In my personal journey to becoming a NICU nurse, I found it difficult to find resources and information about NICU nursing. So, in order to help others, I have tried to compile as much information as I can on the basics of a NICU nurse and what we do on a daily basis.
That being said, there are SO many different aspects to being a NICU nurse. I mean, when the word “intensive” is used in your job title and tiny lives are in your hands, it’s safe to say that this role is no joke.
Working in the NICU is both thrilling and scary at the same time. To some it may sound amazing, and to others it may sound like a cake walk, but many don’t actually know what really happens during our day-to-day shifts. My blog + Instagram are dedicated to providing you all with more information and insight about a typical day in the NICU and what it is that we nurses do on the regular. I hope to help give you a glimpse into our unit and why I love it so much. Welcome to our world!
For starters, let’s address the most important question… What Do NICU Nurses Do?
We take care of the tiniest and often sickest humans in the hospital. It is important to understand that premature infants are not only small, but their entire bodies are extremely underdeveloped. All of their vital organs are incredibly immature and fragile. We are in the business of “growing humans.”
A typical day could range from feeding babies and educating parents that are close to going home, all the way to shifts holding a mother’s hand, as we explain that it’s time for her to hold her baby for the last time while we remove life support as the baby passes.
Every day in a NICU looks completely different from the last. Every shift in the NICU looks different from the one before it. Every NICU baby looks different than the next. And every NICU looks different from one another.
There is so much variety and diversity on the unit. You will never become bored as a NICU nurse. You will never stop learning as a NICU nurse. And you will never stop growing as a NICU nurse, just like our babies!
If you are looking for a high risk, high reward nursing specialty, the NICU is definitely the place for you!