JustAnotherNursemaybe BSN, MSN

Give yourself some grace. Neither of those things are bad bad. You are still new and training your brain. I was 6 months in the ICU before I felt somewhat competent. I'm almost 2 years in and there are times when I need to check my charting before re...

Not exactly the same, but I went from NICU to adult ICU. Find a good new to specialty program and have fun

I am (was?) A level 2+ nicu nurse. I don't think most other hospitals have it. It's a level 3 nicu, but when I was trained they didn't have very many level 3 babies. So I take 30+weeks, 1200g, and everything below a vent. Fast forward several years a...

Oh look, 320 beds too... hmm Well, if the name Merry means anything to you, come to night shift. Everyone's been leaving to day shift or pacu, which means we get way more fun assignments because there's no other option. I had 2 stable vents and...

You perfectly described my ICU. Like, I'm going to look up how many total beds we have because you perfectly described my unit. It's been a good learning experience (I've been here a year). I just got trained to CRRT and had a swan the other ni...

Not all icus are like that, for sure. I've been in ICU for almost a year now, so I totally understand the whole starting during a pandemic thing. However, my hospital has gone above and beyond to try and keep everything safe. I've never had more than...

How did you decide how to specialize? It seems so daunting, to spend a bunch of money on school to do one thing for the next 30 years. I feel like I want to do everything, but I don't see myself being a bedside nurse forever. I worked in the OR...

I started January in a community hospital mixed ICU. We are a stroke center, level 3 trauma, no open hearts. I signed a new to specialty contract for 2 years, so no running off to the big city hospitals. Although in talking with travelers, I think I ...

Beeker- I don't know if age would have anything to do with it, as long as you are willing to be engaged and flexible. I would encourage anyone to make the leap! I am really really loving ICU. Yes, its hard. But its exhilarating. I feel like I h...

I'm a new to specialty nurse in the ICU. I had 2 precepted weeks on the floor before covid hit us, hard. So basically my entire preceptorship was proned covid patients. I got really good at that, but now I'm independent, covid has lightened up, and i...

What ever shifts you do decide to pick up are immensely more help to the team than quitting and not picking up any at all. don't feel guilty, you are doing what you can. We are in this for the long haul, you have to be careful of burning out. So many...

I know NICU experience isn't looked super favorably on, which is why I now work in an adult ICU. Im planning on getting my CCRN as soon as I am eligible. Is it worth it to also get my CCRN-NIC? My only hesitation is the hours requirement to keep it u...

I work per diem in Nicu and full time in adult ICU. Neither are the type of place you can do per diem/part time without a couple years experience first

Thank you! This was the exact thing I needed to hear tonight LOL but at least I get to check off "give adenosine" on the list

I have 6 years nicu experience and moved to adult ICU in January. Trust me, you are going to want adult experience. It truly is a different world.

I've been forcing myself to look on the bright side lately. I'm new to ICU (started my new to specialty in January. Just my luck!). Normally my ICU is a pretty chill, community hospital, mixed ICU. But with COVID, I am getting so much experience with...

What kind of ICU did you go to? What school did you end up at? Im (fingers crossed) hoping my experience will be similar. Im a NICU nurse, but start in ICU January.

I have 5 years of NICU experience and have been going on interviews for new to specialty icu positions. I really want to switch to adult icu. Lots of interviews but no offers. When they start asking me about my most critical patient and I start talki...

I havent applied anywhere, I'm still going back and forth between crna and nnp. CRNA is what ive always wanted to do, but it would involve dragging the husband and kids out of state vs being able to stay here and do nnp. Im only in a level 3 nicu (5 ...

I have no insight, but I'm also a NICU nurse looking to head down this road. Where are you interviewing at? Are you level 3 or 4?

I was always planning on breastfeeding, but it ended up being a lot harder than I expected. My daughter was preterm so couldn't suck hard enough to nurse by herself. The nurse had me pump and then "finger feed" the milk while my daughter was latched ...

I know this doesn't really answer your questions, because I am not a nurse that worked with teen moms. But speaking as a teen mom, the support I received from the nursing staff where my daughter was born was the only reason I was able to breastfeed h...