hcox1975

Don't beat yourself up. Every job in nursing takes organizing your brain, it's not just in the nicu. It's also very frustrating when other nurses treat newbies that way. Try writing out your report near the end of your shift so you won't forget anything. Also write out each hour on your shift and what is to be done each hour. You will eventually get better at remembering what is due. Write things out, even things that might seem trivial because your brain can only remember so much. Don't get discouraged. Anywhere you work in nursing takes time and everyone learns differently.

I'm curious to how other nicus access their central lines. Do you use sterile technique with hat, mask and sterile gloves? Do you clean the port with betadine and then access? What is your infection rate?

We do not do kangaroo care with touch me nots. We use these things called dandle Roos. They are awesome because the swaddle the babies and the also will position the arms so they can't self extubate. I have found that oscillator babies have to be re-intubated because the tubing is so heavy, it puts a constant pull on the tube. I wish there was a way to prevent this.

I work in a level 3 nicu. We use Manual of Neonatal Care by Cloherty, Eichenwald and Stark. It's awesome!

Here is what I have concluded in my scrub quest. I am a petite (5'2) and weight is around 120. I am shapely with large thighs and butt. I also am narrow in the shoulders and some of the tops swallow me there. Cherokee are ok, they run big though and feel like they swallow me. Urbane has a great style but the tops are too short, not enough pockets and the pants make me feel like I have plumber's crack. Med Couture (I think they are made by Peaches) are the best. They are plenty big in the stride but not too big and they fit me perfect. Laundau and Peaches pants run big too and I feel frumpy. I haven't tried Grey's or Blue Sky but I hope to soon. I don't buy petite because I don't feel they are long enough but regulars are too long in some brands. I think it's to each his own, and you just have to see what fits you best.

Alegria hands down...

I too wouldn't take the harder patients when I first started. If you can choose your assignment, I would listen to report and try to choose a patient that you were comfortable with. I also would try to go back to the same assignment if possible because I was familiar with the patient and their family. We have a split partner that we share a patient with and I would also choose an experienced nurse to split with. I work nights and my unit works really good together so we are usually not alone when we get new admits or have a critical situation.

I too hate to be interupted but this comes with nursing. Take it as a learning experience. Being interupted will prepare you for what is to come. It takes time to establish your way of doing things. Everyone gets stressed during orientation.

Personally, if I knew where I was delivering my baby didn't have a nursery, I wouldn't have my baby there. I have never even heard of this until I read this post. This doesn't sound safe.

You also have to be aware of drug interactions, correct medication orders, and lab work. I work at a teaching hospital and sometimes the doctors aren't familiar with what is needed for the patients. Once you are familiar with the type of patients you are dealing with on a regular basis, this will become easier. For example, with liver patients there are certain medications they might not be able to take due to how the body clears the drug. Even though you have 2 patients or less, you are extremely busy. These patients are in ICU because they are critical and could take a turn for the worse at any second.

I think these strong ladies will make wonderful nurses. They will be able to have compassion for the harder to deal with patients. Kudos to these women and I pray that they will continue to have productive and happy lives.

This whole story about this child breaks my heart. There is no way possible that a child can be diagnosed with bipolar at 2 years old.I am not a psych nurse but this topic really upset me, so I had to get on my soap box. As a mother of five and someone who suffers from ADHD, medications should be the last resort. I didn't medicate myself until I was an adult. I do however have several children that are showing signs of ADHD, but since it's not affecting school work, I have decided to wait until they are old enough to decide if they want to take meds are not. There are so many other theraputic methods to treat children. Diet, routine, sleeping habits,homeschooling, etc that can help these kids. I would take this child for a second maybe even a third opinion. Then I would research other ways to help this family cope with the situation. With my kids, when all else fails, I pray, and pray hard. Sometimes our environment affects our outcome. As a parent, if we see our children struggle we need to step back and look at their environment. Is it healthy or dangerous? I promise you if you went to a psych ward and asked the patients questions about their childhood, 99% of them had a disturbing event or events that made them the way they are. If this is the situation now, I would hate to see this child in 10-20 years.

I like to know why we do certain things too, and there are people on your unit you will learn to trust. I also carry post it notes in my pocket and write things down to look up later.

Sure you can email me. No problem, glad to help.

I have worked in LTC and ICU and I encounter this quiet a bit. There are plenty of people out there that are nice and civilized. Remember to always show them respect and if all else fails, try to make them laugh. Sure there are patients that will drive you crazy but there are plenty of nice ones that cancel them out. A lot of times people don't realize if you talk to someone in a harsh tone of voice, more than likely they will recipocate

If you will email me, I will send you a report sheet I made up. The other RNs on my unit like it so much, they asked me to please leave it with them so they can use it in rounds with the doctor. I work in Surgical ICU. So you can tweek it to your specifications. my email is [email protected]

I once took care of a very large patient in clinicals that took 5 staff members to turn her. When we were through, I asked her if she would like me to turn the tv on. She couldn't move her rather large arms so I offered to turn the channel for her. When I asked her what she wanted to watch, she said "food network please". All I could think of was, "OMG! Really?!" Where I work now we have these prevention measures we take with new admits. We apply a Meplilex pad to their sacrum and it seems to really help with breakdown. Of course, if they already have breakdown, this doesn't work. I think every unit should have a wound care RN that just take care of wounds, dressings and turns. But this is real world nursing

Clear your IV pumps at the end of the shift when you write your input and output down. Check access when you first lay eyes on your patient. This is wonderful to know when your patient crumps 15 minutes after you get there. If your patient is coherent, make sure you warn him before pushing adenosine. When you hang a secondary line with your IV fluids, make sure you see it dripping and that it's not clamped.

I also take my work home with me. My husband asked me to please spare the details. He knows that when I have a patient die that I am different and to please bear with me. He listens but I try not to bring these things home with me. I have friends that I carpool with, and we talk about things that happen when we are working so that helps me get through the tough times. I think you feel this way because you do have a tender heart and if you are like me, that is one reason you became a nurse.

I worked in a LTC facility and we had this issue. A girl got fired for dogging the adminstration about how they treated another employee. She was there 6 yrs. now I work in a hospital and during orientation, they said they didn't even want us to mention anything about work on facebook. Patients, about having a crummy night, other employees. I didn't even put my unit under my info tab. I want to keep my job, so I am not taking any chances.

Is Kaplan even accredited?

Try a long term care facility. This is a great place to start!

Relax, everyone feels this way when they first start. Take a deep breath and don't panic. Ask questions if you are not sure of what to do. A nurse who asks questions is way less dangerous than one who thinks they know it all. I prayed a lot when I first started and I still do. Find a nurse you feel comfortable with asking questions and learn from her. Good luck!

I have seen this in my unit after someone had surgery. They took the patient back to the OR and did an ex lap. Sure enough it was a fistula.

You will need PALS (ped advance life support). I do not work in NICU but I know people who do. From what I found out, you have to work your way up. Does the school you attend have clinicals at a children's hospital? I would try to get on at a postpartum floor or nursery if I couldn't get in NICU. Is there a large hospital near you with a NICU?