getting frustrated!

[luv2b_a_nurs]

I know I just graduated a few weeks ago but I am already getting frustrated trying to find a job in the NICU. That is all I ever wanted to do and why I went to nursing school. It's tough as it is to get a job in the NICU but then I found out that a lot of nurses hold not one, but 2 jobs in different NICU's! All I want is a chance at one job! It just doesn't seem fair:( I am in WI and not super close to a NICU so I will have to commute which is fine, but I don't know anyone on the inside to help me get a job in one, you know??

[rockabye]

It is easy to get frustrated when things don't work out as smoothly as you anticipate, but it is not productive. If NICU is your dream job, then you have to be persistent. Research the many NICUs in your area and see if they hire new grads. Most NICUs that hire new grads are in teaching hospitals in major cities. You may have to consider relocating. To meet people in the NICU try attending nursing job fairs or attending neonatal association meetings. If you still can't land a NICU job after that, find a job in a hospital with a NICU and hopefully you can have a little easier time getting in the NICU once you have a little experience there. Not every NICU nurse had inside help when they were new grads, and if they did then they had to work-hard at proving they would be good NICU nurse candidates. Also, I wouldn't be too jealous of NICU nurses working 2 jobs because many of them do that to pay bills and/or there are not enough shifts to work at their first hospital. You are competing against many other new grads for limited positions. Continue finding ways to improve your marketability (resumes, job interview skills, etc.) and impress potential NICU managers with your passion and actively seeking knowledge about the NICU. Good luck and it won't be easy!

[luv2b_a_nurs]

Thanks for your reply. I have been doing a few of those things and those are exactly the plans I have! Lol. I guess I just needed to vent because I want it SO bad!

[BeccaznRN, RN]

NICU spots can be hard to come by, especially in the current competitive world of new grad spots. Don't get discouraged! I ended up with my NICU spot after starting as a new grad in L&D. I already had the "in" working on the maternal/child floor and I offered to float to the NICU and pick up extra shifts there as needed (taking low-risk grower/feeder types). Sometimes it takes time and a different approach. Best of luck to you!