So there were some advantages to the NICU that I anticipated prior to taking the job. However, the best parts of neo nursing are things that I couldn't have imagined beforehand. Here are the things that still amaze me and keep me content in my fourth year as a neonatal intensive care nurse.
- The variety involved in this job keeps it interesting. One day I'm taking care of two critical patients on ventilators and an assortment of medication drips. The next day I'm checking off nurses at an NRP renewal course for the nurses in our building. The day after that, I'm feeding three stable babies and helping their families master the basics of baby care.
- I love the fact that I don't have to keep track of six to eight patients like I might on some adult med-surg units. The ideal assignment for my ADHD mind: providing intensive and focused care for two critical patients and learning every detail about them. I often get just that in the NICU.
- While some are intimidated by the size of our NICU patients, I see it as an advantage. I never have to worry about a back injury from heavy lifting. Any mess can only get so big. And even if you could swaddle up a 150 kg patient and rock him, "cute" would not be the sentiment that generally came to mind.
- NICU experience opens up opportunities everywhere. It inspires confidence that you can handle any job assignment in any setting. Careful with this one, though. "You work with tiny preemies? Floating to psych will be a piece of cake then!" I'm not sure it works that way.
- Finally, babies are just amazing. There is just no other way to put it. If you insert a nasogastric tube in a baby and then drop one in an adult, you'll know what I mean. There's an adage that babies "crash so fast." I see just the opposite. I see extreme resilience, strength and survival... sometimes in spite of what we do for them.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Monday, May 18, 2009
Stay tuned...
So I was set on sitting down this afternoon to hammer out "Why NICU? Part II." I'm passionate about what I do. It wasn't going to be a matter of coming up with reasons, but I wanted it to be written well.
I sat down with a pen, paper and my laptop. Then my phone rang. On two hours notice, I'm about to head out for a 3-11 agency shift at a large hospital down the road. In previous jobs, I might have screened my calls from employers, but no longer.
Though they can easily become a curse if they get out of hand, last-minute opportunities and schedule changes are a blessing to a guy who is saving for a down payment on a house. Most staff nurse positions come with some level of unpredictability in scheduling, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.
I sat down with a pen, paper and my laptop. Then my phone rang. On two hours notice, I'm about to head out for a 3-11 agency shift at a large hospital down the road. In previous jobs, I might have screened my calls from employers, but no longer.
Though they can easily become a curse if they get out of hand, last-minute opportunities and schedule changes are a blessing to a guy who is saving for a down payment on a house. Most staff nurse positions come with some level of unpredictability in scheduling, but I don't think I'd have it any other way.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Why NICU? Part I
Maybe it's because I don't exactly look the part. Maybe everyone gets asked these questions. I'm really not sure. But frequently, I find myself answering, "Why NICU?" I'll answer in two parts. It's a long answer, and - well, honestly I've been slacking lately and it won't hurt to pad my post count just a little until I come up with another good topic.
The first part of the answer involves why I thought I would like the NICU - why I chose it. Part II has to do with the great things I've since learned about the NICU and about babies - why I've stayed for nearly 3 1/2 years.
So here goes Part I. Why would a brand new grad, a single guy with no kids, choose neonatal intensive care nursing among all of the possibilities?
- I wanted a career that would be similar to my prior involvement in EMS, but distinct from it at the same time. I liked emergency intervention and resuscitation, but I'd seen all the chest pain and stroke I could stand.
- I liked the way that the NICU integrated problems involving numerous body systems. I didn't want to be a cardiac nurse, or a renal nurse, or a PACU nurse. Now I have some knowledge of each of those areas, but none of them dominate my practice.
- I liked the fact that a critical neonate stays on the same unit from birth until discharge. You don't get that long-term relationship as much on adult units, or even at large regional referral center NICU's.
- I felt personally connected to the NICU because of my early experiences as a spina bifida and hydrocephalus patient.
I got exceptionally lucky. My perceptions closely matched what the NICU has to offer. The initial months were rough - the hardest time I've had with any job. It's tough to acquire time management and delegation skills while working on the tiniest babies. But in the end, it feels like the NICU is exactly where I'm supposed to be. The reasons above are certainly a part of it... but there's so much more. Stay tuned for Part II.
The first part of the answer involves why I thought I would like the NICU - why I chose it. Part II has to do with the great things I've since learned about the NICU and about babies - why I've stayed for nearly 3 1/2 years.
So here goes Part I. Why would a brand new grad, a single guy with no kids, choose neonatal intensive care nursing among all of the possibilities?
- I wanted a career that would be similar to my prior involvement in EMS, but distinct from it at the same time. I liked emergency intervention and resuscitation, but I'd seen all the chest pain and stroke I could stand.
- I liked the way that the NICU integrated problems involving numerous body systems. I didn't want to be a cardiac nurse, or a renal nurse, or a PACU nurse. Now I have some knowledge of each of those areas, but none of them dominate my practice.
- I liked the fact that a critical neonate stays on the same unit from birth until discharge. You don't get that long-term relationship as much on adult units, or even at large regional referral center NICU's.
- I felt personally connected to the NICU because of my early experiences as a spina bifida and hydrocephalus patient.
I got exceptionally lucky. My perceptions closely matched what the NICU has to offer. The initial months were rough - the hardest time I've had with any job. It's tough to acquire time management and delegation skills while working on the tiniest babies. But in the end, it feels like the NICU is exactly where I'm supposed to be. The reasons above are certainly a part of it... but there's so much more. Stay tuned for Part II.
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