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Google ' the Dangerous Consequences of Potty Training Too Early by Steve Hodges, MD. It might give you some insight into why this is a big problem today. There is such parenting competition these days due to social media! Whose baby slept throug...

I've recently started in a new unit and quite a few of the long term micros have 'toaster heads'. In my old unit this was not the case. Many of the nurses keep these babies prone, just turning their heads from side to side. The rationale for this ...

I'm a NICU nurse who periodically has to take her turn floating to our hospital's newborn nursery. Our post-partum wing is new with large rooms and a couch that converts to a bed and a recliner so grandma, dad or both can room in with mom to assist ...

I work in a 58 bed Level III unit and for the past 8 years our patient's sleep on linens that the parents bring in or pretty linens that come from our unit stash. We launder all of these linens on our unit and put 1/3 cup of bleach in the front load...

It would be a great investment for your unit to send a few of your most developmentally supportive nurses to the annual Contemporary Forums Conference on Developmental Care. Also, Children's Medical Ventures, a company that sells developmental produ...

I work in a NICU, the 13th over my 27 year career. Despite years in the field of nursing my work ethic, high standards, and love of caring for my patients and their families has remained high. However, each year the last 4-5 management has added ta...

Hi, Ahleesejo, I've worked in 13 NICU's across the country over a 26 year career and can't recall a meeting to discuss a negative event. I applaud you for posting and seeking input at this point in your career. I've read The Dream Manager boo...

We have a scoring sheet for Back to sleep. We give points for them meeting different criteria and when they total 10, they are put on BTS. If a baby has major reflux or airway issues then our neos write an order to disregard BTS for this pt. This ...

We just moved into our new all private room NICU the end of last year. We have a couch along one wall that converts to a twin bed and a recliner in each room, so both parents can stay all night, if they choose, with their baby. There are drawers be...

I agree with you on the money thing, but some units have other motivators. First, those who agree to precept attend a class or two given by the hospital on making the most of precepting. Hospitals that have Clinical Ladders give points for mentorin...

Thanks, Steve, for this post! I work in a 58 bed level III NICU community hospital with a NEO/NNP group that covers 2 NICU's in town. I have 27 years in NICU and choose to work w/end nights. Our NNP's used to work for the hospital and when o...

Loved this and thanks for posting the link!! NICU nursing is all that and more. I started in my first unit in 1969, have worked 13 units throughout the years, AND I still love what I do. Whether our patients live :) or die , our caring and skill m...

We do swaddled baths in my unit, also, and after we give the parents a demo of one, they are then free to bathe their baby 2-3 times a week. My unit does not pay for the Tiny Tub from CMV and it really is too small for older chronics. We have 6-8 rec...

My 58 bed unit has no policy for pain/sedation for intubated patients, despite the fact that this is common practice in Ped and Adult units in our hospital. I know that other NICU's provide this in the form of drips or prn's. Our docs feel drugs will...

I'm so happy to read your posts and see that I'm not the only person bothered by the amount of 'personal' time some nurses feel it is their right to have at work. I'm 59, and have worked in 11 different NICU's around the country. I raised 3 children ...

We often have 'ghost babies' on vents or Cpap with heart rates of 180-200, poor weight gain, frequent desats, but our neos do not transfuse until the hemoglobin reaches 7-8. These babies are anemic due to lab draws only and have several weeks left in...

This question is directed to all nurses who are now using Giraffe Omnibeds or incubators in your NICU's: As you know the company promotes their mattress by stating that it "may help relieve pressure points and preserve skin integrity" and the company...

:yeah:Thanks, Baby Lady, for your detailed reply! I fully appreciate and understand your responses, but have a couple questions. When you mention 'snugglies', do you have a homemade version or do you use Children's Medical Ventures purchased ones? If...

:typing Our 48 bed open bay unit has always used homemade double-layer fleece covers over our isolettes/giraffes to protect infant's from light and to decrease noise. We will shortly be moving to a new unit with all private rooms and some question wh...

Consider yourself blessed if you only have a two patient assignment most of the time. I work in a 48 bed, Level III unit in the southwest US. We staff by a number matrix, rather than by acuity. We routinely have three babies; which can be 3 level ...

I think a solution to "eating our young or new hires" is to mandate that nurses travel nurse to other NICU's one year out of four. I have 26 years of NICU nursing under my belt and feel I had a helpful and sympathetic attitude towards new hires. Afte...

We trialed many kinds and for our VLBW kiddos we use two sizes of diapers from Cuddlebuns. Littlest weigh 4 gms, next size is 9gms . . . dry. We liked better than wee-pees and they hold quite a bit of urine.

Our pharmacy puts all our tubings together and spikes the bags under a laminar flow hood and then they are brought to our unit on a cart. Each nurse checks the bags with the order and runs the fluids through all lines. Then after wiping the white c...

Aja, How have you been feeding her? breast/bottle, a combination? Is she gaining/losing weight? How old is she?

Eventually, we hope, this mom will be discharged and come to see her baby. It sounds like the baby is going to be with you for quite awhile. This mom needs to TRUST her baby's caregivers, so by telling her the truth ( good comments from another pos...