specalized feilds

[MDMZemergent]

Help-I graduate in Dec 07 and have been offered a job in the NICU. I really don't think that I am prepared for this position coming right out of school, but I can't imagine that they would be offering new grads these positions if they didn't feel confident that they would be able to handle it. I'm not real sure what to think, any advice would be very helpfull. Or any recomendations on how to prepare for the first day in a job like this would be great.

[Jules Anne]

It can't hurt to look into what they are offering you by way of orientation and support. I suggest finding out all you can about their orientation program and spend some time shadowing to see if you fit with the staff.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Some new grads are ready and some are not. Some NICU's provide adequate support for new grads and some do not. "The Devil is in the details" as they say. You'll need to do a good assessment of your background, strengths, and weaknesses to determine if you are ready to handle the job. You should also investigate their orientation program thoroughly before you committ to anything.

And I would ask them for their retention rate of new grads. How many new grads that they hire remain in their jobs for at least a year? That one figure will tell you a lot.

Good luck.