ottawaRN

Hi jortiz I am writing in response to your question about nursing specifically NICU nursing.. It is very stressful and at times heartbreaking and emotionally draining. You see parents who put everything into having a baby and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. I suggest perhaps you try for a Nicu stepdown for instance the hospital where I worked as a tech in the NICU for 14 years before becoming a nurse had two other units with the NICU we were a level III tertiary center where we could transport babies to a higher level of care primarily ECMO that were for feeder growers[my favorite part of the unit], and the SCN where it was overflow for the feeder/growers, and term infants that needed anitbiotics or learn how to eat I too wanted to be a NICU NP but then discovered the care and compassion in the field of oncology and now that is where I am obtaining my MSN-DNP, to be an practicing oncology nurse practitioner, and be able to teach nurses as well. i hope that this gives you a little insight into NICU and helps you make your decision.

i have worked as an RN for 16 years, before that I was a tech/PCA in a level three neonatal intensive care for 10 years. When I started my RN career I worked in Florida where my RN salary was 28 cents difference than my salary as a tech in NICU [in michigan]. I have worked primarily oncology, medical oncology, surgical oncology oncology critical care, and BMT during my career, as well as NICU and postpartum mom baby. NICU ratios were 1-4 in a level four NICU in florida, PPMB was 1-8 couplets, [i worked nights]. When i went back to oncology as a travel nurse the ratios were 1-6/7 with or without tele. Now where i work is a 22 bed unit in Texas where i am a night charge, and routinely take up to 7 patients with chemo and or blood product transfusions, plus charge. We are lucky if we staff with 4 nurses, even though are ratios are supposed to be 4-1. We usually have one tech, sometimes 2 and when we are short nurses, staffing will give us 3 techs. Day shift is staffed with 5-6 nurses and always three techs, giving them a ratio of 1-3/4. What bothers me though is that the day nurses think that they are superior and have more difficult jobs because the patients aren't sleeping. It doesn't matter if the patients are sleeping or not night shift does not have the availability of resources that the day shift has. I love my job as an oncology nurse it is my passion and i love my patients but the ratios here have to be adjusted. Ohhh and we are considered one of the best hospitals in Texas, and have magnet status too