NRP, PALS, or STABLE to help my resume?

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Jan 5, 2015

None are really going to give you an advantage. You are a new grad and they will send you to the class when you are hired. I start in two weeks and they are putting me through NRP and STABLE in March as part of my orientation/ new grad training. A Senior Capstone/ Externship would have looked better on a resume/ application. If relocating is not an issue, apply to all open NICU and Special Care Nursery positions that don't require experience (a lot require 1-2 years experience), in addition to the New Grad Residencies. That is how I got my position.

cat1235 · Jan 5, 2015

I graduated from an associates degree program so we didnt have capstones or senior internship type thing, but my state actually prefers us over university BSN grads. Hoping to play up their reputation when I interview out of state as I'm actually relocating to VT and one of the programs I applied to hires new grads into the nicu as well as many other units. I realize they will still send me to classes if I get hired into nicu, but I've read on different threads that some people were already certified with some of these before they were hired and it potentially helped.

babyNP., APRN · Jan 5, 2015

I personally think that it shows a strong interest in NICU and dedication to that, especially as a new grad and in the absence of spending a practicum in the NICU. I think it really impressed my manager when I interviewed with her, although none of the other people in my class had NRP when we started orientation together many moons ago.

I would say that if you can do NRP and it's not going to bankrupt you (it shouldn't...the online class is about $20 and then you pay for your skills class), go for it. Expect to spend a lot of time studying, though. I took it during my senior year in nursing school and it was difficult (I had never been in a NICU before; my practicum was done the following semester), but manageable.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jan 6, 2015

We don't even look at it when we hire. But if I had to pick one, I'd do stable.

karnicurnc, MSN, APRN, CNS · Jan 6, 2015

You won't need PALS in the NICU sinc it is for older children. STABLE is a longer class, usually comprised of several days. I would agree with post above that recommends NRP. That is the 1st class we send new hires to in our NICU.

cat1235 · Jan 7, 2015

Thank you for saying this baby NP. I agree.... . Because for me it's more about showing my interest and dedication to the field so that I'll stand out at an interview and less about being redundant or wasting money on the basis that they will send me to the class anyway / I won't understand anything because I'm not accustomed to nicu. Right now, for me, it's more about just doing anything I can to get the nicu job in the first place!! I've only spent one clinical rotation in nicu which was literally in my last few weeks of clinical and fell in love with it... so I feel like my drive and passion and determination to do anything I can to be qualified for a Nicu position will maybe be plausible... and it's not like I'm going to understand the content that much more if I waited til I potentially got hired and sent to the class so might as well do it now if I can ... not belittling how much I'm sure you learn during just a week of orientation in the nicu ... just saying if it could even potentially help me get hired and show my interest might as well do it now!

Thanks For all your answers!

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Jan 7, 2015

Actually, more things do fall into place with NRP when combined with orientation. I suggested STABLE as it is applicable not only in NICU but also in NBN. You may not be able to get into NICU right away.

GabesMommy2014 · Jan 7, 2015

I'm a Dec 2014 grad. I've grown exceedingly interested in the nicu and one of the new grad residency programs I applied to does include nicu as one of the units they hire new grads into. Obviously, I want to spice up my resume if there are indeed any openings for new grads there.
I've read about NRP, PALS, and STABLE ..... which would be best for me to try and obtain this month in regards to spicing up my resume while being cost effective and considering I'm a new grad? I just want to show that my interest is serious .... and I've got the passion part on lock! I get happy butterflies thinking about working in the nicu!
I also am looking at volunteering in the nursery or nicu this month as well.

Hi H4ywii,

I wasn't interested in NICU but did want L&D; like you, I wasn't able to do my preceptorship there, so I knew I wasn't very competitive for the L&D jobs I applied for. I did take as many cert classes as I could (including NRP, STABLE, Cardiac STABLE, EFM, etc) because I wanted to gain as much relevant knowledge as possible and I thought it would make me at least a little more competitive. A lot of people also told me it would be a waste of money because an employer would pay for them during orientation, but I felt that that was a moot point if I couldn't get an employer in the first place lol. Also I really loved the courses and considered them a worthwhile investment - I know that I would have gotten more out of them if I could apply them immediately to real life experiences, but I also felt that they helped to build a good initial foundation of knowledge for the future. And I could always retake them later when I did get a job and get even more out of them since I had many of the "basics" down. (In fact the place where I took the courses allows you to retake them as much as you like for free for 2 years.)

Soon after taking the courses I did land an OB job - and my hiring manager told me it was specifically because I had taken the initiative to take all of the courses.

So I think if you love the field and love learning all you can about it go for it! It is not cheap, but I think it is definitely worth it. Good luck!

NicuRN628 · Jan 7, 2015

I recently got hired into a level III NICU as a new grad. I did not take any of these classes although I did consider it to help me stand out. I talked to a couple of nurses and they recommended waiting until I started because I would get more out of the classes and understand more if I had some experience first.

I definitely agree with trying to find a way to make you stand out as NICU is such a competitive area to get into. I personally emailed the nurse manager in the NICU after I graduated and introduced myself and explained that working in the NICU is my dream and passion. I was asked to send in my resume, which I did, and this was enough to land me an interview.

Once you land an interview you can really show how passionate you are about working in this area. It gives you the opportunity to explain why you want to work here, what you have done to be prepared, what your future goals are, and to ask questions. Asking questions also allows you to demonstrate you have a good base knowledge on NICUs (such as if the level of NICU, if they have ECMO, etc.).

I am no expert on interviewing nor about the NICU as I am a new hire. I just wanted to share my experience and hope that it may help you. Good luck!

cat1235 · Jan 8, 2015

I'm sure the courses do make more sense if you take them when hired .. but again, the point is to get hired in the first place and stand out .....thank you gabesmommy2014 and dalmatianmancer for understanding this !!!

cat1235 · Jan 8, 2015

Thanks again for all the answers. I'm going for NRP in the least, looking into volunteering, and depending on how long the interview process is, I will pursue further certifications..unless I do indeed get hired like within a month, ha, I'll certainly have the time to do it!! After my nclex in a couple weeks ill have the time to pursue what ever i want. And if I score a NICU job before i invest money and time into these things ... then all the better.

(just received the 2nd part of my application today where I have to send in a few extra things like clinical evals from instructors which I sent to my OB instructor whose clinical I did NICU in, and another eval form to my peds instructor, a personal statement on a provided topic, and my transcript.) At this point in time I'm unsure of how paced the interview process will be.

And dalmatianmancer, such a great idea to have contacted the nurse manager directly! I've read of others doing this as well and it working out well. If given the appropriate situation, I will certainly consider directly approaching the right person. Perhaps after all my application materials are submitted and if I get selected to continue in the interview process I'll recognize an opportune time to do this. Good to hear that some new grads get recognized for their passion and willingness to learn when not all of us have a lot to offer straight out of Nursing school. However, I have been working as an LPN for almost a year now. I know some hospitals pay no mind to that, but it can't hurt to see that on my resume!