Aspiring NICU nurse, will I get there?

[caseyuptonurse]

A little background, I'm a new grad as of May and I've been working the past three months in an acute rehab hospital. When I say acute, I really mean acute. I feel like I'm on a med surg floor most days and I experience so much and learn everyday. I love it there. I love being able to see the patients progress and gain back their functioning. But it just doesn't feel "right" working with adults. I don't mind it but I don't feel as much of a fulfillment as I do with kids. How would I know what it's like working with kids? Well the past four years I worked as a nurses aid in a subacute facility for children and I am now starting orientation there slowly as a nurse. I feel as though I get more fulfillment working with those kids one day a week than I do working with the adults. Most of those kids also are vent-dependent and we have some cases where the baby was transferred to us straight from the NICU.

Eventually I aspire to be a neonatal nurse practitioner but I want to work in NICU for a few YEARS first. I just am not sure if I will ever get that experience. I work with people that constantly say if you wanted to work in NICU you should have went there first. Well with the job market the way it is now in my area, I'm lucky to have a job. I didn't have much of a choice, and believe me I applied to as many NICUs as possible in the area. Right now it's not favorable to relocate or I would to pursue my dreams.

I know I'm a new grad but I was wondering when should I try applying again? And how will I get there? Do I need different experience to even have a shot or would my subacute experience help? I just don't want to spend my life trying to get into the specialty I want and not have success. I have no doubt in my mind that I will love the NICU and I just want to start furthering my career even more.