New Grad NICU Support Thread

Specialties NICU

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Calling all New Grad NICU nurses...thanks to a thread started by NurseDevonL, we have decided to start a support group. Hopefully some of our more experienced NICU nurses will look in every so often to lend some support and knowledge as well. Welcome!

niculove:yeah:

Specializes in Renal-Telemetry.
What all do I need to do to become a NICU nurse..Where do I begin in the nursing field? Sorry if this is in the wrong post.

You will need to become an RN first. I don't think most NICUs will allow LPNs(unless maybe you've had a lot of experience and were grandfathered in), since it's an intensive care environment.

You can do that by getting your ADN or BSN. You can specialize if you want to after school, but during the process to become an RN, you don't specialize. To my understanding, and at least HERE, you don't HAVE to specialize, if you don't want. Some hospitals will pay you more per hour if you do, though.

Some NICUs will use techs, volunteer feeders and cuddlers, and such. The ones in my area do not. If a NICU in your area will, it'd be a great way to get your foot in the door of that NICU and get to know the staff, as well as witness a little about what it's like to work in one and what the duties are.

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Specializes in ED.

Hey everyone! I'm a 39 year old senior nursing student and I'll start my OB and Peds rotations in August. I am very interested in these fields at the moment. I've taken 2 nursing personality tests and they both placed me pretty highly in NICU; one as my #1 fit. ER and trauma were also on the list. I have always thought ER might be where I want to land but after reading the results of that personality test and why I might be a good fit for the NICU I have started to give it more thought lately. I do have a friend (not close) that is a NICU nurse and she and I talked briefly and she thought I'd be good at it too.

Can y'all tell me what you think makes a great NICU nurse? Why did you chose that path? What do you love about the NICU? What do you not love?

What can I be doing on these OB and Peds rotations to be successful and get the most out of my opportunity? I may have an opportunity to do my preceptorship in the NICU too but those slots are very limited. We have to do well on our HESI tests to get our first choices so any leg up I can get is helpful.

thanks!

Meredith

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Hey everyone. I am a recent grad from the University of Miami, Took my boards about a week ago and passed.

I had a "managers interview" at a NICU last week and they said to be prepared for a phone call for the "peer interview" in about 2 weeks.

Can anyone please help me in what to expect for this interview? I've heard they are situation questions. Please let me know anything that might help. Books, internet, etc.

Thanks a bunch!!!

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Specializes in NICU.

Hi everyone, I'm a new grad that was hired into a level 3 NICU a few months ago.

I am learning so much and have experienced so many different emotions.

I recommend all new grads in NICU read WeeBabyRN's article, if you haven't done so already:

Full Circle, my First Year of Nursing - Nursing for Nurses

I'm kind of in the place she was around April/May, and it's tough, but I'm sticking it out in hopes that it'll get easier soon. I look forward to getting to know some of you and supporting each other along our journey!

Thank you to niculove and NurseDevonL for starting this support group!

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Hi everyone, I'm a new grad that was hired into a level 3 NICU a few months ago.

I am learning so much and have experienced so many different emotions.

I recommend all new grads in NICU read WeeBabyRN's article, if you haven't done so already:

Full Circle, my First Year of Nursing - Nursing for Nurses

I'm kind of in the place she was around April/May, and it's tough, but I'm sticking it out in hopes that it'll get easier soon. I look forward to getting to know some of you and supporting each other along our journey!

Thank you to niculove and NurseDevonL for starting this support group!

Thanks for the tip about that article! This first year will be tough, but we can all get through it!

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Specializes in Renal-Telemetry.

Just an update...I had an interview yesterday on a different unit and the nurse recruiter called to say that they offered me the job! While she called, I asked if she knew anything about the NICU position before I made my decision. She said that the NICU nurse manager wrote down she wanted me to come to the peer interview, so I can wait to see how NICU works out then choose which I want if they both do. I haven't gotten a call to set up the peer interview for NICU yet though, so I hope she wasn't mistaken :/ I hope I do get that call so I'll be one step closer to my dream job! I'll keep you all updated.

If the NICU doesn't work out, then at least I know I do have another position on another unit! Heart is in NICU though!

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.

I graduated in October 2009, and was immediately hired into my local Level 3 NICU. Been on my own since February, and am absolutely in love with my job. Learning a lot, just took STABLE class, and can't wait to go back to work after days off. First job I've ever had like that. My coworkers are great at helping me past my newness and are teaching me a lot.

I'm an over-40 dude who spent a lot of years working in corrections for the state of Texas prison system, many years on death row and in ad seg, so this is quite a different job from what I was used to. To say the least. Ha.

Good luck to you all. And may we all forever remember that they're not just patients...but are babies first and foremost!

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Just an update...I had an interview yesterday on a different unit and the nurse recruiter called to say that they offered me the job! While she called, I asked if she knew anything about the NICU position before I made my decision. She said that the NICU nurse manager wrote down she wanted me to come to the peer interview, so I can wait to see how NICU works out then choose which I want if they both do. I haven't gotten a call to set up the peer interview for NICU yet though, so I hope she wasn't mistaken :/ I hope I do get that call so I'll be one step closer to my dream job! I'll keep you all updated.

If the NICU doesn't work out, then at least I know I do have another position on another unit! Heart is in NICU though!

Congrats that is wonderful! You must feel relieved that if all else fails, you have a JOB!!!! In this market, that is wonderful! Still hoping for you that you get NICU as well! What unit is the job in? Good luck!

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Specializes in Renal-Telemetry.
Congrats that is wonderful! You must feel relieved that if all else fails, you have a JOB!!!! In this market, that is wonderful! Still hoping for you that you get NICU as well! What unit is the job in? Good luck!

Thank you! I do feel relieved. I, of course, am still hoping and praying for NICU, but I'm thankful that I know there is something there for me.

It's a "nephrology" unit, but it's kinda a catch-all. They do dialysis there(hemo and peritoneal), but they also have some tele beds, and get some standard med-surg patients too.

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Specializes in NICU.

^ I'm in the same situation as you. I've been offered a job on a med/surg floor at a great hospital. I, of course, accepted the offer because I didn't have anything else. Then last week I get a call for a 2nd interview at a hospital I interviewed at back in April (I hadn't heard anything since so I thought they had moved on without me). Well, this interview that I'm going on this upcoming week is for a NICU position!!!

I'm also the daughter of a NICU nurse of 43 years, so I've practically "grown up" going through the NICU. It's where I did my preceptorship and where my interests lie. Good luck to meeee! :) and you too!!!

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Specializes in Renal-Telemetry.

linRdsNay- Good luck to you! Have you started your position on the med-surg unit yet, or will you get to really choose before you start either?

And update for all the rest of the posters too, I DID get the peer interview, after all! :) I got called a bit ago by the NM to set it up. It's this Friday! Wish me luck!

And any advice? I've never had a peer interview before. Not quite sure what to expect...will it be similar to the first?

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Specializes in NICU.

I DID get the peer interview, after all! :) I got called a bit ago by the NM to set it up. It's this Friday! Wish me luck!

And any advice? I've never had a peer interview before. Not quite sure what to expect...will it be similar to the first?

At my peer interview, the interviewers went around the table and introduced themselves and went around again and asked two or three questions each. They took notes on my responses. I can't really remember the questions, but many of them began like, "Tell me about a time when..." or " Describe how you would .."

At the classic signaling of the end of the interview (Do you have any questions for us?), I had prepared quite a few, which prompted more questions from my peers. My 20 minute interview turned into a 40 minute interview.

The one thing I wish I had done was to take a piece of paper and a pen, to take down all the names (for 'Thank You' cards).

Lastly, I think it is important to observe. One thing that I did notice was the dynamic among the assembled peers. There were RN's from both day and night shifts, staff nurses and CNS. My observations gave me a brief insight what working on the unit would be like.

Best of luck on your peer interview!

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