnight when I worked all day. As u can tell I am am educator for Nicu and maternity and am looking for some fresh ideas :-). I promise it's not homework....I am just trying to do something fun (and cheap). Preemie for a day is on my list.....with the next budget

Hello everyone... i am a unit based nurse educator who is trying to come up with some new in services for Nicu that is fun and interesting. I have had a lot of reps come in to speak, but I am hoping to develop some inservice that are hands on skills. Basically, I am looking for some ideas of things that you have done on your unit that you really liked/ learned from (and didn't make the staff sit for an hour and listen to a power point presentation) TIA

Hello everyone... i am a nurse unit based educator who is trying to come up with some new in services for post partum that is fun and interesting. I recently did the "guess the EBL" with fake blood and they loved it. Just looking for some ideas of things that you have done on your unit that you really liked/ learned from (and didn't make the staff sit for an hour and listen to a power point presentation) TIA

lol...now that was too funny~~~

I think NRP is important... Any mom can walk into the ER to deliver a baby. You never know what the situation will be, and it can take awhile to get a transport team there to get the baby. Knowing what to do in this situation...even if it is a slim chance that it could happen, could save a babies life

Hey Ladies... Thank you so much for all of your help!!! I have been following much of your advice. I have been reading Merensteins since I started in the NICU. Since I have finished all of the questions in the book, I have now been just reviewing the "big" chapters (F&E, cardiac, respiratory, neuro, etc). I am hoping to that taking this review class will really help me tie up any loose ends. Thanks for the advice about the IPOD app...I am gonna look into it. I will let you know how it goes.

thanks for the vote of confidence...I really want to get this test behind me, so I just have to keep at the books!! I got my permission to test in the mail, so there is no turning back now :) I'll let you know how it goes...

I wish there was more out there to study from! My girlfriend is taking the adult CCRN-ICU and she has so much study material to choose from. Everyone on my unit that I have talked to says "oh you'l be fine," but that doesnt make me feel better :) I feel like practice questions have always been a good measure of my knowledge, thats all that I did for the NCLEX. Thanks for your reply...I'll let you know how this course was

Hey Guys... I am currently studying for my RNC-NIC and was looking for some pointers. I have gone through all of the qeustions in the core curriculum book, and have also followed up on some more "in depth" studying from the meremstein and gardner's handbook of neonatal care. I have worked in a busy level III NICU for alittle over 3 years, and really want to get this certification behind me :) I wanted to know from my fellow NICU nurses if you could answer a couple of questions for me (and yes I have read previous threads time and time again)....Thanks in advance for all of your help... 1. Did you guys find any other study questions than the ones that went with the core curriculum book? I feel like I need more practice questions, but am having a hard time locating them 2. Did any of you go to a review course that you found helpful? I am scheduled to attend one my nurse builders in march...have any of you done the review through them 3. When you were doing the practice questions, at what point did you feel "ready enough" to take this test Again, thanks for all of your help...back to studying :)

In reading your post I think you answered your own question. Just because you dont like nursing doesnt mean you are a bad person. Life is too short to be unhappy...follow your heart and choose a career for you!!!

I agree that you should work as an RN firs and then choose I though before I went into nursing school that I wanted to be a neonatal NP. Now, after a neonatal RN for 2 years I realized that it isnt for me, and I like the direct patient contact better v. writing orders and getting lines in. I realize now that I want to choose an educaton path. Nursing is a great field in that you can really do anything. When you are in clinicals you may see what field appeals to you...work in that field for awhile and then look for your path. Good luck

I am in Mansfield University (Pa) program and I spend $750 per 3 credit class. They also are very flexible with taking pre reqs at the community college which saves a ton of $$. I am in my 4th semester, and I have had a good time in it The Pros Not that "hard" in that there are traditional 14 week semesters and the classes dont interefere with my life like the ADN program sis Inexpensive (in comparison to others) Teachers are awesome and flexible Con Takes longer than most...about 2.5 to 3 yrs All in all I would chose it over again :)

I totally agree with you. I have never seen a baby at 23 weeks breathing on their own for 5 hours. Sometimes at that gesatation we have had parents who didnt want anything done, and the baby dies within the first minutes or hours. As you know the usual course with these kids is surf, osc, and then we spend the first few days with round the clock gasses chasing thier pressures and blood sugars all night, and many of them still dont make it. I have just never seen one that held on that long with no intervention, however I guess anything is possible....I thought it was a good article

wow...these babies never stop amazing me!!!

Congrats to all of you for entering montco's program. I graduated from the nursing program there in 2006...best thing I even did. You will live, breathe, and eat nursing through this program but it is awesome....any questions PM me Good luck:D

I am a nicu nurse that is the mom to two preemies (now 10 and 8) both of my kids were very sick (26 wks IUGR and 27 wks). I have to say from the prospective of a mom that works in the NICU you need to make sure that you have detached from your own NICU experience. The memories that you have of your child are your own, but you can not take that into the NICU where you work. What I mean is that you cant look at all of the babies and think of your experience. Also, I dont recommend working at the NICU that your son was at. I think that you would be too attached to that enviornmnet. I went to nursing school after my kids were healthy because like you I felt that it was my calling. However, even though I know what the parents are going through I only tell a few of them my story. It is the job of the nurse to care for the patient as well as the family. It is very hard when I see a baby pass or get really sick, but I think I would feel that way even if my kids werent preemies. You will be able to empathize with the families butter than anyone, however this too can have its downsides. I love the NICU more than anything, and will never do any other aspect of nursing, but it took me along time to get here. I dont look at the babies now and think of my own, but for years when I watched tv shows or heard stories I would. Only you know what is right for you...good luck in your decision!!!

Like posted before I think it is hard to give you a stat on 22 6/7. I work at a level III (larges in our area) and we do not res. under 23 weeks. Out local catholic hospital does. I think you are better to look at survival rates at 23 weeks which would be more accurate for your dvd Congrats on you baby....hope this helps

I currently work at Abington...graduated from Mont CO. Both are great programs I picked Mont Co becuase they had summer clinicals and I would have been done sooner (and they are alot cheaper) Either one is a great choice

As a parent of a 26 weeker and a 27 weeker I hated them. Seeing an IV in my kids head was awful. As a nicu nurse now I love them. I agree they look awful, but are better for the baby. We never really do them on our unit though because it freaks the parents out

I am in eastern PA (suburb of Philly) and I was hired in a level 3 NICU with AD as a GN. I would suggest calling your local hospital and see if they will hire you as a tech. I know it is much easier to get into a NICU if you have experience as a tech in this area

We cover in a saran blanket, and also use these new gel warmers for trassport and ntil we get out temps stable. They are like a one time use heel warmer, but about 2 feet long (give or take). All you do is break the disk inside and they get warm fast. We have noticed a big difference in our temps since using them Hope this helps