Ram1802h

Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! Its scary being new and having someone's life in your hands, but I am just trying to learn as much as possible to become better. Thanks again for helping me learn and (hopefully) become a better NICU nurse! :redbeathe Heather

Hello all! I am fresh out of nursing school and landed my dream job in the NICU this past May. So, now I have completed my orientation and I am on my own........and I am terrified!!! On my first shift alone my baby had to be bagged, but I wasnt the one to do it. Luckily, another nurse was in the room helping me start an IV when the baby deteriorated (having A's & B's) and she recognized that he needed to be bagged and did it, but now I am terrified because I didnt think that he needed to be bagged at that time. If I was the only person in the room I would have tried to wait and see if he would have come up on his own. But that scares me because I dont want to wait too long and harm my babies...So, is there a certain number (O2 sat or heart rate) that I should be bagging my babies at? And has anyone else ever felt like this, and if so, what can I do to help myself not feel like this????

Don't give up! I just graduated with my BSN in May and passed boards in June. I was lucky enough to have a job in the NICU before I graduated, so it is possible. Keep working and I'm sure you will end up where you want to be! Good luck :)

Dude- do you know where I could find info and stats on the buildup of nurses looking for work?

Hi guys! I am doing a report on the current nursing shortage, and the role that men play in it. It seems that a lot of the shortage could be avoided if more men would join the field. What are your opinions, and how do you feel about being male in such a female dominated industry? Any suggestions for making nursing more attractive to the fellas too? Thanks! Heather