dawnebeth

dawnebeth

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All Content by dawnebeth

  1. experience with neonatal bacterial meningitis?

    dawnebeth replied to 21strawberry's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We had a baby who had e coli meningitis--she went home okay, but after months of antibiotics. Amazingly, despite hydrocephalus, she seems very normal (for a 2 month old). However, I know of a...

  2. Need all NICU info possible!! Please Help.

    dawnebeth replied to NICUfuture?'s topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I have a two year degree and had never seen a premature baby when I started at our level 3 ICN--but we have a great 12 week training course (for all nurses, not just new grads) who are hired. I felt...

  3. methadone effects on newborns

    dawnebeth replied to hannahphn's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    When we get a baby on Methadone withdrawal because mom was in a program, the withdrawal sometimes seems to me worse than from Heroin. As another poster mentioned, it can take 2-3 months. The babies...

  4. Thoughts on using donor breast milk in NICU?

    dawnebeth replied to HeartNIC's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Nearly all our micro-preemies and babies with gut damage are on Breast milk or banked Breast milk. When only a tiny portion is needed, we do a partial thaw. Let the bottle thaw just enough that the...

  5. oral care

    dawnebeth replied to spacey's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I just asked this recently of our nurse practitioner--she said water on a cotton tipped applicator or gauze 2x2 is

  6. Newborn Shiver

    dawnebeth replied to Emily Suzanne's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    As others have said, babies don't shiver due to brown fat. Preemies, in particular, are often jittery or tremble simply because they are preemies and their movements are not

  7. NICU Breastmilk Support Groups

    dawnebeth replied to Samscar's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We had our line infections drop dramatically when we started doing sterile line set ups (sterile gloves, hats and using a sterile field to lay out the IV tubing), as well wiping the hubs 15 seconds...

  8. Doctor's role vs. nurse's in the NICU

    dawnebeth replied to Saija's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Remember that you are at the bedside with the patient your entire shift while the doctor is there a minimum of a few minutes a day. As others have said, you do so much more than be the doctor's...

  9. Tips for a new grad wanting an NICU job= nursing school didn't prepare me!

    dawnebeth replied to LR_C's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    24 years ago I took a job in an ICN barely two months out of nursing school (I didn't even take the boards for two more months) and I felt completely at sea. I'd had NO exposure to preemies, very sick...

  10. Do you kangaroo while infant is still in humidity?

    dawnebeth replied to ittybittyfootprints's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    If the baby is stable enough to be held, by all means, regardless of humidity. We use humidity for a month on all babies under 30 weeks and definitely allow moms to hold the babies as soon as...

  11. Poll: What do you love about the NICU?

    dawnebeth replied to carolina_girl's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I've been blessed to work in a great ICN for many years with supportive, good nurses who enjoy what they are doing. That's the key--giving love and support to your fellow nurses. No one can work alone...

  12. Volunteer Cuddling

    dawnebeth replied to scrabblern's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I don't live in Houston, but most hospitals who have volunteers not only have a waiting list, but generally, there is a training period where you have to volunteer in other parts of the hospital first...

  13. Contacting unit director about a job

    dawnebeth replied to sophie<3's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I always tell people to call or email the unit manager--sometimes monthly, to keep your name fresh in her mind when the unit does start

  14. Hospital Scrubs

    dawnebeth replied to nicunursem10's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We've always worn our own uniforms--usually in bright patterns and color--only the OR has hospital

  15. NG/OG tube verification policies

    dawnebeth replied to Sue Hinds's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Our tubes have numbers on them. We're supposed to check the number at the lip or nares every shift (who now remembers that I checked the number at the lip last night and never wrote it down on my...

  16. Preceptorship in NICU - waste of time?

    dawnebeth replied to 3fins's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I'm the person in our unit who most frequently works with/trains the nursing students doing their preceptorships and while our unit doesn't hire any new nurses very often, nearly every new grad hired...

  17. Cleaning protocol in nicu

    dawnebeth replied to Julie Basilio's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Yeah, just yesterday, I said quite loudly--I hate when the bottom/legs of the IV pole are splattered with formula and IV fluids and cleaned them right in front of the nurse who had that pole. She did...

  18. Someone said what does a NICU nurse do?

    dawnebeth replied to mauigal's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Our new 'baby' docs are, for the most part, very respectful to the nurses, and quite frequently ask our opinion and then run to the neo for confirmation on an order. Generally, we nurses say tell the...

  19. Any 22 weekers out there?

    dawnebeth replied to mauigal's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We get 22 weekers from time to time, although not recently. I don't recall one ever surviving. One time, we had a small for gestational age 29 weeker who was doing well despite being barely 14 oz, and...

  20. Got asked to primary!!

    dawnebeth replied to aerorunner80's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    It's always wonderful to make those connections between the nurse and a baby and his family. I love doing primary nursing because I can get to know the baby very closely and follow her recovery, being...

  21. visiting policy for unmarried fathers

    dawnebeth replied to rockabye's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    If Dad is listed on the birth certificate, he can visit. If there is animosity between the parents, the social worker generally gets involved to set up separate times for each to come to the bedside....

  22. Changing to standardized drips?

    dawnebeth replied to CareForBabies's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    I don't know specifics, but we got rid of the all 6's rule years ago, when we went to the 'smart' syringe pumps which have the drips calculated and use standard drips that the pharmacy makes up. Of...

  23. new plastic formula bottles

    dawnebeth replied to marebel rn's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Oh, yeah! We complained about a year ago or so, and I thought they seemed easier that previously. It does help to tap the base of the bottle on the palm of your hand pretty firmly before trying to...

  24. Chances of getting into NICU after working at private office?

    dawnebeth replied to carebearsRN's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    Any experience working as a nurse is a benefit. Our ICN trains all new hires, regardless of what they have done previously--for 12 weeks with a preceptor. As long as you could get hired, I think you...

  25. Some questions about gentamicin...

    dawnebeth replied to summerlove2's topic in NICU, Neonatal

    We never retrograde anything in the ICN, although they do on the floors, which always confuses us nursery nurses when we float. We use syringe pumps exclusively and give gent over half an hour All...