KTLou06

When we hold babies for X-rays in our unit, we do not wear a lead apron or any type of protection. I know that since the babies are so small, the amount of x-ray exposure is probably also small, but is it safe not to wear any type of protection at all? What about if you are pregnant or trying to conceive?

(Prepare for whining).... Hi guys, I am a new NICU nurse with about a month left on orientation. I REALLY struggle at work. I don't know if it's just stress bc I'm new and still learning or what, but I feel like quitting every week, sometimes even when days don't go that badly. My co-workers are nice, but I don't really have friends there yet. I hate not knowing what I'll be walking into each day when I come to work since the babies can go bad so quickly. I don't like adults, so I thought NICU would be the place for me- and now I just can't seem to be happy there either. Is any of this remotely normal, or am I just not cut out to be a nurse? Will it get better if I stick with it, or should I switch to something like office nursing where there is less stress? I am just really depressed and confused and tired of feeling this way about work. I know I shouldn't base my decision on this, but I also can't help but feel like if I do need to switch, I'll be labeled as one of those "nurses who just couldn't hack it". If anyone has any pearls of wisdom, I could definitely use it right now. Thanks.

Do NICU nurses do much teaching to the parents about baby-care once at home or is that pretty much left to the post-partum nurses? What about other kinds of teaching? Would those of you nurses out there already working in the NICU consider it to be a big teaching field?? The reason I ask this is because I really love working with babies but am also very interested in maternal-child care as well and am not sure exactly what field of nursing would be best for me. Any responses/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

I noticed someone mentioned something earlier in the thread about not liking types of BC that "controls things after the fact of creating a fertilized egg". I have heard that this happens with all of the hormonal methods of BC (ie the Pill, Depo-Provera, the ring, IUDs). I tried to research this and from what I understand, as sort of a last resort, in case breakthrough ovulation does in fact occur, the hormones thin the lining of the uterus. It seems like its sort of the last line of defense against pregnancy because this under-developed, under-nourished lining of the uterus prevents a fertilized egg from implanting and thus thriving. On a strictly factual basis (I'm not trying to start a political war), does anyone know if this is an accurate portrayal of how it works?

Thank you so much for your responses, ladies!

HI, this is my first post, hope it works out ok. I am a nsg student set to graduate this Dec. with a BSN. I want to work in the NICU and had a probably silly question about their scrubs...do NICU nurses dress from home and wear their own scrubs or do they change into hospital scrubs once at work like in L/D?