Transfer to NICU or nursery without experience

Specialties NICU

Published

Hello!

I am a new nurse who started on a medical telemetry floor about five months ago. Honestly, it was not my first choice, and I know my passion lies with working with babies. I dread going to work because I get so anxious working with adults.

I am really really really passionate and interested in working in the NICU or nursery. My question is, with six months of experience in adult medical telemetry, will it be easy to get a job in the nursery or NICU? I know NICU positions might be more hard to join into, but what about nursery? Do I even have a chance to get in or will they just figure that I don't have experience with babies and reject my resume?

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

There aren't a lot of nurseries anymore, as more and more hospitals have babies rooming in with mom to promote bonding and breastfeeding.

You may find you need a year in order to apply for most positions, but it doesn't hurt to start looking. You never know if something might pan out. :)

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Take PALS and NRP, plus any other CEU's, courses, certification you can find dealing with newborns.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Take PALS and NRP, plus any other CEU's, courses, certification you can find dealing with newborns.

And STABLE and any lactation training you can get.

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.

I agree with the above advice. I had a coworker who due to a shoulder injury and subsequent surgery that worked in an adult neuro ICU transferred to NICU. She did have a few years of adult ICU experience under her belt, but it can be done. There was another nurse in our unit who transferred there as well. You can do it. Start applying and looking around. Take the other posters advice about all the CEU's you can get. I wish you the best of luck.

I have no desire to work with babies. I cannot stand seeing a sick kid. I would be an emotional wreck.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

You should post this on the NICU forum. You might get more answers there. They are really helpful!

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Specializes in NICU.

You don't necessarily need NICU experience, but it really does depend on where you work. If your facility has a NICU, I'd ask around to see what it takes to get hired there. I started out on a medical/oncology with tele floor and transferred to NICU after a year and a half, but I know some places require peds or mother/baby experience.

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Specializes in NICU, Cardiac.

I know this is an older post, but my story sounds so similar to yours that I had to post. I am finishing my 8th month on a telemetry floor and I was just hired into the NICU. I got an interview because I was taking an ACLS class at my hospital and met a head nurse from the NICU. I asked if I could email her my name to pass along to the manager if they had a position open up. I did and she made good on her word and passed my name along. I got a phone call about a month later. I emailed last Tuesday and Thursday and accepted the job officially Thursday. :) I had a lot of practice networking through nursing school, so I used that skill and I really attribute that to getting my foot in the door, which was the hardest part. Once I got the interview, I looked up behavioral interview questions and wrote out scenarios and ideas for answers and that really made my interview flow really well. The manager and the hiring committee asked about my leaving my current position with only 7 months and I was honest and told them that while I had gotten some great experiences, NICU was my passion and I had to leap at the opportunity when a job was posted. Good luck and just keep applying. Try to find out the NICU managers name and email address and reach out to her. Ask if anyone you know has any contacts at all in the NICU. Network, Network, Network. :)

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