Hi from a new NICU nurse!

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Specializes in NICU.

Hi everyone!

I've been reading this forum for months, but am finally making my first post! I am a new grad nurse and will be starting my first job in my city's level IV NICU at the end of next month. I just wanted to say thanks for all of the great threads on here about tips for new-grads, and just general tricks of the NICU trade. I'm beyond excited to start my job, but definitely have some nerves too, so it's been really fun reading through and getting acclimated with some of the conditions/scenarios that I'm likely to experience.

I bought the Merenstein book as per many of your recommendations, but if anyone has any other advice that they feel hasn't been shared over and over, feel free to let me know!

Thanks again! :)

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Specializes in NICU.

Congratulations, and welcome to the NICU! I just started my level IV NICU job about a month ago, and even though the learning curve is steep, it's an amazing place to be. Nerves are to be expected, but don't let those nerves interfere with learning; sometimes I get nervous about never having done a particular something before, but the best way to learn something is to do it (with guidance at first, of course). Also, my preceptor has told me - many times - to not be so hard on myself. New grads/new NICU nurses aren't expected to know everything right out of the starting gate. And finally, you've worked hard to get where you are. Enjoy it!

Best of wishes for your new job :)

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Specializes in NICU.
Congratulations, and welcome to the NICU! I just started my level IV NICU job about a month ago, and even though the learning curve is steep, it's an amazing place to be. Nerves are to be expected, but don't let those nerves interfere with learning; sometimes I get nervous about never having done a particular something before, but the best way to learn something is to do it (with guidance at first, of course). Also, my preceptor has told me - many times - to not be so hard on myself. New grads/new NICU nurses aren't expected to know everything right out of the starting gate. And finally, you've worked hard to get where you are. Enjoy it!

Best of wishes for your new job :)

Thank you!! All fantastic advice...hopefully I'll have a great preceptor experience and I'll be well on my way to feeling more confident. Can't wait to get started! :)

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