Any new grads hired in NICU?

texas2007, BSN, RN · Feb 20, 2008

Hello, I'm a new grad in the NICU. RIGHT NOW, I don't feel too overwhelmed. I feel like my preceptor and I are going at a good learning pace. I am in the middle of my 3rd week doing level II/low risk. By the end of the 1st week my preceptor put me in charge of 3 patients :uhoh21: but of course she helped me. Now, having 3 is no big deal. Before we started with our preceptors, we had 2 weeks of NICU classes and I also did a 1 mo externship the last month of school so I was already somewhat familiar with certain concepts. I know though that when I go to level III/high risk, I'll be a deer in the headlights!!

Preemienurse23 · Feb 20, 2008

I graduated last may and went straight into the NICU. I had no idea what I was getting myself into, the closest I had ever gotten to NICU was working as a pca on the L&D floor. It was a bit overwelming at first, but I absolutly love it!! There is nothing like seeing one of your babies go from 1lb to 5lbs and then home!! Its amazing.

iwannabeanurse06 · Feb 21, 2008

i'm a new grad & am orienting to a level II nicu. i did a senior preceptorship in a level III nicu. it's only day 3 and am still in training class so we'll see what the floor has in store for me!

BoonersmomRN · Feb 21, 2008

YES!

I am a new grad and am orienting on a level III Nicu.

I am learning SO much and I have also found out how AMAZING my manager is..because I have been on the floor for 4 weeks and have had to miss 4 days of work- ugh. I missed 2 for the flu which I got from my preceptor...and this week my ENTIRE house came down with Strep throat....so here I am missing yet another 2 days.

I was shaking in my boots having to call up and say that I had strep and had to be out again..but she was so wonderful about it. I mean, of course they can't have me running around there with Strep..but she was all " Dont worry about it we will just add on a week at the end and catch you up!"

The thing is I haven't had a " real" job in over 10 years..and back then I had the kind of jobs that if you got sick..you basically had to show a Dr's note and give them blood for them to believe you....I'm still trying to get used to being treated like a real person.

ANYWAY.....I LOVE NICU!! Like I said I have learned SO MUCH already! The learning curve is HUGE because you don't really learn too much of this material in school but it's so rewarding. I have had both floor work and classroom work and SO MUCH support from everyone on the unit. NO one expects me to be like them yet....and my preceptor has told me that I am doing wonderfully. The last shift I was there they were completely understaffed so I took 2 babies and my preceptor took 3 others..and I did great! She was so proud of me and I was so proud of myself.

GOOD LUCK! If it is what you want you will love it!

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2008

I went straight to the NICU out of school. I had many ups and downs the first year.

LyndseyER · Feb 21, 2008

what were some of the ups and downs?

WDWpixieRN, RN · Feb 21, 2008

Yeee gads....I have an interview coming up for a NICU position and I am so excited and so petrified!! Pickings are slim in this area for NICU hospitals/positions, so I feel like so much is riding on this one interview!!

It's so great to hear success stories of prior graduate nurses!!

Imafloat, BSN, RN · Feb 21, 2008

what were some of the ups and downs?

I will list the downs first so I can end on a happy note. I wrote an article about my first year of nursing in the article section, it's kind of long though.

Downs:

*Steep learning curve

*first emergency off of orientation

*coming to terms with the huge amount of responsibility this job entails

*learning to cope with horrible outcomes

*babies self extubating

*being a confident adult in all aspects of life except work, hard to explain, but it is such an odd feeling while you are waiting to get enough experience

*first mistakes

*dreading work

Ups

*watching a tiny micro preemie get better and go home and know that you had a hand in it

*having enough experience to catch subtleties

*first time you had a gut feeling that something wasn't right and you were right

*helping people newer than you

*realizing how far you have come without noticing it

*going from dreading your job to loving it

*snuggling with babies

RNin2007 · Feb 21, 2008

I am a new grad...I was hired last May and given an extended maternity leave (d/t high risk pregnancy) so I just stated my orientation in January. I absolutely love my job! We have about a 6 month orientation, starting at Level 2 then finishing with level 3. On my first day my precepor was charge and transport nuse and she had to go out on transport so I had two patients of my own my first day. Of course my preceptor found someone that would be available to me if I needed help. I had done 350 hours as a student in the NICU last spring, all on Level 3, so things quickly came back to me. We have had lots of classes, and those will be ongoing through orientation. The thing I love about my job is the level of support we have from everyone - if I have a question there is ALWAYS someone there willing to help me, so I never feel truly alone or on my own.

I really couldn't be happier doing another job! I had 680 gram, and 970 gram preemies of my own and knew this is what I wanted to do when I decided to go to nursing school. Best of luck to you!

babiesRmylife · Feb 21, 2008

I'm a new grad that was hired on as a NICU nurse. I love my job. Some days I would come home & feel overwhelmed. I think once you just get used to everything & how your unit does things it'll get better. I feel more confident, but also know that I still have a lot to learn. Thats why you should never be scared to ask questions.

Some employers don't want to hire new grads is because they have high turnover rates because they tend to feel overwhelmed & quit.

iHeartNICU · Feb 22, 2008

I'm a new grad in the NICU and I love it and can't imagine myself doing anything else. I have been on orientation about a month now with another 2 and a half months to go. There are days that I wonder what in the world did I get myself into but the majority of the time I like what I'm doing. I am on a really supportive unit so if I ever have questions (which come rather frequntly) there are always people willing to answer my questions or help me out. Even the nurses that I thought wouldn't be that supportive have completely surprised me and are wonderful as well. I'm very happy where I am!