Nurse with 10 years adult experience starting NICU ..... help!!!!

Specialties NICU

Published

I always wanted to work in the NICU. Well, the opportunity has presented itself but I am so scared. I was a premie myself and wanted to work in this area out of school and was never able to get in. The hospital I am going to start at orients using a hands on approach. There will be less classroom, but individual certification classes, online courses etc, accompanying hands on throughout the training. So exited, I accepted in a heartbeat. Please help me. Are there any tips or suggestions to help me make the transition smoother and less painful?

Thanks in advance...

Excited and Shaking in my boots at the same time.:scrying::wacky:

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Specializes in General Surgery, NICU.

notsosupernurse Congratulations!! I am sure it is an exciting and very nerve-wracking change in your nursing career, but one well worth it.

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Specializes in ICU / PCU / Telemetry / Oncology.

So excited for you! I am in the same boat, will go into NICU after some time in adult med-surg. Nothing in stone yet, but that is my plan. I want to follow your adventure :)

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notsosupernurse Congratulations!! I am sure it is an exciting and very nerve-wracking change in your nursing career, but one well worth it.

Thank you

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Thank you...Good Luck!!

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Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Don't get overconfident.

Rely on your preceptor and the other staff nurses for guidance & reassurance.

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Specializes in NICU.

From what I've been told...you basically feel like a new grad again. Which must suck a lot. But if you go in knowing it like that, it should be better for you. Just be a sponge and be willing to learn anything and everything and forget your adult instincts.

I work at a regional referral NICU (high acuity) and we have much better luck with new grads than experienced nurses in other areas. On the other hand, I've done agency at smaller community NICUs and they've told me that they have better luck with experienced in other areas nurses rather than new grads.

Good luck! NICU is great, I wouldn't do anything else!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

We have several gals who have come to us from adults.... Wipe almost everything out and get ready to relearn! I have found that the hardest thing for not new grads are the pathophys of our kids, meds and learning to not jump around from thing to thing like on a med surg floor. We cluster care so you start one kid and so everything at once them move on to the next.

Make yourself a list with hours for each patient, that helps to tick off everything that needs done.

My one friend almost had a stroke during her first code.... She was so used to coding adults and could not wrap her head around how few drugs we use. She was so tuned in to all the algorithms!

Put your mind to it and you will do fine, like Insaid, totally different world! Good luck!

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Thanks for the advice Lub Dub !

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From what I've been told...you basically feel like a new grad again. Which must suck a lot. But if you go in knowing it like that, it should be better for you. Just be a sponge and be willing to learn anything and everything and forget your adult instincts.

I work at a regional referral NICU (high acuity) and we have much better luck with new grads than experienced nurses in other areas. On the other hand, I've done agency at smaller community NICUs and they've told me that they have better luck with experienced in other areas nurses rather than new grads.

Good luck! NICU is great, I wouldn't do anything else!

Thanks. Great advice. I'm open to learning and have no problem going in like a new grad. I feel privileged to be given the responsibility of little precious lives. Although I have healthcare experience, I know very little about this area. I plan to be a sponge :) . I feel a great challenge ahead. Thanks for the advice. Hope my preceptor is patient.

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Thank you Nicu Gal. I appreciate all the advice.

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Specializes in Nurse Scientist-Research.

I also went to NICU after years (9) in adult care. I kept a very open mind and was never proud to ask for education/support/input from preceptors, more experienced nurses and charge/delivery nurses. Your previous experience will be particularly useful in time management skills and knowing how to communicate with the patients (okay, the parents). Don't completely throw away everything you know, after you master neonatal assessment and skills you will see how they are related.

Also, everyone appreciates having someone comfortable with adult skills when a mom or dad gets all "fainty" or mom has a seizure in the rooming in room (had this happen). We offer flu vaccines to parents and at night, the charge nurse is supposed to do it, but they are always asking me because I'm not afraid of wielding a 1.5" needle.

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