NFB2008

I wasn't meaning to come off so defensive. I just wouldn't want you to think that a nurse with an ADN is any less of a nurse with a BSN (we all take the same licensure exam), especially if you are getting your ADN. Good luck with your plans.

I took community health in my ADN program. I think getting a BSN is great, and I am going to start school to get mine this fall. I have just heard a lot of people (including those nurses with BSN's) say things that make it sound like ADN programs somehow make you less of a nurse. The program I graduated from consistently has a NCLEX pass rate over 90% and usually in the mid-90's. Every single person that I graduated with passed NCLEX the first time they took it. Sorry if I'm coming off defensive here.

What do you mean "only" an ADN? The only thing you get in a BSN program that they don't offer in the ADN is management and theory stuff. The ADN program I graduated from actually has a better reputation for how the nursing students are in clinical than the big university (that I won't name) that is located in the same town. Anyway, I work in a NICU and I have an ADN. I was hired right after graduation. It's a level III, we get lots of babies from many hospitals in the surrounding area (often up to a few hours away).

Nothing happens where I'm from either. Frankly, I find DCFS to be competely and totally useless. They often use the word "yet" as in, "she hasn't done anything yet." Really? I'm pretty sure drinking a case of beer while being pregnant is doing something. Or smoking pot while pregnant. Hello! If you gave an infant a baby bottle full of beer, they might be upset about that.

I really hate when the physicians give in and do things just because the parents are control freaks. We have a set of twins now, and the mom and dad are so picky about EVERYTHING. They are educated and think they know best, but I just want to say, "is your doctoral degree in NICU care?!" One twin is ready to go home, but parents don't want him to go without the other one. I understand that may make things more difficult, but it's not a hotel. So, the doc (of course) is believing the parents when they say they "need to get the house ready for him first" so he's already staying a day longer. We shall see what tomorrow brings.

I bet! We have lactation consultants so we utilize them a lot. Breastfeeding really isn't my area of expertise.

I am also 5'7" as well, and I always raise the isolettes to the highest position. The worst thing is when you have a baby in a crib and you have to do multple labs on them. I always have to bend over for those, and my back hurts after that.

OMG! Sometimes it shocks me how much they don't know. I also like the moms that lie to us like we are that dumb. The same mom who wanted to demonstrate CPR on her baby was found to have smoked marijauna while pregnant (the mec stat came back positive the day she was leaving) so social work came to talk to her. She said she never smoked it, but she was around some people who were smoking it. Riiiiigghhttt...

So, when we send babies home, we always have the parents demonstrate CPR. I was discharging a baby to a young mother and was getting ready to have her demonstrate CPR. She asked if she could demonstrate on her baby! Apparently her mother told her to ask that! That so freaks me out! It's no wonder that some of these young girls have no clue when their parents clearly have no clue (not that I'm making excuses because I think we get to a point where we have to make our own decisions). I sometimes wonder how these young girls even made it when I meet their moms who seem to have no clue how to care for a baby. It blows my mind.

In the level 3 NICU where I work, we have gotten pretty strict staffing regulations in place (started before I started there). We never have more than 3 babies. Obviously this varies with different NICUs. I think that you definitely need to like babies to work in a NICU (and be very patient). I heard that the previous manager for my unit (before I was hired) wouldn't hire a nurse if her reason for wanting to work there was liking babies. She wanted someone who was interested in working in an ICU. And it will be SO overwhelming when you start out, but you will probably get a longer orientation (compared to say med-surg). They want you to know what you're doing. I would say if you know you want to work there just go for it. I am thankful every day that I got hired in my unit. I can't imagine working anywhere else. Even when there is a scary experience, you learn from it. And the next time you have that experience, it isn't as scary.

NANN (National Association of Neonatal Nurses) nann.org ANN (Academy of Neonatal Nursing) academyonline.org 5 Strengths (probably the same as the previous poster): detail oriented compassionate patient particular (to the point of perfectionism in many) protective of our babies (or patients) 5 weaknesses: that perfectionism I mentioned before can sometimes be a bad thing Well, that's all I can come up with for now. As for working as neonatal nurse... it probably depends on the location. I have an associate's degree in nursing (licensed RN). Working in the NICU is my first nursing job, but some places want nurses to have some experience in med-surg (probably a year or two). I am CPR certified, as well as NRP (neonatal resuscitation) certified (a big deal when you work with infants). And my orientation was about 5 months long! The standard in the unit where I work is 16 weeks when you already have your RN license (I didn't have mine when I started so my orientation didn't technically start until I had my license in hand and could do nursing skills legally in IL). Hope that helps!

I started orientation in July as not only a new NICU nurse, but as a brand new nurse (graduated in May 2008). I went on my own at the beginning of December. I always take advantage of being in the same room as a more experienced nurse. If I hear them explaining something to parents, I always listen in. You can learn a lot that way. I know I have.

I was taking care of this tiny little guy quite a bit, and every time I had to give him an injection (vit A or Epo), he would grab my glove by the wrist and hold on for dear life! And I love the little ones that grab the suction catheter or NG tube as you're trying to insert it! Or when they pull their nascal cannulas out of their noses, and when you find them the cannula is in their mouth! I am amazed by the things these kiddos can do. Like the 1300g little girl who I snuggled up perfectly, and an hour later she is perpendicular to how I had her (and how she's supposed to be) and looks like she's trying to jump out the isolette door (thank goodness for looking before opening the door). I love when a tiny hand grabs my finger and seems like it won't let go. Tiny baby feet are the best too. And I love, love, love when I get extra time to cuddle a baby. Gotta love the NICU. :)

We wear gloves for all patients. If I change gloves while caring for the same baby (like after changing the diaper, but before feeding), I use the hand sanitizer we have and put new gloves on. I always wash with soap and water in between babies though. And all of our babies are on monitors until they go home. We even send some babies home on monitors.

I was always interested in science and healthcare. I'm the dork that watches discovery health and reads true lilfe medical books. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to do though. At first I thought I wanted to be a doctor, but I decided that I did not want school and then work to be my whole life. I actually decided when my mom had outpatient surgery. I just remember the nurse was always in there, making sure that she wasn't having complications and making sure she was okay to go home. I like how nurses are involved so much with patients. Patients generally really trust nurses and (not to be generic), but you can really make a difference in someone's life (kind of like that nurse that helped me decide that's what I wanted to do). I also found that I never felt uncomfortable in hospitals (like lots of people do). And then when I started nursing school, I found that I wasn't as passionate about adult care (med-surg, etc.). I liked certain aspects of it and found the classes interesting, but I just like the intensive care part. I get to use lots of skills in the NICU. Plus, I love taking care of those little babies who can't speak up for themselves. I really have to have attention to detail since they can't tell me if something is bothering them. It can be a very rewarding job (sometimes it's sad too), but I love it and wouldn't trade my job for any other job out there.