Week #3

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Well I'm in my 3rd week of orientation and I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed. I graduated in May and am currently in a level III, 60 bed facility. They did start us on more of a "special care" side with "healthier" babies. Sunday, my preceptor gave me all three of our kids on my own and I really felt like I struggled. I was late on 1200 meds because I forgot about them in the rush and had to nipple a BID kid late. My question is, do any of you guys have a system to make sure your day runs smoothly and that you don't forget anything?

Specializes in NICU.
Thank you for all the repies! I tried the index card method the last couple of weeks and it worked great! The thing I'm left struggling with are the PO babies who eat all at the same time. My last assignment I had 3 grower/feeders (one who started having As&Bs the night before) all who ate q3 (00, 03, 06, 09, 12 etc) Gompers, I like your schedule where the babies are all on q3 but on a different schedule. I'm still struggling with 3 babies who all have assessments and feeds due at the same time.

Some units prefer to make all their Q3 or Q4 hour babies due on the exact same schedule, but we don't. The kids just kind of end up on one schedule or another - sometimes we'll ask the parents what time is good for them since sometimes they can only come in the evening for an hour or two and we like to have the baby due at that times so they can bathe and feed their child. We would never get them all on the same schedule. In theory, it's a good idea because there would be less confusion about who is due when. But as far as nursing care goes, it would be silly to have 3 babies all due on the same Q3H schedule - you'd be crazy busy for one hour and then have nothing to do for the next two!

We stuff our babies that are PO AD LIB and don't let them snack. Maybe snacking is okay at home, but we like our grower-feeders to actually get some uninterrupted sleep between feeds.

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Specializes in NICU.
...and the premie in my hands is just sitting there, contemplating the meaning of life. Or something. But he sure as heck isn't eating. Or even interested. :banghead: :confused:

I love that look that preemies give you when you put the bottle in their mouth and they have no interest in eating. It's just like a, "May I help you?" kind of a stare. "What? You mean you actually want me to SUCK on this thing? Really? No thank you, I prefer to just sit here instead."

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Specializes in NICU- now learning OR!.
I love that look that preemies give you when you put the bottle in their mouth and they have no interest in eating. It's just like a, "May I help you?" kind of a stare. "What? You mean you actually want me to SUCK on this thing? Really? No thank you, I prefer to just sit here instead."

ROFL!!! :lol2: :lol2:

This could be a whole thread in itself!!

How about the...no, I'm not gonna suck on that thing...but I'm gonna look around and then stare at you and then drift off to sleep a little, and then do one of *those* little smiles just to make you laugh and feel even more fustrated! :lol2:

Jenny

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