Travel NICU

Clara S · Jan 16, 2023

I'm on my very first travel NICU assignment in NC. Here in this hospital things are VERY different than were I come from. I do a few feeders and growers but for the most part level 3. Like you, I spent 12 years in one facility so doing things differently seems so weird to me. The hospital I'm at is a low Resourses hospital so I've learned to do many things on my own that I'm used to doing with support staff. For example hands on care I'm used to doing with RT, here you are all alone for your cares. I work in a smaller 6 bed NICU 3 here were 8/10 times in all by myself. We have another nurse in NICU 2. I'm also required to go to ALL deliveries with no support. It is my job alone to stabilize a patient once they're born in distress until help arrives. It's stressful and when I first got here I wanted to quit. BUT I ended up extending my contract and getting the hang of it. I hate going to deliveries by myself specially having to cpap or ppv a baby but I've grown very confident in myself and have learned a lot. Good luck!

nicu-nurse, BSN · Jan 16, 2023

Clara Sowell said:

I'm on my very first travel NICU assignment in NC. Here in this hospital things are VERY different than were I come from. I do a few feeders and growers but for the most part level 3. Like you, I spent 12 years in one facility so doing things differently seems so weird to me. The hospital I'm at is a low Resourses hospital so I've learned to do many things on my own that I'm used to doing with support staff. For example hands on care I'm used to doing with RT, here you are all alone for your cares. I work in a smaller 6 bed NICU 3 here were 8/10 times in all by myself. We have another nurse in NICU 2. I'm also required to go to ALL deliveries with no support. It is my job alone to stabilize a patient once they're born in distress until help arrives. It's stressful and when I first got here I wanted to quit. BUT I ended up extending my contract and getting the hang of it. I hate going to deliveries by myself specially having to cpap or ppv a baby but I've grown very confident in myself and have learned a lot. Good luck!

Wow!! This was all incredibly helpful!! Thank you so much for answering my questions!

I am still trying to process going to all deliveries by myself without a nicu respiratory therapist --that's intense!

Leader25, ASN, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2023

Some nicus will try to pawn feeders,or long term pts because they are tired of the same routine day after day,you have to speak up.We had travel nurses they go acute cases but less patients which cause animosity with regular staff working short.

Ogamu1966 · Jun 5

I have been NICU RN for over 25 years and did travel nursing for over 7 years only because I needed to get away from home during a separation to be away from 'the spouse'. It was fun to meet new people and visit new places while I worked. The COVID season was the best time for travel nursing.

Rule #1. Always maintain a PRN status at your permanent place of employment in case things do not go well and to avoid a fragmented/choppy resume.

Rule #2. Always keep 2 resumes. 1 for travel nursing and one for your regular employment. Never mix both up unless you do not keep your employment with your PRN status at your job and have decided to go full time with travel nursing(an absolute no-no!)

Rule #3. Avoid states that pay state taxes, because you will be paying taxes in your home state and the state of your travel nursing employment. By the time you pay for housing, transportation and taxes, you are left with less than you would have made as a full-time employee at your home state.

After 25 years in NICU, I do not wish to travel and wake up in strange beds. I make more as a regular staff RN with benefits and can always pick up one extra shift a week to meet my needs and maintain job security with benefits. Been there, done that. No more travel nursing for me. I love my home and I do not like to pay taxes in 2 states.