My typical day as a Neonatal ICU Registered Nurse is far from typical. I am very busy all day and use all of the skills that I learned at Pacific College, easily one of the best nursing programs in Los Angeles. I enjoy my nursing career in NICU, but it can be bittersweet: while I really love spending all day caring for the babies in the NICU, it’s hard to be around so many premature and sick infants that sometimes it really gets to me. Nonetheless, I love kids and know that my investment in their care is not only making a difference to one child and their family, but to many – and everyday.
When I come in for my shift, I receive my assignment. Before I enter the NICU, I scrub up, and then I normally go find the nurse I am taking over for to get their report from them. I will usually be in charge of two to three babies per shift, depending on their condition and the current staffing. I owe a lot to Pacific College, which was a great nursing school in Los Angeles for me and has prepared me very well for my daily assignments.
After report, I go and check on each of the babies in my charge. I make sure the IVs are all running well, all monitors are on and all the needed supplies are stocked and are nearby. I check all orders from the previous shift and note when medications and/or treatments are necessary so that I can plan out my day (although, as many nurses know, it’s hard to ‘plan’ any day in a hospital).
Then I start my rounds. I check each baby’s vital signs and do an assessment of them. I will change their diaper if needed, check IVs or tubes, and give medications. Then I will feed them, either by tube or bottle. Once I am done with my rounds, I will chart everything that was done for each baby. I may also weigh the child and give them a bath, depending on their schedule.
Some days in the Neonatal ICU may go just as planned. Other days, however, will be anything but routine. Monitors may go off. A baby that seemed stable may take a turn for the worse. But I never worry, because my nursing programs at Pacific College have prepared me for anything and that my professors have made my confident in my career.
This is a normal day and doesn’t really account for any emergency situations that arise – which do happen, trust me. But all in all I find true peace being in the NICU, which some of my friends simply can’t wrap their heads around. For me, kids are where my heart is and I know that by investing my energy, hard work, dedication and passion in helping struggling infants, I’m not only helping to give life to them and their families; I’m also helping the next generation.