Brain Pain

When asked how NICU orientation is going, my response consists of two parts:

1. I absolutely love it! After so many years of wanting to know more about NICU nursing (but instead having to learn primarily about adult nursing to get my degree), it's sooo exciting to finally be here learning about what I'm actually going to be doing!

2. My brain hurts! Every evening I come back to my apartment convinced that my brain could not possibly hold any more information! For example, I'm currently reading the book Crazy Love by Francis Chan. It's such a great book, but I have such a terrible time concentrating on it and taking in what it says after a day of orientation!

But now the classroom portion of NICU orientation is done (except for one more week in the classroom later in July). And starting Monday, I begin 8 weeks of orientation in the unit. During this time, I will be work 3 12-hour shifts each week and will be paired up with a preceptor, who is a more experienced nurse in the unit. I am starting out on nights because my primary preceptor, Beth, is a night-shift nurse, so I'm a little anxious about working 7pm to 7am while trying to learn so much. I am anticipating being very tired next week!

I have been so impressed with the nurses I've met from the unit. They are so incredibly smart and are so good with their patients and families. I'm so honored to be a part of this team of nurses. I know it's going to take a long time before I'm as knowledgeable as they are. There is just SO much to learn beyond what we learned in nursing school. And so much of what I thought I knew is different in the NICU population.

For example, we learned all about arterial blood gases in nursing school. I thought I was pretty good at interpreting blood gas values. The normal blood pH for an adult is 7.35-7.45. Anything less than 7.35 is considered acidosis and probably requires some kind of intervention. A value of 7.2 would be critical, and I would definitely be notifying the physician. But in NICU, 7.2 might be a normal value for some of our tiniest babies. They have a low blood pH in utero, so we try to keep it in that lower range for a while after they are born as well.

This experience is definitely humbling! I'm really excited to keep learning and taking it all in. :)


Here is the unit where I work! Dr. Cole is the Medical Director of the NICU. He came to talk to us in orientation last week, and I was really touched by how deeply he cares about these babies and their families.

"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." Colossians 3:23-4