MiniBabyRN

We have private rooms that are set up in a pod system and just like the other posters, the charge nurse makes assignments based on primaries, acuity, and RN experience. She comes on rounds through the unit at the end of the shift to get report on our patients before she finalizes the schedule. If an assignment is inappropriate, we can say something to the charge nurse at any time. I can't imagine not having pre-made assignments and battling over who gets what baby! Sounds like a nightmare!

Do you have respiratory therapists on your unit? They are a great resource too (If they're willing to teach!). We only use in-line suction, It definitely makes suctioning less intimidating!

Woah, sounds complicated!

I love this! You would think with all of the advanced medial technology we work with, somebody would have thought up a faster thermometer. The other night we admitted a baby who was a bit lethargic and hadn't really cried much since coming to us, but you would never have known it once temperature time came! You know you're coordinated when you can hold the thermometer in place, keep the paci in the baby's mouth, and keep him from tearing at his IV/PICC/feeding tube/ whatever else he shouldn't have his little hand around.

We just use large blankets (which usually end up falling on the floor and having to be replaced). There is a group that makes blankets and hats for our unit and we also have some that were donated to us. If all else fails, we use those white hospital blankets with the stripes. We have giraffe isolettes and the brand makes special covers for those beds, but I don't see my unit buying those any time soon lol. We have washers on our unit for the "pretty linen." :)

We put all our meds on a syringe pump, the only things that I have seen truly pushed on my unit are things that need to be given as quickly as possble, like Epi or adenosine. We aso have portless IV tubing, so the medication line is Y'ed into the maintenance fluids or TPN. We usually flush with 1 mL afterwards, which is just enough to clear our med tubing.

We auscultate air as well and check for aspirates. However, there are plenty of times when the baby gets an x ray and the NNPs will call us with orders to advance/pull back by x cm.

We weigh every diaper on every patient, even if the baby eats like a pro or is going home that day, and then record it under urine output in our electronic charting. We total mL/kg/hr every eight hours and are supposed to report it if it is less than 2. Some of the sicker kids have catheters, we just use a feeding tube (I think they're 5 fr) hooked up to a collection chamber.

Wow, your orientation is only six weeks? I just got done with a 14 week orientation and I still feel like I am constantly learning and asking questions! Good luck starting in the NICU! I love it so far!

I work in a 60 bed level 3 unit. Our parents can name two "support people," who can be at the beside at any time, even without the parents, and receive medical information while at the bedside. The parents can also have two other visitors in the room at a time. Only parents can receive information over the phone. The support people are usually grandparents or and aunt or uncle. Visitors have to be 13 or older unless they are a sibling, and then they have to wear a mask if they are under a certain age. Only one person can stay overnight in the room, and there are a few overnight rooms available as well.

This is soo great! I feel like I've had this conversation more times than I can count.

Yay, congrats on your job!!! Thanks for your advice, I will have to go look those up!

Hello NICU nurses! I am a new grad who got my dream job in the NICU! I took my NCLEX on Tuesday and the quick results say that I passed! I will be able to start working once I receive my official pass letter. My question is... what should I do until then? I know that I'm not going to know everything right away and my orientation includes lots of classroom time and starts you off with an intermediate level baby and gradually works you up to a critical one, but I want to be as prepared as possible! Thank you for your help :)

I took my test on Tuesday, got home and tried the trick right away (so less than an hour after my test ended) and got the good pop up! I had 75 questions and took it in an hour and 20 minutes. I just got my quick results today and I passed!!!!!!! I am so excited to sign BSN, RN after my name

My boyfriend is convinced that you can get crohn's disease from washing your hands too much "because it weakens your immune system since you never come in contact with germs." No amount of explaining can persuade him otherwise... Oh, and when I ask him where he possibly got this information, he says that his brother (who is an accountant) told him (I just graduated nursing school). Oh well...