L&D and NICU Shadow Shift

[babyrnhlw]

I'll give a little back story real quick :)

L&D is my dream but I have had a horribly difficult time getting in. So in addition to applying to L&D, I've applied to just about every unit in Women & Children Services. Well I had a great phone interview the other day for NICU and an even better face to face interview today. But the GREAT news is they are letting me shadow shift for L&D in addition to NICU. The could somehow read me and know where I interest was. They even said I seem like I'd be a good fit. I. WAS. THRILL! Obviously haha.

So. I am shadowing three hours in L&D tomorrow night, then the next three in NICU. And advice? Tips? Suggestions? What to say? Not to say? What to expect? Anything is greatly appreciated.

Here's to hoping I'll be a part of this board permanently :)

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Consider this your opportunity to interview the nurses you may soon be working with. Try to get a feel for their experience in their work environment.

In addition to discussing patient care and the specific ins and outs of what you're seeing in front of you, ask them things like: what do they like about their jobs? what don't they like? what difficulties does their unit experience? how is unit morale? how well do people work together? how much influence do they have over policy and procedures on their own floors? does the hospital strongly back evidence-based research? how much support they would get from the management if they wanted to go back to school? how does the scheduling process work? how long do people typically stay working there once they're hired? and keep going in that same vein.

Try to ask these questions when you get down time and don't be overly aggressive. Try to bring them up casually. You can usually get a good feel for the environment of a workplace not just by the answers you get, but the spirit and tone in which people reply. I definitely understand your desire to obtain work in this field, but do be attentive to the atmosphere of the units you're on. Don't get roped into a high-turnover nightmare!