Well-Baby Nursery???

suzanne4, RN · May 10, 2005

Most facilities require that you also have training in high-risk nursery as well, not just well-baby, just in case a kid goes bad before you can transfer them out.

Very few hospitals have well-baby nurseries anymore to begin with, most are in combination mother/baby rooms where the nurse cares for most.

Another thing to keep in mind is that the hospital will be paying more for your services, so they want someone who can cover many jobs........... :)

KK7724 · May 10, 2005

Most facilities require that you also have training in high-risk nursery as well, not just well-baby, just in case a kid goes bad before you can transfer them out.
Very few hospitals have well-baby nurseries anymore to begin with, most are in combination mother/baby rooms where the nurse cares for most.
Another thing to keep in mind is that the hospital will be paying more for your services, so they want someone who can cover many jobs........... :)

I think our hospital has a section of the nursery devoted to "ECN" and "SCN" babies....my last day of preceptorship...I had a mom with Factor VIII deficiency....well the Nursery nurses noticed that her baby was developing bruises and according to the cord blood they got, his platelets were less than 16,000....so...he was going to be sent to the Level III NICU at the other hospital in town. Hopefully, I will get the training I need.

~Kristina~

suzanne4, RN · May 11, 2005

Exactly, the reason why facilities want nurses with training in high-risk nursery....to be able to pick up on these things.

By the time that you feel comfortable with all of the different things that you believe can go wrong, then of course there are others, you will hopefully have your skill level to where it should be to be a safe nurse.

I have worked nurseries in the past where I have been the only nurse in there for the entire shift. Anything and everything can drop in. Even if you wanted to fly a kid out, you still have to care for him until then. Or keep them as I usually chose to do to make it easier on the families.

Just get the best training that you can and make sure that you could a good preceptor. That is the best advice that I can give to you.............. :)

KK7724 · May 11, 2005

Exactly, the reason why facilities want nurses with training in high-risk nursery....to be able to pick up on these things.
By the time that you feel comfortable with all of the different things that you believe can go wrong, then of course there are others, you will hopefully have your skill level to where it should be to be a safe nurse.
I have worked nurseries in the past where I have been the only nurse in there for the entire shift. Anything and everything can drop in. Even if you wanted to fly a kid out, you still have to care for him until then. Or keep them as I usually chose to do to make it easier on the families.
Just get the best training that you can and make sure that you could a good preceptor. That is the best advice that I can give to you.............. :)

In your experience, do most nurseries exist mostly in the South??? I know Birmingham, AL does couplet care....my hometown (Mobile, AL) houses the University of South Alabama Children's and Women's Hospital....they have a well-baby nursery and then of course their level III NICU...Does your travel nurse recruiter give you info about the hospital you contract with or do you do the homework on your own?

~Kristina~

suzanne4, RN · May 11, 2005

Nurseries exist where ever they have babies. But that doesn't mean that hospital has a separate well baby nursery anymore. Most of the newer facilities are doing couplet care, as the mother goes home with the baby the next day. Remember that with a lady partsl delivery, discharge is usually the next day, and after a C-section only in house for three days..............

So the need isn't there, babies are no longre all routinely staying for four days like in the "good old days." You are going to find it difficult to find a travel position, or even per diem agency, for well-baby nursery only. They want you to have other skills so that if the unit has a low census, you can be floated. They are paying more for your services, so they can expect more.

Just because those types of units exist, doesn't mean that they will be using agency staff............many of their own staff love to work in well-baby units, so they will usually cover most of the shifts. If you want to travel, you are going to need more experience than just well-baby to be able to land any decent assignments that would make it worth your time and effort to even try it..............

KK7724 · May 11, 2005

Nurseries exist where ever they have babies. But that doesn't mean that hospital has a separate well baby nursery anymore. Most of the newer facilities are doing couplet care, as the mother goes home with the baby the next day. Remember that with a lady partsl delivery, discharge is usually the next day, and after a C-section only in house for three days..............
So the need isn't there, babies are no longre all routinely staying for four days like in the "good old days." You are going to find it difficult to find a travel position, or even per diem agency, for well-baby nursery only. They want you to have other skills so that if the unit has a low census, you can be floated. They are paying more for your services, so they can expect more.
Just because those types of units exist, doesn't mean that they will be using agency staff............many of their own staff love to work in well-baby units, so they will usually cover most of the shifts. If you want to travel, you are going to need more experience than just well-baby to be able to land any decent assignments that would make it worth your time and effort to even try it..............

Are there any post-partum assignments out there?? I don't particularly love this specialty, but I think with travel assignments, it would be really cool to see different hospitals and cities.

~Kristina~

suzanne4, RN · May 11, 2005

There are a few, but very few. You will be limiting yourslef considerably with this. With Labor and Delivery experience, then that is completely another story. I have personally seen only one or two Mother/Baby assignments posted and that is over many years and looking at sites from many companies. The more areas that you can work, the more that there will be a need for you.