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.

Thanks for the advice!

All of my questions with the nurse manager were like that too, situational "tell me a time when..." type stuff. I guess they are questions you really can't prepare answers for, and you just have to take a minute to think first.

I will update when I know something! According to the nurse recruiter, it will be the same day, hopefully.

Do you think it would be too much to carry a typed letter for each interviewer? Kinda like how the nurse manager got my cover letter...I would address it to be why I wanted to be part of their team. My friend said it wasn't necessary and may seem like I'm trying too hard...but I AM trying hard! lol. What do you think?

Specializes in NICU.
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?

No, I don't start that job until August 9th. If I do get an offer from this NICU interview, I hope it is soon after the interview so I can give a heads up to the other hospital.

Specializes in NICU.
Thanks for the advice!

Do you think it would be too much to carry a typed letter for each interviewer? Kinda like how the nurse manager got my cover letter...I would address it to be why I wanted to be part of their team. My friend said it wasn't necessary and may seem like I'm trying too hard...but I AM trying hard! lol. What do you think?

I took extra copies of my whole portfolio, cover letter, resume, certifications etc. I felt prepared, like I was thinking ahead and leaving them something to remember me by - which I think is a good thing. I didn't even think about if it looked like I was trying too hard. I was putting all my effort, enthusiasm, and attention to detail out for all to see. My attitude was, "This is me, if you like it buy it - if not, I guess I would not have fit in the dynamic anyway'.

I'm very thankful that they liked what I had to offer.

I started in a Level III NICU on June 1st. It has been pretty intense so far, but I love it! It will be interesting to hear everyone else's experiences!

I will be a graduate on July 31st, looking for a position in a level III NICU. I live in Georgia right now but I am willing to relocate anywhere. Where are all of you guys finding jobs? Can you share? Thanks so much!!

Specializes in new to NICU.

To all of you who have started your NICU jobs already:

What should we already know by the time we get on the floor? Any advice about how to cope?

I just graduated in May and start in a level 3 NICU later this month. I'm so excited!

Good luck to those of you that haven't taken Boards yet. And Congrats to all my fellow new grad NICU nurses!

I don't know if you've had your peer interview yet, but I thought I would still reply.

At my peer interview I had lots of "Tell me about a time when..." questions.

I would recommend researching those types of questions and getting an idea for what you would want to say. I remember one for sure was tell me about a time when you exhibited leadership. They also asked me how I deal with stress, what sort of independent learning I have done outside of school, and how I deal with adjustments in my schedule.

They asked the expected questions about why I want to be a nurse, and specifically why I want to do NICU.

They also asked me How I would deal with having parents that never come visit their baby. They asked me too how I would react if parents didn't seem to be understanding what I was teaching them or telling them about their baby.

I wish I could remember more. My peer interview was over an hour long.

Good luck!!!

Specializes in Renal-Telemetry.
I don't know if you've had your peer interview yet, but I thought I would still reply.

At my peer interview I had lots of "Tell me about a time when..." questions.

I would recommend researching those types of questions and getting an idea for what you would want to say. I remember one for sure was tell me about a time when you exhibited leadership. They also asked me how I deal with stress, what sort of independent learning I have done outside of school, and how I deal with adjustments in my schedule.

They asked the expected questions about why I want to be a nurse, and specifically why I want to do NICU.

They also asked me How I would deal with having parents that never come visit their baby. They asked me too how I would react if parents didn't seem to be understanding what I was teaching them or telling them about their baby.

I wish I could remember more. My peer interview was over an hour long.

Good luck!!!

Thanks for the advice and good luck! My interview is tomorrow morning. I'll try searching for some of those questions, but did before I had the interview with the nurse manager and couldn't find many examples :/ I don't know if it'd be different this time or not.

Thanks for the tips you have given though! I should hopefully know tomorrow afternoon, so I'm hoping I can come on here and say that I'm joining yall as a NICU nurse later this month! :)

Specializes in Neonatal ICU.

For those of you asking for interview tips, I highly recommend taking a look at this:

http://www.brockport.edu/career/behave.htm

I was asked questions extremely similar to this in my interview. During my peer interview, I was asked a lot of situational questions mainly about how we would deal with the families (especially when they were upset with the care their baby was receiving), since a large part of our job is centered around caring for parents during one of the most stressful times of their lives. I think it is extremely important for a NICU nurse to not only tend to the needs of the patient, but also for the families. I love teaching and I made sure that these points were emphasized during my interview.

As for what you need to know when you hit the floor: for me it was just a healthy dose of fear. Fear of taking care of a tiny 23 weeker, or even just being scared of handling a ventilated infant. My nurse educator told me she didn't care what we learned in nursing school, she just wanted us to learn what she was teaching us. Sometimes I think, why did I even bother going to nursing school? It is like a whole different world in the NICU and you will have to relearn a lot of things.

With all that being said, I love my job more than anything. Even after having to call a code or having an extremely unstable, high maintenance kiddo, I still look forward to going to work. This is a 2nd career for me and I have never dreaded a shift like I used to. That is how I know I am in the right place. :)

Specializes in Renal-Telemetry.

Unfortunately, I did not get the NICU position. I learned today that they had about 12 people who made it to peer interviews, and still only 2 open spots. My chances weren't amazing anyway, but they went with more experience. I completely understand that in a unit like this.

I hope that one day I can join all of you! I do have a job lined up though...so I am just so thankful for that, because many can't even find anywhere right now. I know people who graduated a year before me who haven't found anything yet, so I still feel like a really lucky girl. As a plus, this other job is days, so no adjusting to night shift hehe :lol2:

In the end, I know that God has my best interest in mind, and it just wasn't meant to be right now. Maybe one day ;)

Unfortunately, I did not get the NICU position. I learned today that they had about 12 people who made it to peer interviews, and still only 2 open spots. My chances weren't amazing anyway, but they went with more experience. I completely understand that in a unit like this.

I hope that one day I can join all of you! I do have a job lined up though...so I am just so thankful for that, because many can't even find anywhere right now. I know people who graduated a year before me who haven't found anything yet, so I still feel like a really lucky girl. As a plus, this other job is days, so no adjusting to night shift hehe :lol2:

In the end, I know that God has my best interest in mind, and it just wasn't meant to be right now. Maybe one day ;)

Sorry to hear you didn't get your dream job but I am so happy for you that you got a job! :yeah: You have such a positive attitude, and you will thrive in your new unit!!

And yes, God has a plan! Best of luck to you!

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