How hard is it for a new grad to get a job in the NICU?

Galore · Aug 14, 2009

I was a new grad hired straight into the NICU, along with several other new grads at the same time. However, I was fortunate to graduate right before the economy went downhill and hospitals started doing hiring freezes. In general, I think the NICU might be a bit more competitive but I wouldn't let that deter you, especially if you're willing to relocate. In my unit, we have some degree of turnover due to people going part time when they have babies, moving away, etc.

I suggest you find out if your local NICU has a "cuddler" program or some other way you can volunteer. Maybe you could even get a clerk position. This is an excellent way to get your foot in the door and also scope it out and see if it's an area you really want to work.

LifelongDream · Aug 14, 2009

Hi Lifelong, are you going to be working in Lubbock? I am interested in working for UMC as a new grad, opinions on the hospital and how hard it is to get a position there. Thanks

No, actually I'm one of the ones from Odessa! I would be clueless as far as UMC and how hard it is to get a position there. Sorry!:typing

NICURN0725 · Aug 16, 2009

sam adams...just trying to help a person out and let them know what i know to be true about the NICU. I was hoping to support a nursing student and encourage them to pursue a position in the NICU. I am proud (no feeling of superiority) to be a NICU nurse and love when student nurses express an interest in something I love.

Nursing care of neonates is very specific and is something that you won't learn anywhere but a NICU. I have worked in other areas and even though I gained knowledge of the workings of the human body I still had 12 weeks of NICU orientation to learn the specifics of caring for a neonate. I had to be molded to the NICU too. I once precepted a new employee who was showing a med for me to check. The amount in the syringe was wrong and I asked her how she got to that amount. She said, "Oh, I just rounded up". Asked why she did that and she replied, "That's what we do on the peds unit." That's one example of how things are different. What this nurse thought was a minute amount of drug was actually very significant for this tiny neonate. That's what I mean about molding a person to NICU practices. As a preceptor I encourage orientees to ask why and learn from me and my colleagues. After all, when orientation is over they need to be able to use their critical thinking skills and have a great knowledge base. But, the original post said nothing about precepting...they are not at that point yet so I won't go on about it any further. Some part of me just felt I had to address your comments.

One last note, I believe NICU nurses feel a sense of pride in what they do...not superiority. I, for one, could not work in adult ICU, Heme Onc, burn unit, etc. I am in awe of those nurses who can. I know many NICU nurses who say the same thing.

Guest343211 · Aug 20, 2009

Well shoot, Samadams8 you really can make a person have to scroll down a page!
j/k :wink2:

LOL sorry. I'll try to shorten my responses in the future.

Guest343211 · Aug 20, 2009

sam adams...just trying to help a person out and let them know what i know to be true about the NICU. I was hoping to support a nursing student and encourage them to pursue a position in the NICU. I am proud (no feeling of superiority) to be a NICU nurse and love when student nurses express an interest in something I love.
Nursing care of neonates is very specific and is something that you won't learn anywhere but a NICU. I have worked in other areas and even though I gained knowledge of the workings of the human body I still had 12 weeks of NICU orientation to learn the specifics of caring for a neonate. I had to be molded to the NICU too. I once precepted a new employee who was showing a med for me to check. The amount in the syringe was wrong and I asked her how she got to that amount. She said, "Oh, I just rounded up". Asked why she did that and she replied, "That's what we do on the peds unit." That's one example of how things are different. What this nurse thought was a minute amount of drug was actually very significant for this tiny neonate. That's what I mean about molding a person to NICU practices. As a preceptor I encourage orientees to ask why and learn from me and my colleagues. After all, when orientation is over they need to be able to use their critical thinking skills and have a great knowledge base. But, the original post said nothing about precepting...they are not at that point yet so I won't go on about it any further. Some part of me just felt I had to address your comments.
One last note, I believe NICU nurses feel a sense of pride in what they do...not superiority. I, for one, could not work in adult ICU, Heme Onc, burn unit, etc. I am in awe of those nurses who can. I know many NICU nurses who say the same thing.

I definitely hear you NICU RN. And I believe that is probably very true for you.

And Yes there are differences, no you don't simply have to work in a NICU to learn about caring for very sick neonates. Example, There are specialized cardiac centers that receive neonates for evaluation and staging for congenital heart surgery. And often, these neonates don't simply have the one defect--the cardiac defect/s (often defects and very uniques for each particular patient) in isolation of other disorders of defects. That's really true. NOW, in the cardiac unit for peds, you may easily find the percentage of patients there that are neonates 50% or higher in the census. And of course, we don't hang feeding tubes often the same way as NICU nurses, but actually, cardiac intensive care of peds has a lot of neonates--often fresh out of the mom--as well as many infants and other children. Frankly, I was surprised at how many patients I've taken care of that are neonates and very, very young infants. Usually they are evaluated and staged for surgery, since, as you well may know, many times surgical stop-gap measures or staging of surgeries must be employed in the various defects in order to ensure survival, etc.

As far as meds are concerned. At each specialized children's center that I've worked, the same rigid standards are written for and applied. And of course, as you know, the many double checks, which are always a good thing in my view.

Really the top level cardiac centers for children are even more specialized, and usually the NICU nurses are scared out of their minds to work in these cardiac ICUs, and they usually don't get the sickest kids--ECMO experience or not--usually our kids are on ECMO for cardiac or pulmonary anomally bypass.

And yes, even there, there is often this ridiculous attitude of superiority among certain members of the CI staff. Sometimes it is a darn sight worse than that of any NICU nurses I've worked with. When in the NICU, the nurses in general, at one institution in particular, were quite supportive. Another institution, well things were quite different. Senior staff nurses set the tone; and if they set that attitudinal negative, superior, or hypercritical tone, well good luck to any nurses that are not liked for one silly reason or another.

NICURN I wish this wasn't a reality in the field of nursing, especially in specialized areas, but I've been around for a long time and have seen it repeatedly.

So, I hope you will continue to be a great, open, supportive NICU nurse to any and all truly reasonable new NICU nurse staff. I hope your unit sets the tone of true support and not exclusivity. I've seen more than enough nastiness in nursing. I am praying and hoping and pleading that more positive, secure, supporitive, non-judgmental nurses will grow in the field and be so great in number that the negative influences in the field will be viturally unnoticeable. I know I may be dreaming, but dream I must.

:)

Good luck to you too NICU RN.

Guest343211 · Aug 21, 2009

I made corrections, but for some reason, they did not take. Sorry for the double post--but again, it is not exactly the same. Scratching head. . . .

I definitely hear you NICU RN. And I believe that is probably very true for you.

And Yes there are differences, no you don't simply have to work in a NICU to learn about caring for very sick neonates. Example, There are specialized cardiac centers that receive neonates for evaluation and staging for congenital heart surgery. And often, these neonates don't simply have the one defect--the cardiac defect/s (often defects and very unique for each particular patient) in isolation of other disorders of defects.

NOW, in the cardiac unit for peds, you may easily find the percentage of patients there that are neonates 50% or higher in the census. And of course, we don't hang feeding tubes the same way as NICU nurses, but actually, cardiac intensive care of peds has a lot of neonates--often fresh out of the mom--as well as many infants and other children. Frankly, I was surprised at how many patients I've taken care of that are neonates and very, very young infants. Usually they are evaluated and staged for surgery, since, as you well may know, many times surgical stop-gap measures or staging of surgeries must be employed in the various defects in order to ensure survival, etc.

As far as meds are concerned. At each specialized children's center that I've worked, the same rigid standards are written for and applied. And of course, as you know, the many double checks are there, which are always a good thing in my view.

Really the top level cardiac centers for children are even more specialized, and usually the NICU nurses from these high functioning children's centeres are scared out of their minds to work in these cardiac ICUs. Also they usually don't get the sickest kids--ECMO experience or not--usually our kids are on ECMO for cardiac or pulmonary anomally bypass.

And yes, even there, there is often this ridiculous attitude of superiority among certain members of the CI staff. Sometimes it is a darn sight worse than that of any NICU nurses I've worked with. When in the NICU, the nurses in general, at one institution in particular, were quite supportive. At another children's institution, well things were quite different in the NICU that way.

Senior staff nurses in any unit set the tone; and if they set the tone with that negative, superior, or hypercritical attitude, well good luck to any nurses that are not liked for one silly reason or another. They will push them out or get them to quit. There's a kind of bully mentality that goes on too often. Sad.

NICURN I wish this wasn't a reality in the field of nursing, especially in specialized areas, but I've been around for a long time and have seen it repeatedly.

So, I hope you will continue to be a great, open, supportive NICU nurse to any and all truly reasonable new NICU nurse staff and any that end up pulled to your unit. . I hope your unit sets the tone of true support and not exclusivity. I hope it is more of a "can do" rather than "you can't" or "we won't let you." Most nurses want to be strong in their field and confident. Unit cultures mostly need to be open to real diversity--which really often means there is more than one way to do things--even if in the end, the prevalent unit culture or policy must prevail. I've seen nurses with different perspectives get rolled down under with more force than a steamroller. Now, the unit policy is in place and there may or may not be a time in the future to explore different perspectives for growth and positive change. But it doesn't mean people have to be weeded out.

I've seen more than enough nastiness in nursing. I am praying and hoping and pleading that more positive, secure, supporitive, non-judgmental nurses will grow in the field and be so great in number that the negative influences in the field will be viturally unnoticeable. I know I may be dreaming but dream I must.

:)

Good luck to you too NICU RN.