ER nurse looking for change

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Hi all,

I have been a nurse for 7 years with 5 of those years spent in ER. Right now I am at an Urgent Care and in the ER per diem. I am looking for some change. I always wanted to do L&D or NICU nursing. Was looking for some feedback on transitions from ER to either one of these two areas.

Thanks!

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I have wondered about this too. ER is my specialty but have always wanted to do L&D or post partum care.

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Specializes in Adult and Pediatric Vascular Access, Paramedic.

Hi,

Depends on how saturated your area is, but after 8 years of ER nursing I tried to get a NICU job and couldn't no matter how many times i changed my resume etc, despite having experiencing caring for critically ill neonates and kids in the ER setting.

I think most ER nurses are ADHD or borderline at least, we like change, almost constant change and the NICU isn't that.

I will add that I did get a shadow day after a job interview (the hospital was two hours away so I wouldn't have taken the job if offered anyway) and I found it quite honesty, kind of boring. The preterm babies are handled as little as possible, basically twice a day for assessments so I felt like it was just kind of staring at a monitor most of the time. It wasn't like the ER or other settings where you are busy most of the day interacting with patients. Decided maybe NICU wasn't for me after all, and maybe no ICU. To slow of a pace!

You may have better luck if the area you live in isn't completely saturated! I would recommend getting NRP for sure though if you don't already have it!

I have been working for 3 years on an IV team in a community hospital and just got hired at a major children's hospital, so that is a step in the right direction!

Annie

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