AuntMeggie

I got a subscription for our unit and every month we get a large box of 30-40 issues and pass them out to the parents. It's a really nice magazine.

I'm in a level II NICU and we do baths on night shift on Tue/Fri. We use heating lamps on our little guys and use johnson/johnson soap. Some of the older kids we use lavender soap. They get a good night's sleep and they smell good! The bigger kids get baths more often if needed, but everyone gets bathed twice a week is stable. The feeder growers who use all their energy screaming through baths usually get bathed on ng feeding times is possible.

I'm crazy.....I absolutely love my job in Virginia, but I'm following my highschool sweetheart down to Florida. He got an awesome job, and I can't say no to sunshine and beaches! Any suggestions for good NICUs in the ft. lauderdale area? I'm in level II right now and think it's just the greatest job ever. Any advice would help. I think his office is actually in Tamarac not Ft. Lauderdale, but everything kinda looks really close on my little ole map.

My Badge said RNA (RN Applicant) for the month before I took boards.

I am also planning a move to Ft. Lauderdale in the next couple months and would love to pick up my current hospital and take it with me. I work in a small level II NICU (Special Care Nursery) and love it. Does anybody know of a hospital in the area where they split up level II/III into separate units? I'm not a big fan of level III and newborn nursery isn't really my favorite. I like right in the middle. Let me know if you have any ideas.

I'm a level II Nursery Nurse, and my mom just gave me a good idea (she's a teacher) apparently at teacher stores they sell cute name tags for cheap. It'll be like a big bear with a place on the belly for a name. It's just a big pad like sticky notes but bigger.

The Boards was the worst experience of my life. At 75 when it cut off, I was almost in tears because I wanted more chances to show that I knew what I was talking about. Somehow, when I called the next day, I passed. None of the content I studied was on there, it was more about being in a situation you've never heard of......what should you do. I got two check all that apply. I had 5 fill in the blanks but they were all med calc, drips, and calculate input and output. Those were easy. I didn't get any picture ones. My advice is to do practice questions and not really worry about content so much.

At Virginia Commonwealth University, we had to wear Navy Blue Scrub pants and Navy Blue Scrub top with a patch on the sleeve. Not too bad. But now, since I graduated, I can't wear navy blue.

I graduate tomorrow and a majority of my class are starting in ICUs. PICU, NICU, CSICU, MRICU, STICU, NVICU.... I think hospitals prefer new grads sometimes because they get to mold you.

Medic I"m on day 4 now........how ya doing?? I'm about to go to a senior send off for my graduation tomorrow. It's at a bar......If I can get through this....

I'm a professional quitter :-) Not that I should be giving advice, but one way to get through stressful situation is to continue to take breaks. While studying I'd always take smoke breaks and then after quitting I still needed some form of stress relief. Even if it's just playing solitare for 10 minutes.....you have to give your brain rest time. Congrats on quitting. (I'm on day 3 of another attempt.) I graduate friday and start my first job on Monday and refuse to take a smoke break in front of the hospital. Something about wearing scrubs, working in a NICU, and smelling like cigarette smoke that doesn't go together.

I haven't started yet (my orientation starts Monday) but it sounds awesome. It's more of an intership and we have classroom days where we learn about common illnesses in the NICU and other stuff. I think it's going to make the transition from student to RN much easier than just throwing us in head first.

We do verbal report in the NICU, but no families are allowed during shift change. In school on the units with recorded report, there was a shelf type thing with a slot for each bed number and each bed number had it's own tape. So when you got your assignment you went and picked up your 4-9 tapes.

If there's 1000mcg in 1mg and you need 200mcg then that's 0.2mg. At least that's what I got.........so that's 1ml. hehehehe Woah, good NCLEX tip, complete the question and make sure you answer what it's asking. Would have quickly picked #1, but then realized my mistake. #3

Not my favorite nurse but thought I'd mention it. I rented "The Student Nurses" from NetFlix last week. It said it was about 4 senior nursing students about to graduate, and I thought how cute, I'm a senior about to graduate. Well, it was from 1976 and had more soft core Media undertones then necessary hahahahahah guess I should have realized that.....I don't recommend it. (Unless of course you're into that kind of thing!) My Boyfriend couldn't stop laughing and wanted to know what on earth I had rented! (He suggested I pick the movies from now on!) hahahaha

Is it possible for a man's sex drive to bottom out? I think it would just make his equal mine! hehehehe I'm glad the doc didn't have super bad news. Asthma shasthma :-)

Congrats! You should be sooooo proud of yourself? Any hints? I have to take mine this summer.

I'm starting as a New Grad in the NICU next month and was wondering if you all wouldn't mind giving me some pointers. My biggest DUH moment so far was when I was assisting the NP put in a PICC line and she didn't get it on the right side, so I was about to move the PICC cart and everything to the opposite side and the NP just smiled at me, reached into the incubator and turned the baby around. Easy access to the left side. Sometimes common sense escapes us. Any DUH moments to share so that I don't have to experience them myself?

See, after I saw the responses I had a "DUH" moment. That doesn't really count, coz I woulda gotten that one wrong. Man o man, I need some serious studying before I take the NCLEX!

I'd say C. I think breast feeding is encouraged as long as it is possible.

I'm a new grad (actually graduate in 2 weeks). I was just offered a job in a NICU, and took it even though I'm scared to death! It was nice reading this thread. Reminded me why I wanted to do this in the first place! I guess I'd be scared no matter what unit I'd be working in. It's not like I just get thrown to the wolves. There's an intersnip and orientation....so hopefully I'll be an excellent NICU nurse and will have love my job as much as all of you!

I did a summer externship in between my junior and senior year and it was awesome! For two months, I worked 40hrs/week with an RN Preceptor. It was like clinical but for entire shifts. I learned a lot more than when I was a Patient Care Tech. I actually just got offered a job yesterday at the hospital that I did my externship at. Good learning experience and good networking!

Does his problem get any worse after he eats? I thought I was having a panic attack that just kept getting worse, went to the ER and got a full cardiac work up (I'm only 24). Everything was fine then the doc pushed on my gallbladder and I screamed so loud I'm sure I woke up everyone in the hospital. I had some nasty stones and had to have my gallbladder removed. Do a little science experiement, have him eat some ice cream and see what happens. Gallbladder pain gives you the same heart attack and panic attack symptoms. It even radiates to your back and causes some serious shortness of breath. I was hyperventilating and I think the the pain from the gallbladder attack triggered a panic attack......but all in all it wasn't fun. Just a thought to throw out there for the ole hubby.

At the National Student Nurses Association Convention I went to last month, some of the booth's were have drawings for an IPod or IPod Shuffle and some of them had the pre-paid Visas and American Express as gifts. All very popular booths! One both was giving away those plastic "livestrong" type bracelets that said I heart nursing. My school sells bracelets that say "Live to Give, be a Nurse" they were a big hit. The IPod booths definately had the longest lines.

Check out Richmond.com if you're interested in the city. It's a small city. After living in DC, it's kinda funny that richmond considers itself a big city, but it's nice.