CHOP NICU

amb218, BSN, RN · Jan 11, 2021

I do know CHOP in general has been on a hiring freeze since the start of the pandemic because the census really took a hit as surgeries were put on hold. However, coming with NICU experience, as soon as they are hiring I do not think you will have any issues.

The NICU is massive with sides (east, west, northeast) split up for services - medical, surgical, and the "micro-preemie side" so they hire per side if that makes sense. So a NICU nurse might be on the team for surgical side and primarily work there but can float to other sides as well depending on census. I've heard of CHOP's NICU as being referred to as a "sick NICU"... basically the babies are quite sick and the unit has overall very high acuity...you will see CDH's on ECMO, babies in kidney failure on CRRT, etc. The chronic (trach, GT) babies stay up until a year until they go to PICU so there's some of that as well. And some feeder-growers. Most babies are too sick/unstable to bottle or breastfeed so there's not too much of that happening.

CHOP is home to the SDU (special delivery unit) so a lot of really amazing surgeries take place and those babies get cared for in the NICU. It's a great place to work and you will learn/see a ton!

Thenewnicunurse · Jan 13, 2021

On 1/11/2021 at 1:27 PM, amb218 said:

I do know CHOP in general has been on a hiring freeze since the start of the pandemic because the census really took a hit as surgeries were put on hold. However, coming with NICU experience, as soon as they are hiring I do not think you will have any issues.

The NICU is massive with sides (east, west, northeast) split up for services - medical, surgical, and the "micro-preemie side" so they hire per side if that makes sense. So a NICU nurse might be on the team for surgical side and primarily work there but can float to other sides as well depending on census. I've heard of CHOP's NICU as being referred to as a "sick NICU"... basically the babies are quite sick and the unit has overall very high acuity...you will see CDH's on ECMO, babies in kidney failure on CRRT, etc. The chronic (trach, GT) babies stay up until a year until they go to PICU so there's some of that as well. And some feeder-growers. Most babies are too sick/unstable to bottle or breastfeed so there's not too much of that happening.

CHOP is home to the SDU (special delivery unit) so a lot of really amazing surgeries take place and those babies get cared for in the NICU. It's a great place to work and you will learn/see a ton!

Hi there! Have you worked at CHOP before? You seem to know so much about their unit! Do you know if they hired anyone during the pandemic? I know their NICU is known to have a high turnover rate. They posted a position for experienced RNs but I was told they are just interviewing for future positions and that there aren't currently any available which is kind of confusing for me.

amb218, BSN, RN · Jan 15, 2021

Yes, not in the NICU though. I just used to float there. Not sure about during the pandemic, but I would lean towards no because pretty much every other unit has not due to the hospital wide hiring freeze. Yeah...they do things like that there because there will always be people who want to work there no matter what, even if they have to wait for a position. I wouldn't say the turnover there is crazy high - it's a massive NICU with a lot of nurses and some of them do end up going back to school, leaving to take NP positions, etc. but a lot of them stay for years.

Thenewnicunurse · Jan 20, 2021

On 1/15/2021 at 12:42 PM, amb218 said:

Yes, not in the NICU though. I just used to float there. Not sure about during the pandemic, but I would lean towards no because pretty much every other unit has not due to the hospital wide hiring freeze. Yeah...they do things like that there because there will always be people who want to work there no matter what, even if they have to wait for a position. I wouldn't say the turnover there is crazy high - it's a massive NICU with a lot of nurses and some of them do end up going back to school, leaving to take NP positions, etc. but a lot of them stay for years.

Oh I see. I know you said you didn't work there but maybe you might have some insight into how long it takes for a position to open up? I'm just so tired of waiting and the uncertainty of it all.