New Zealand Trained Nurse travelled from UK

I'm really good thanks, really enjoying being here.  The compound is great and the NICU staff are really supportive and friendly.  The sun is shining, the work is interesting you get about 9 weeks of annual leave what's not too like so far.  I encountered a few negative people when I first arrived, people that weren't enjoying being here or their job and I found it hard listening to their 'advise' and gripes.  I came here with a really positive attitude and I believe any experience you have is what you make out of it.  

The compound I stay on is Al Yamama 3.  It is the newest compound and consists of amazing 2, 3 and 4 bedroom villas.  The villas are gorgeous!  Light and spacious.  The 3 bedroom villas have 2 bathrooms and the 4 bedroom villas have 4 toilets 3 bathrooms.  They are fully equipped with a t.v., washer, dryer, dishwasher, beds, furniture, linen and a towel.  Generally it seems they try to pair you up with people from close to home.  For example I'm a New Zealander and I live with another kiwi and an Australian girl.  The compound is for women and families only.  The nationalities include English, Canadian, American, European, Australian etc.  A lot of the other staff stay on other compounds near to the hospital which are older facilities.  It takes only 15-20 mins by bus to go to the hospital and during the week morning and evening there are buses provided for shopping trips to malls and supermarkets.  If you need a taxi to go anywhere they are reasonably priced as well.

So the villas are brand new and fabulous the compound is like a 5 star resort.  There are 3 outdoor swimming pools with tables and lounger chairs.  A restaurant which offers various international cuisine and waiters which can bring your food and drinks pool side.  There is a shop for groceries (like a convenience store), souvenir shop, hairdresser, jewellery shop, massage facilities.  The gym is incredible fully equipped with aerobic and weight machines.  An indoor swimming pool, jacuzzi, plunge pool, steam room, and sauna room.  There is a pool table, squash and tennis courts and there are even badminton tournaments and yoga classes.

It is really easy to meet people and make new friends here.  Everyone is in the same boat and open to making new friends.   You'll become good friends with your villa mates, meet people on the buses to and from work and shopping.  In the gym around the pool and in the hospital as well.  Even when I've gone to MRI or sat in the cafeteria either I will or someone will start a conversation enquiring where you're from, how long you've been here etc and within minutes you exchange phone numbers.

The recreation department of the hospital arranges day trips around Riyadh and into the dessert. People have birthday parties, go out to restaurants, bbqs and travel for short breaks around the kingdom to different cities.  Every embassy has embassy parties and you can attend other embassy parties as a guest of someone who holds citizenship for that country.

Overall the lifestyle here is great, you'll have a beautiful comfortable home, great recreational facilities, fabulous weather and a wonderful experience outside of your home country.

NICU

The big question to ask before moving jobs and indeed countries is what will the work be like?  How will I be orientated?  What skills do I need or will I be expected to require?

The orientation programme for the National Guard KAMC is excellent.  The general hospital orientation is 2 weeks then you have a preceptor on the ward for 4 weeks.  Throughout the 4 week orientation you are supernumery and have the support of Clinical Resource Nurses (CRN) and learning packages.  Within the first 9 months you complete unit specific competencies.  Such as airway management, thermoregulation, wound care, CPAP, catheterisation, physical assessment etc

On the NICU they have well established protocols and policies which guides your practice and you have education days with the CRN's who help you adjust to the NICU and identify any learning needs you may have to fulfil the job.

The NICU is well supported with additional staff.  There are clinical nurse co-ordinators who oversee the running of the NICU.  2 charge nurses each shift.  Respiratory Therapists, Unit Assistants and Patient Care Technicians.

Respiratory therapists assist with any baby requiring support for their breathing they help us by running blood gases, adjusting ventilation settings, setting up ventilators and CPAP, assists with suctioning, administering surfactant anything airway related.

Unit assistants assist us with interpretation/communication for families, and administration duties on the unit.

Patient Care Technicians (PCT) assist us with locating equipment, stocking up our bedside equipment, collecting blood products, and transportation to other facilities within the hospital i.e. MRI

The nurse to patient ratio in the NICU is amazing...
HFOV + nitric oxide babies 2 nurses : 1 baby
Ventilated and CPAP babies 1:1
Babies on nasal cannula and room air 1 nurse : 2 babies
There are 3 neonatal nurses dedicated to labour ward each shift who attend deliveries and help admit babies into the NICU.

The role of the NICU nurse is similar to that in Australia and England.  There are added responsibilities such as venupuncture, IV cannula insertion, ordering blood tests and xrays.  We seem to take on a few jobs that were otherwise reserved for junior doctors.  The unit is in the process of shifting from paper to using a computer records system.  The computer system is user friendly, you may find their is more paper work here than what you're use too.

The equipment is new, we use Alaris and Plum pumps.  Drager and sensor medic ventilators, phillips monitors and Giraffe and Drager incubators.  They generally use oral intubation for ventilated babies and nasopharyngeal tubes or hudson prongs for CPAP.  If you are not familiar with the equipment no worries teaching and support is provided to develop your confidence.

The range of admissions is very interesting.  You'll care for babies with various cardiac, genetic and metabolic conditions you learnt about during your training.  They admit babies born as premature as 23 weeks and we encounter quite a few PPHN babies as well.  There are surgical cases, such as NEC laparotomies, tracheotomies, repair myomeningoceles, ROP laser surgery, PDA closure.

As you'll know neonatal management varies from country to country, city to city, unit to unit.  How a 23 weeker is managed in Australia can be slightly different to how they manage them in England.  Generally the care and management practice is the same and evidence based.

All staff on the unit are required to join committees i.e. infection control, documentation, skin care, developmental care, breastfeeding.  These are run on the unit and you get to choose a committee that interests you.  Each committee has regular meetings offers support to all staff and conducts audits throughout the year.  It helps facilitate quality management.

The roster system is a 28 day roster.  You work 15 12 hour shifts each roster and may be required to work 'compulsory overtime' once during the roster.  Your overtime is paid as an extra shift and you only carry out this overtime shift if the unit is busy or someone calls in sick.  You get 2 requests each roster and generally work a month of nights and a month of days.  You only work day shifts until you have completed your competencies.  The schedule varies 2 days on 2 days off 3 days on 1 day etc... no set pattern.

The NICU have made me feel very welcome and have relieved any anxiety I had about staring a new job.  They offer great education to assist you learning about the various cases they encounter here on the unit and they assist you with all your competencies which really aren't that scary.. it's tasks we're familiar with.  Your exposure to new and interesting neonatal cases will be varied and learning new skills always adds enjoyment to your work.

The standard of nursing care is high as it is in England and Australia.  The team here acknowledges that everyone has different skills and comes from different neonatal units.  whether you've been a neonatal nurse for 1 year or 15 years it doesn't matter you will be guided and well supported in your practice.

Professional Connections supported me so well I can highly recommend for you to contact ann or mari on nurses@profco.com

They can give any neonatal nurses my email if you wish to contact me

Sheryn

Sept 21st,  2010