neonatalRN

I have lived in Minnesota all my life. There are pros and cons, as with any state. In my opinion, it is too liberal. A couple people mentioned family values and friendly people, but I don't see that. People tend to keep to themselves and not trust newcomers or people they don't know. It has been named one of the worst places to find someone to date for this reason. I hate the bitter cold, but I like the snow. I like the seasons, but hate the mosquitoes. I don't like the lax laws for criminals, where drunk drivers can be caught 20+ times and nothing but a slap done to them, and sex offenders with a high probability of committing more crimes are let free. All that being said, overall I do like Minnesota, just can't put my finger on exactly why. Heidi

It's true, the year I applied there were over 800 applicants, and 120 admitted to the day and evening programs combined. Average GPA for day students is 3.2, average for evening is 3.5. That is AVERAGE, not minimum. They also go by how many pre-reqs you have done. Heidi

I am a NICU nurse at HCMC. NNPs do almost all of the rounding/ordering in our unit, the docs are hardly there. It is not as high acuity as some others in the area. I would recommend Children's Hospital, either Mpls. or St. Paul, St. Paul has private rooms in its NICU. The others in the area include North Memorial, and the University of Minnesota-Fairview hospital. U of M-Fairview and Children's-Mpls. would have the highest acuities, they both do ECMO and take cardiac patients. Heidi

I would definitely ask for a new preceptor. Hey, I am in Minneapolis, too! Heidi

At our NICU, there are two rooms, one is a Level III area, and the other down the hall is a Level II. Do you guys think it is ok for them to assign a nurse patients in both rooms at the same time? I mean for example one nurse is taking care of a baby in both rooms, same time? To me this just doesn't seem safe. Also, how soon do people usually take the NRP class when starting out in NICU? thanks, Heidi

I start my new NICU job tomorrow, and I am terrified! :chair: Heidi

Ditto what nicumom75 said. Heidi

Just to refresh your memory... this was me two years ago, my first post here: https://allnurses.com/forums/showthread.php?t=38740 by the way, changed my username from AnnasmomRNtobe to neonatalRN Heidi

I start in NICU on 10/3! There are a few of us on here starting together! I would love to hear about each of your experiences, and I will tell you mine! Heidi Mother to : Anna Catherine b. 11-5-01 Ethan David b. 5-4-03, d. 6-10-03 My NICU baby Grace Marie b. 6-27-04

Hi, I just graduated from North Hennepin in May. I liked it. I was in the Evening/Weekend program. Heidi

Hi, My name is Heidi. I graduated with an ADN in May, and took the NCLEX June 27, passed with 75 questions. I started working in Med/Surg in St. Paul, MN in June, but it's not for me. I was offered a job in NICU at a hospital in Minneapolis, and I will start there October 3! I am so excited, NICU is what I really want to do, I have firsthand experience with it, my son lived and died in a NICU, and I did a preceptorship in one last spring. Heidi

Hello, I don't know if you all remember me, I have posted intermittently over the past two years. My son Ethan was a NICU baby, and never got to come home. I was just starting nursing school at the time, and decided I really wanted NICU. Anyway, I just got a job in a Level II and Level III, not the hospital I wanted (I wanted to be where my son was), but it's a start! Heidi

Cindy- I know this is late, but I am just reading this now. You work at Children's in St. Paul, don't you? I have been applying to your NICU for months now, and they keep telling me they can't hire me because I don't have a BSN, even though I have a BS in Biology and an ADN. Heidi (now an RN!)

She was born June 27th, perfectly healthy! Her name is Grace Marie, she was 7 lbs. 3 oz., and 20.5 inches long. It was very fast, I started having contractions at 1:00 am, and she was born at 3:27 am! When I got to the hospital I was 9 cm. Needless to say, it was all natural. Heidi

I am also praying for him, I had a baby in the NICU for 5 weeks, he wasn't premature but was very sick, he didn't live. Just trying to say I know what it is like! Heidi mother to Anna born 11-5-01 Ethan 5-4-03 to 6-10-03 EDD 6-30-04

Thank you for your responses. I have tried to talk with my doctor about how I feel, but she just doesn't seem to understand. I have had a couple of NST's that looked good, and several ultrasounds that show that this baby does not have OI, but once you lose a baby from one thing, I think you become afraid of EVERYTHING. I have also been measuring 4 weeks behind, which worries me. I think if I make it to my 40 week appointment next week, I will ask to be induced. Otherwise I think I will have a nervous breakdown. I haven't really been able to bond to this baby yet, I am so afraid. People ask if I am excited and I say no, I don't know if I get to keep her yet. Getting through this pregnancy has been almost as bad as watching Ethan die. Heidi

I am a nursing student just browsing here, and I am also 39 weeks pregnant. My last baby died at 5 weeks old, he had Osteogenesis Imperfecta and had many complications. Since I was about 20 weeks with this pregnancy, I have been extremely stressed and in a panic about this baby. I am just so afraid of something happening before she is born, it is interferring with my daily life, I can't eat or sleep, just struggling to get through each day because of this fear. I am afraid I am too stressed and won't be able to go into labor on my own. I would rather not be induced, but am considering asking. Do you think I would have a valid reason? Please be honest. Heidi 3rd semester ADN student mother to Anna born 11-5-01 Ethan 5-4-03 to 6-10-03 EDD 6-30-04

Sorry, my name is actually Heidi, my daughter is Anna. It was pretty competitive, I think they got about 800 applications for about 120 spots. It is harder to get into the evening program than the day. They go by GPA in the prerequisites, and how many prereqs you have finished. They told me that the average GPA for people getting into the day program was 3.2, for people getting into the evening program it was 3.5. Hope that info helps you!

I am currently a student at North Hennepin in the evening/weekend program. To be honest, if I could start over I would go to Anoka-Ramsey instead, just because they get a wider variety of clinical experiences. We have to do mostly Med-Surg at just one hospital, we only get one weekend of Peds and one weekend of OB experience. Not adequate if you ask me. Anoka-Ramsey students get more of that, plus they also get to do a preceptorship.

Tiki, at what level is the unconjugated bilirubin dangerous? Can you give me a number?

Hi! I am also in nursing school and hope to be an NICU nurse! Good luck to you!

Hi, I am in a similar situation. My son was in a NICU for 5 weeks last year, and died there. He was very sick. I am halfway through nursing school, and I know I want to work in the NICU! I have thought about your question a lot, and I just know for me that watching another baby die could never be as hard as watching my own die, so I think I will be fine. Good luck to you!

Just a question, is there a gestational age where you are required to do everything you can, no matter what the parent says? For example, if the child was born at 38 weeks and needed a ventilator? Could the parent say no?

Is it always the nurse's fault when an IV infiltrates? I am a student, and just two weeks ago I was giving an antibiotic IV to a guy, my instructor was right there with me. I flushed it with saline first, which went in fine, so I started the IV and went to get the linen to change his bed with. I came back, and it had infiltrated. I shut the pump off immediately and called the IV team. About 15 cc had gone in. I didn't think this was my fault, but now after reading your posts, I am not sure.

At my school, it wouldn't help. The only thing they go by is GPA and how many of the prereq's you have done. Heidi 2nd semester ADN student