mady

I'm currently working in a major NICU/SCN in Melbourne. The unit has three area which are corresponding to Level III, II and I. All baby who are intubated, on CPAP or unstable are in Level III room. All intubated babies, unstable babies (either intubated or not), newly extubated babies are cared by one nurse. Otherwise, nurses care for 2 babies in the level III room. Newly admitted babies, babies for blood transfusion, babies required high amount of oxgyen (up to 50%), baby receiving TPN, EIUGR baby and servo temp control are cared in the Level II room. Ratio in this room is 1:3 ratio, therefore, it can be very busy in this room. I hate it when i have 3 babies; one is on TPN and hour feed, one is having A&B every 1hr and requires mult Abs and one is on bottle feed or breastfeeding required assistance. This have happened few times to me in this month. I don't cope it well at times as i come from adult ICU where ratio is always 1:1. Finally Level I room is for feeder and growing babies, oxgyen dependant babies, and babies of Chemical dependant mother. Here, most of the time, nurses are caring for 3 babies. However, when there is shortage of staff, we have 4 babies and it is a shocker!!! And the ACN (charge nurse) don't even put a hand on babies or give it a dam about helping... therefore, i'm often thinking to go back adult ICU. It's just that i sometime don't think i gave a comphensive or holistic care to the baby and his/her mum and dad, sometimes, it just become a task-orientated job!!!

dressing code for nurses is must, i have seen some nurses wear tank tops showing their belly and tatoo above ther bum in summer, however, hospitals should not force nurses to wear uniform. you see, there is no uniform regulation for health professionals, such as doctors, social workers, physio etc..., then why nurses must wear uniform!!!

In recent time, there is more double degrees (with nursing) available. some examples are, nursing and public health, nursing and health promotion, nursing and art, nursing and international study, nursing and psychology, nursing and midwifery, nursing and commerce ... etc Do you believe, it is worthwhile to do a double degree course and a single nursing degree course? Does a extra degree give you more benefits compared to other nurses with a single degree? Will you do it? Personally, i completed nursing and health promotion degrees with honours few year ago. I didn't think the 'extra knowledge' from the other degree helped me a lot in the first few years. However, once i am in nursing for few years and get more involved in the nursing profession, i started using the extra knowledge. Beside that, two degrees does sound better than a single nursing degree

i'm a odd one, i believe. I completed my nursing and health promotion degree few years ago. I did actual study the hard subjects (math methods, specalist maths, chemistry and phsyics) in VCE in order to get a high TER scores, on the hand, i did put nursing as my 1st perference. In the "old day", you only had to get around 50 - 60 of TER socres for nursing course, but double degrees (with nursing) required mid 70s. Therefore, it was not difficult to get in nursing at all. But these day, for some reasons, it is a little bit (not that difficult though) to get into nursing... i heard that some did even miss out in previous years... May be, there are more double degree (with nursing), such as nursing and psychology, nursing and public health, and nursing and commerce, and these courses often have a higher TER/ENTER scores... I've heard that few people did miss out in previous years.... Thing did change!!!

Actually, i'm one of the nurses who transfered from SICU to NICU/SCN. I acknowledge the view of Tiki as this is the feeling i'm going through at the moment. However, i have no regret. Although i was told that i would be fast-track from SCN to NICU, but i did start from the beginning, looking after relative well baby in the first few months. There are so many difference between neonates and adults, things like gavage feeding, bottle feedling, breastfeeding (btw, i'm male nurse as well), A & Bs (aponea and bradycardia) and so forth... However, i love the job, it is so happy to see baby come out of the incubator and growing up, i feel great in helping parents during their difficult period ... and of course, i can also give these little premie a cuddle as well sometimes, certainly, you can't do cuddle in adult ICU!!! of course, sometimes, i still miss the excitement in adutl ICU, especially coming from a major trauma and cardiac surgery centre in my city, however, you can't get perfect in this world, but i still get excitment and chegllnes in NICU sometimes