Nurse Kelly’s Notes

Nurse Kelly’s Notes Hi! I’m Nurse Kelly and I hope you grow to love NICU and perinatal nursing as much as I do!

Vecuronium is a paralytic that can be administered to newborns in the NICU. It works by antagonizing autonomic cholinerg...
04/21/2026

Vecuronium is a paralytic that can be administered to newborns in the NICU. It works by antagonizing autonomic cholinergic receptors, leading to muscle relaxation. Patients receiving vecuronium should have a patent and protected airway prior to receiving it. Vecuronium should also be used WITH analgesia and sedation - paralyzed patients can still feel pain and are still aware and conscious! Eye care or lubricant should also be administered.

The dose of vecuronium used on newborns is 0.1 mg/kg Q1-2 hours.

Have you administered vecuronium to a patient?

04/17/2026

I call my report sheet my “brain” because it really feels that way sometimes by the end of 12 hours. We’re all human and it’s funny when little things like this happen in report!

Have you ever heard something like this before during handoff?

Last week, I took the exam for Neonatal Neuro-Intensive Care and I found out today that I PASSED! I wanted to earn my C...
04/16/2026

Last week, I took the exam for Neonatal Neuro-Intensive Care and I found out today that I PASSED! I wanted to earn my C-NNIC to demonstrate expertise in neurologic care of babies. It’s the 4th active certification that I have. It was a challenging exam and I suffer from test anxiety (on top of everyday anxiety), but I’m so pleased with my result!

04/15/2026

5 unpopular opinions from a NICU nurse!
1. Not everybody needs to be a charge nurse or a preceptor. As an introvert, I actually need to take frequent breaks from precepting because it drains my social batteries. That being said, I think that good charge nurses and preceptors need to be resourceful, have back-up plans in case things get crazy, needs to remain calm in an emergency, and is approachable.
2. Paper charting is superior to electronic charting. I said what I said 💅
3. Management should be able to take the same assignments that their nurses take. If I’m being tripled and expected to deliver safe, quality care for my patients, I think that the people holding me accountable should be able to do that, too.
4. Working a 9-5, Monday through Friday desk job is overrated.
5. Not everybody needs to be, or should be, a nurse practitioner. I’ll be at the bedside for life!

Do you agree or disagree with any of these?

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) describes a congenital hole in the diaphragm which causes abdominal contents to he...
04/14/2026

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) describes a congenital hole in the diaphragm which causes abdominal contents to herniate into the chest. This herniation affects development of the lungs and pulmonary vessels, putting affected babies at risk for pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension.

Signs and symptoms of CDH include cyanosis, decreased breath sounds on the affected side, respiratory distress, scaphoid abdomen, and shifted heart sounds.

Goals of treatment are to maximize oxygenation and ventilation while reducing injury to the lungs. Surgery is required to repair defects.

Have you cared for a patient with CDH before?

04/12/2026

Don’t be like the nurse that I was 10 years ago.

Don’t try to be the hero and come to work after dropping a food processor blade on your foot.

The hospital and your unit will go on in your absence, I promise.

04/08/2026

✨ Tips and tricks for communicating with NICU families!

I love caring for our babies and their families - it’s such a privilege to be allowed into their lives at such a vulnerable time. Communicating with families can feel daunting in the beginning, so I’m sharing tips and tricks for you here!

NICU clinicians and NICU families, I want to know what tips you have for communicating in the NICU!

🌺 Bloom as a NICU nurse with Nurse Kelly’s Notes! ✨ Our Neonatal Intensive Care resources have been used by thousands of...
03/27/2026

🌺 Bloom as a NICU nurse with Nurse Kelly’s Notes!
✨ Our Neonatal Intensive Care resources have been used by thousands of nurses and NICU clinicians all over the world, and they all have five-star ratings.
💜 Comment NICUBLOOM and I’ll DM you a limited time discount code!

03/23/2026

Reading to babies in the NICU is beneficial not only for bonding between patients and families, but it’s also associated with improved language development, improved physiologic stabilization (like skin-to-skin), voice recognition, AND skills in reading and math as our patients grow up and become school-aged!

“Welcome to the NIC-ZOO” is an award-winning book that was written by Paige Pedroli, a NICU mom. It’s a colorfully illustrated story that explains the NICU in a way that older siblings can better understand, and can provide an opportunity for former NICU patients to understand how their life started once they’re old enough to understand. As a NICU nurse, I love this book because my 8 year old reads it to my 3 year old at bedtime, to help him understand what his mama does at work! I also love that it’s a board book and can be wiped down in between uses on the unit for infection control!

For more information about reading in the NICU and “Welcome to the NIC-ZOO”, check out !

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Alexandria, VA

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