learning...NICU-style

I love my job.  I know I have said and will say it 100 trillion more times how much I truly love this job.  Matt has told me it makes him happy to hear me say it and to tell his friends and family how much I am loving it.

I love my co-workers.  They are the best group of girls in the world.  There is always someone there to learn from, laugh with, and talk to while feeding a babe.  There are so many nurses that I look up to, and aspire to be like. Their skill and compassion amaze me.  At times when we are so slammed and busy, but we work together to get everything done. Sometimes I stop what I am doing and look around and realize how cool it is to be there and to be doing what we are doing.  Seeing the hands of one of us in the isolette of a 1 lb. baby taking special care to things others would completely disregard like the noise and the control of temperature.  Or going on a delivery, never knowing how the baby will come out, and seeing our team work together to help them transition.  I used to watch this kind of stuff on TV thinking there was no way I could ever do that, but I am. We are so blessed to have such amazing doctors a part of our team.  They really trust the nurse's instinct and that feels so good. I am just so lucky.

I was nervous when I accepted the position because I had a couple nursing friends tell me it was not a good idea to specialize in nursing so soon.  Try out med-surg, even peds why don't you? Well, guess what? I think I made the absolute best decision for me.  I learn so much. Every single day. And I can't imagine working on any other unit.  I love my patients, I love their families, and I love the difference we are making in their lives.  We are saving their babies and giving those tiny miracles the opportunity to live healthy lives.  

I love making memories for families.  Introducing them to their new baby and explaining what we are doing to help them. I don't know why, but it's the dads that get me every time.  Once they get teary-eyed, so do I.  I love when they are so eager to just be looking at their new baby.  My favorite is when we go on a delivery and the dad sees the baby for the first time and says, "Can I touch her?".  Why sure! :)   I have yet to "primary" a baby which means you sign up to have this baby every time you work.  You get to know the baby like the back of your hand and their family comes to know you as their nurse.  

I am currently orienting to level 3/4 which includes the babies on mechanical ventilators, high-frequency ventilators (oscillators and jet vents), drips (for cardiac and blood pressure medications, insulin, sedation, pain medication), venous and arterial lines, and so on.  Basically the tiniest, most complex, and sickest babies.  There are kids with heart defects, GI defects, multiple anomalies, chromosomal syndromes, babies needing to go to surgery, and babies the size of your hand.  I learn so much from the nurses I am paired with.  When I am done with this orientation, I will be fully trained in the NICU.  I can take on any baby, no matter how small or sick or how many medication drips they may be on.  Scary.  But exciting :)