I just accepted my dream position

happyinmyheart · Dec 31, 2014

I don't have any advice for you (I am still a pre-nursing student) But I'm curious what you did to make yourself stand out. It's difficult to get a job as a new grad, especially in the NICU :) oh- and congrats!!!! :)

NicuRN628 · Dec 31, 2014

Thank you :) I honestly don't know what stood out to them, but I can tell you a little about myself. I have a bachelors of science in biology, and a bachelor of science in nursing (I did a 15 months accelerated program). I was involved in the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honors Society in school, and was a member of the Ohio Student Nurses Association and National Student Nurses Association (I now am a member of the American Nurses Association and Ohio Nurses Association). I also took a couple MSN classes this Fall semester (I graduated with by BSN in August).

I had no prior hospital experience. I did work as a certified pharmacy technician throughout high school and part of college, but I doubt that played into me getting this job.

I hope this may have helped answer your question. :)

Good luck with nursing school and your future!

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Dec 31, 2014

Congrats, I know how you feel. I am a new grad that is starting in 3 weeks in a Level IV NICU.

NicuRN628 · Dec 31, 2014

Congrats to you too :) There is going to be a steep learning curve, I want to get a head start if possible!

happyinmyheart · Jan 1, 2015

Thank you :) I honestly don't know what stood out to them, but I can tell you a little about myself. I have a bachelors of science in biology, and a bachelor of science in nursing (I did a 15 months accelerated program). I was involved in the Sigma Theta Tau International Nursing Honors Society in school, and was a member of the Ohio Student Nurses Association and National Student Nurses Association (I now am a member of the American Nurses Association and Ohio Nurses Association). I also took a couple MSN classes this Fall semester (I graduated with by BSN in August).
I had no prior hospital experience. I did work as a certified pharmacy technician throughout high school and part of college, but I doubt that played into me getting this job.
I hope this may have helped answer your question. :)
Good luck with nursing school and your future!

Thank you so much for answering my question :) that was most helpful!! I hope you enjoy your new NICU position- you should post about how it goes :)

LisaNICUrn, BSN · Jan 2, 2015

Well don't know how much I can really help you, I just started in NICU about a week ago. I was like you though, wondering what I could study or learn in the month before I started in the NICU. I bought 3 books, Neofax, which is about drugs and medication, S.T.A.B.L.E. which I found out we learn in training anyways, and Core Curriculum for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing. That one is my favorite, has a lot of good information in it. I had to learn the infant/neonate vitals because I am used to adult vitals. Other than that, I learned that I can never learn all the diagnosis, what to look for, things like that, until it comes up in my patient. So I take the book with me and look things up when I am at work, as it relates to a particular patient. For me, just changing a baby, doing the assessment and learning to swaddle a baby was enough, lol, cause I have no kids and no experience, it was totally new for me, but I love it so much. I wouldn't trade this job for anything. For me, so far, the hardest thing is probably formula and breast milk fortification and converting grams to lbs, things like that, but there are cheat sheets all around that help with that.

Cynders · Jan 2, 2015

No advice, just want to say congrats on your dream job. I have spent many years in the NICU with my own kids, family & friends. Whether it was here in the U.S or Germany with my oldest, my NICU nurses were some of the best.

I guess my advice would be to be the best nurse you can. To answer all their questions as best as you can or find an answer for them. Above all, have compassion for your families & be an ear or shoulder when you can.

princessmadz · Jan 2, 2015

I don't have much advice, as I am still a student. But congrats! That's a great thing to happen to you, and I wish you a lot of luck. Working as a NICU nurse is also my dream job, so once you start the job I would appreciate if you could write posts about/PM me about your experiences. I want to learn all there is about the job so I can get a better feel for things I need to learn. Again, good luck and congratulations!

NicuRN628 · Jan 3, 2015

Thank you for all of the kind words :) I have ordered Merenstein & Gardner's Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care to use as a resource as recommended on other threads. I am also looking into the Core Curriculum for Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing. I will do my best to keep updates about my experience working in the NICU. Thank you again everyone.

mommieNurseRN · Jan 13, 2015

NICU is not easy...make sure you have a good, patient preceptor.

ctabs14, MSN · Jan 23, 2015

Congratulations!

As far as advice, before my residency started, I got in contact with my unit's educator and asked her what I could do to best prepare for being on the unit and transitioning from being a student to a nurse. Her honest response was to relax and binge watch some TV. She said that once the residency started, they would give me all the tools I would need. And it's true -- my hospital provided the Merenstein & Gardner's Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care textbook (which is a fabulous resource) and many, many classes throughout the residency. I was also paired with two amazing preceptors who prepared me well to be on my own.

So enjoy your next couple weeks before the residency starts!