jnick31

hahaha, just realized this post was orig. from 2011. :/ oops.

These are all great responses, so many smart people out there... a question to the op, I may be way off point here but you sound fairly new to the NICU. I would encourage you to build a relationship with your Neo's or NNP's that you would feel comfortable approaching them with questions such as this.

Sounds like you are just burned out on your current floor and want nothing to do with them. I've been there... no fun at all. I wasn't hired in the NICU until my 5th application and 3rd interview. All with the same manager/unit. If NICU is where you want to be then please keep applying. And do it with a smile. :) (unless you're not excited to work there) I love my job (almost) every day. This is the first job I've had in a very long time that I don't mind when the alarm goes off in the AM. or PM Love the babies and it's easy to pick up extras if I need to because of the joy that I feel caring for them. Micro managing will never go away no matter what unit/floor you work on... but when you love your patients enough it makes it a little easier to handle. :) good luck!

That's what I thought we would do too, but the Neo told the parents he didn't want to use a bed and for them to get a corificeat instead. He passed his corificeat test in the one that they bought but it seems they would be rated for 5lbs and up for a reason, I fear that if something were to happen in then next month or so (until he reaches 5lbs) liability would fall back on the hospital for sure. I was just wondering for when this comes up in the future if anyone knew of any seats that fit a baby that was 3lbs and some change.

We are getting ready to send a baby home in a couple of days, but he will only be 1700g if he is lucky (super SGA) and only if he gains a full 30g per day. The only thread I could find on here for a corificeat for a baby this small was closed a couple years ago and didn't have much info. What kind of corificeat/bed do you guys use (or recomending) for these babies?

I think that is how it is with any nursing position as a new grad, especially if you aren't familiar with the charting system. Just keep doing things the right way and the speed will come with time. I don't know any ICU nurses that will tell you that you're doing fine if you aren't.

I should also say that I've never worked ER but was on a trauma floor for a while. So an ER nurse may have a better solution.

I would get the c-collar on them then and there and bring the gurney to them. To be honest, they've been stable enough to walk/ wheel to the ER, walking back to a room probably won't do any more harm than is already done, but there is that slight possibility that they've just been lucky so far, so it's more for that than anything. Negligence claims and crap like that.

We have 12 babies per pod and just close all the doors and invite the parents out to the center when it's their babies turn. Works well for us but we don't have 20 people, for us it's about 10-12.

When I worked on the trauma floor, if a pt required intervention for pain more often than q 2hrs (especially with IV medication) then their pain was not considered 'controlled' I would definitely see about changing up the meds if they are needing morphine every hour consistently. Also about the whole LVN education thing, what is her reasoning? Has she been burned in the past after over medicating someone? And as the RN in charge of the pt's care, why are you not allowed to give a medication? (Not saying that you should have to... Just wondering why the RN's aren't allowed to give pain meds. Is it so 2 people aren't potentially giving the same med twice?)

Farther? I can never remember...

I wouldn't go in thinking the job should be yours if you rock the interview. Be confident but don't get broken hearted of you don't get it on this go around. Thank the manager for their time and ask them to keep you in mind for the next round of hiring. I had 3 great interviews before I got the job in my NICU. It's hard to ignore when you have nurses with baby experience vs the adult world. That being said, don't think for one second that working oncology puts you at a disadvantage. You have learned great skills that transfer to babies more than you think. Priorities, time management, physician communication, what is included in a good report, charting skills, muscle memory for things medication admin. and many more things. You may have to adapt some things. But you aren't starting from scratch. It's still quite a transition but at least you have some experience to fall back on. I think you are in a fine position, and your passion will carry you even further :)

Oh... and Utah, USA

1. What is it like to work nightshift? Heaven compared to days, less politics and more unit cohesion. 2. Can you tell me a little about your sleeping habit before a night shift? Try to sleep from 2-4 or 5 to be there at 1900 but it doesn't always work. 2. During night shift, are you allowed to take a short nap during breaks by the hospitals? I think so, I haven't heard otherwise 3. If you are and you do, how long do you usually take a nap for? I've only tried to nap once for 30 min, but I couldn't sleep bc I was thinking about the patients that were calling. (Even though they were being covered by another nurse) 4. Do you feel groggy after? If so, how long does it take you to recover? N/A 5. Where do you take a nap? Is there a special room provided by the hospital for nurses to take a nap in? It was in an open room on the floor. 6. What do you think are the barriers on having a nap on night shift? Responsibilities 7. Do you have any concerns about driving home during night shift? Probably about once every other month or so I'll have to keep my wife on the phone and/or window down sort of thing. Gave her a heart attack ( not literally) when I pulled over once to nap for 5-10 min in a parking lot. 2 hrs later she wasn't very happy with me. 8. If there is an especially designed 'Nap Room' available at the hospital, would you use it? What feature would you like it to have? Probably not. Maybe after a shift for a few hrs before driving home.