2manycookies

Hi OP, You sound like you are really hoping to take care of some sicker babies. I can tell you from experience that firstly getting along well with your nursing team will make you a shinier candidate to begin to work with sicker kids. After your stable babies are well cared for you could ask some of the nurses with sick kids if they need help. Pick up extra shifts and cover sick calls. Ask your unit director if there are any evidence based research topics you could look into for the unit. Focus on safety and safe medication administration. Happy, safe, helpful nurses get promoted. Even young ones, trust me. I know.

My first thought on reading the OP was that it's got to be a $ issue! I've worked at the same hospital for over 6 years and have done some admin type stuff along with nursing. Our liter bags of saline cost the PT or ins. co $350 each. So, maybe the docs aren't reaping that benefit but SOMEBODY is getting paid. Clinically speaking this seems similar to me to putting O2 on PT's regardless of whether they need it or not. (not talking about following cardiac/stroke protocols) Say, for instance you give someone 50 of fent and they maintain there sats well above 90%- I don't put O2 on those peeps, just keep them on the monitor and have it ready just in case. I know nurses however in my ED that will put anyone who gets an IV narc on 2 liters of O2 whether they need it or not. In the end I think that it's better to refrain from intervention unless it's preventative or restorative.