How soon to apply..

Specialties NICU

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Hello everyone! I am looking for opinions on how early to apply for a position to the NICU. I graduate May 06. If everything works as I am hoping, I will precept in the NICU that I am looking to get hired in. If not, how early should I think about applying? I did a shadow day during my peds clinical and fell in love with the unit. It is a level III and the staff was very welcoming.

Thanks for your responses,

Jenny

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I am in my last semester of nursing school and I am precepting in a level III NICU. I graduate in August and I just applied this week. I have already been offered the job. I was told that new grads should apply about 1 to 2 months before graduating. Good luck.

Hello everyone! I am looking for opinions on how early to apply for a position to the NICU. I graduate May 06. If everything works as I am hoping, I will precept in the NICU that I am looking to get hired in. If not, how early should I think about applying? I did a shadow day during my peds clinical and fell in love with the unit. It is a level III and the staff was very welcoming.

Thanks for your responses,

Jenny

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Specializes in NICN.
Hello everyone! I am looking for opinions on how early to apply for a position to the NICU. I graduate May 06. If everything works as I am hoping, I will precept in the NICU that I am looking to get hired in. If not, how early should I think about applying? I did a shadow day during my peds clinical and fell in love with the unit. It is a level III and the staff was very welcoming.

Thanks for your responses,

Jenny

I will be graduating in May as well and I have been told to apply as early as late November to early December. A lot of places fill their new grad positions by January and start them in June of the year they graduate.

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I am in my last semester of nursing school and I am precepting in a level III NICU. I graduate in August and I just applied this week. I have already been offered the job. I was told that new grads should apply about 1 to 2 months before graduating. Good luck.

Thanks for your reply. Did you have a formal interview or just an application? I have been watching the hospitals list of employment openings and have found that the NICU seems to have at least two openings at all times. Good luck on your career and NCLEX.

Jenny

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Specializes in NICU.
Thanks for your reply. Did you have a formal interview or just an application? I have been watching the hospitals list of employment openings and have found that the NICU seems to have at least two openings at all times. Good luck on your career and NCLEX.

Jenny

Make sure to check if the hospital will take you on as a graduate nurse pending the results of your NCLEX. Some places just won't hire until you pass.

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I have not had a formal interview yet. I applied after being offered a job by the nurse manager. I am scheduled to have a formal interview next week but she has already told me the job is mine.

Make sure to check if the hospital will take you on as a graduate nurse pending the results of your NCLEX. Some places just won't hire until you pass.
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I have not had a formal interview yet. I applied after being offered a job by the nurse manager. I am scheduled to have a formal interview next week but she has already told me the job is mine.

Well it just doesn't get any better than that does it!! Keep us posted on how it goes.

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I will be graduating in May as well and I have been told to apply as early as late November to early December. A lot of places fill their new grad positions by January and start them in June of the year they graduate.

Hey Liz,

Thanks for the info. I too thought I had read that for sure I should apply in Jan for a summer position. I hope to be in the unit in Jan doing my preceptorship. We will have to wait and see how it goes. :)

Jenny

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

I would recommend applying during your final semester of school. In my opinion, November or December would be too early for a spring grad, and such an application would likely get lost in the shuffle and be forgotten about come spring hiring time.

It is a good idea to inquire about whether the hospital or unit accepts graduate nurses, or waits for NCLEX results to set a start date. It is my personal opinion that starting to work in the "real" world is the best preparation for NCLEX, but few hospitals offer that option any more.

Good luck!

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You might want to call the nurse managers at the hospitals you are interested in and ask them when you should apply.

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Specializes in Trauma ICU, MICU/SICU.

Call the HR department and find out. It definitely depends on where you are at.

The hospital I work at started interviewing my class (12/05) in January. I applied and was accepted in the Critical Care internship. My interview was in February with a start date of January the following year. I changed my mind though and interviewed for the NICU position in June for a January '06 start.

So as you can see from everyone's replies it varies greatly. Call HR and find out.

Good luck!!!

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Specializes in PeriOp, ICU, PICU, NICU.

Around here they hold nursing job fairs and usually hire students on their last semester. I think then is a good time to apply or look for a job

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