Minnie Said:

How much do NICU RN's make, yearly?

We Answered:

It depends on the area. California, RN's in icu make about 90,000./year., but the cost of living is much higher there also.

Jon Said:

What is a good job for people who want to be an RN but are pretty sensitive people?

We Answered:

Just because you're sensitive doesn't make you incapable of dealing with emotional situations at work. I am a VERY sensitive person, very emotional, very empathetic. You don't have to turn those qualities off when you work as a nurse, in fact, it can make you a better, more caring nurse because of it.

Part of your training helps you to become self-aware of your emotions, how to deal with them effectively, how to manage your stress, how to remain professional while you're working. You will have hard days as a NICU nurse and babies are very sick and will die. You will see parents, siblings, and extended family as they grieve. It's ok to cry and grieve with them when it's appropriate, but your role is there to support them.

I work in high -risk obstetrics and see families go through deliveries of severely preterm or critically ill babies, I've had babies die in my hands. It's awful. But those days do not happen every day. In fact, they happen far less than the days where the babies are stable (although still critically ill and small). As a NICU nurse the greatest rewards come from seeing your babies grow and learn to breastfeed and stabilize and when they go home with their family, it's a joyous celebration, a true blessing. Even in those bad days there is a special kind of power in those moments. . . you can choose to take away the positives, that you created a comfort zone for the parents, that you were there to witness a family be there to hold their baby for the last time, it's very powerful, and not always in a negative way.

You have a lot of time to think about it, and if you become an RN you don't have to decide right away if you want to work in NICU. There are other areas of nursing that aren't as stressful and emotionally challenging.

Eleanor Said:

Can any Certified Nursing Assistants give me their opinion about their job?

We Answered:

Well, it is a very rewarding job. I loved it. I used to work in a hospital as a nurse aide, but I had to resign because it was just too much for me after my grandmother died, I worked in the geriatric unit and it seemed like most of the older ladies I saw in there reminded me so much of her and I would just break down. It hit me really hard.

But occassionally I did get to work with the pediatrics and I liked that alot better. It is a bit more demanding because their parents are in there and they want things when they want them. You not only have to cater to the children, but the parents as well. If you work with the NICU then you will most likely be changing a lot of diapers, maybe clothes and blankets. That kind of thing. You may get to hold some of the babies, I am not 100% sure on that one though. I enjoyed what I did. It was a great learning experience for me. I am currently trying to get into a nursing program, it is very competitive. The way the school I applied to scored it was based on your grades and the number of courses you have completed. The max you can get is 12, the lowest they accepted is 11.00 and my score was 10.878. So that is just an example of how difficult it can be to get in. I have B's in A&PI and II.
I truly wish you the best of luck.
Also, if you are looking to get paid well as a nurse aide you ill most likely be disappointed. I was making like $7.50/hr. But some hospitals offer more. It is all based on the hospital and their needs. Good Luck!

Annette Said:

How do I get a job in the NICU?

We Answered:

In order to work in the NICU you need to have your BSN, nursing experience and then the extra certifications that make you qualified to work in the NICU.

Harvey Said:

Full sleeve tattoo and seeking an RN job, would long sleeves be okay in this field?

We Answered:

Just make sure they can't see it in the interview. Once you're hired, you keep it covered and they can't really do anything about it. You can wear long sleeves but there will be times you have to scrub to your elbows in the NICU. People may have issue but they can't do anything about it. Some parents may complain about you over nothing and cause trouble but some people might like it too.