Melanie Vague, MSN, RN

NICU Specialty Experience

 

 

Registered Nurse, Neonatal Intensive Care (Level III)

2015-Present

 

Providing competent, compassionate, and comprehensive nursing care to critically-ill and premature infants and their families. Level III experience includes Umbilical line insertion and maintenance (UAC & UVC), PICC line insertion and maintenance, High Frequency Oscillation Ventilation, SiPap, Bubble CPAP, nitric oxide, therapeutic hypothermia, chest tubes, EEG monitoring. Highly skilled in PIV insertions and arterial blood draws. Attends high-risk deliveries with Neonatologist/NNP and low-risk deliveries alone. Experience initiating NRP, participating in codes, and managing head-of-bed until Neo/NNP arrival. Cross-trained to float to Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Pediatric Medical-Surgical Unit.

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Code Pink Team Member: March 2017 - Current

   

The Code Pink Team is responsible for attending all high risk deliveries along with neonatologists and neonatal nurse practitioners. They also are first to respond to infant distress alarms and are trained to initiate NRP to resuscitate infants. The Code Pink team members are responsible for all NICU PICC line insertions and maintenance, as well as umbilical venous and arterial lines. Team members are responsible for assisting with unit admissions and attending to emergency situations occurring in the unit. 

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SNAP Fellowship Graduate: November 2015 - May 2016

   

The Specialty Nurse Accelerated Program (SNAP) is an elite training program designed to rapidly advance the careers of graduate nurses. The fellowship occurs after the Nurse Residency (orientation). It is a 6 month program with a series of educational and clinical experiences developed to help nurses excel as they transition into a specialty nursing practice. The fellowship incorporates specialty curriculum, classes and clinicals, professional growth, evidence based practices, and interdisciplinary collaborations. The fellowship promotes and develops evidence-based best practices in nursing specialty areas.

 

New Graduate Nurse Residency: June - October 2015

 

13 weeks of NICU specialty education and orientation to the unit and one-to-one preceptorship. 

 

ASE Program: January - May 2015

 

Chosen as a nursing student to complete an additional 180 hours in the NICU after completing Capstone project but before becoming a licensed RN. Attended NICU specialty education classes and continued one-to-one preceptorship from experienced RN preceptor.

 

Committees

 

• CLABSI Prevention

• Family-Centered Care

• Bereavement