I need some advice on getting hired PLEASE!!!!

[chrystie4067]

I have always wanted to work in the NICU at my local hospital, it is the reason that I became a nurse...the only place that I wanted to work was the NICU.

I graduated 1+ year ago and started working at a different hospital (one where I was a PCT prior) on a general MED/SURG floor. This what the first offer that I got after graduation and I wanted to start medsurg anyways so it was perfect. Now that I have over a year I feel confident in my skills and I am ready for the next step.

My issue is that I have applied to this other hospital a few times (once when I was graduating) and again now. This is the only hospital in my area with a NICU and I really cant travel 2 hours to the next one. The nurse recruitment team has always seemed very polite and helpful however they never are able to schedule me for any interviews on any floor. I have done a shadow on at least 6 different floors and still nothing. I find this a bit odd. I recently shadowed in the NICU and was told by one of the CNS that they were hiring. However I called the next day to the nurse recruiter to set up an interview and she said "Oh they are not interested in interviewing you, if you want to apply anywhere else only go through me, dont apply online"

That to me sounds like she is trying to make sure that I dont get hired anywhere...I feel like she is trying to sabotage my chances. I dont even know her, we met for literally 2 seconds and I was pleasant, polite, and showed how excited I was to work for this hospital. She seem rude and just wanted to brush me off.

Sorry for the long story but I dont know what else to do. I want to work in th NICU so bad but I dont know how to get in. I dont know anyone that works there so I cant use a friends help. Please give me some advice on what to do. Im thinking of finding another way to use my RN if I cant get in here.

Thank you!!!!

[loriangel14, RN]

Have you researched what they are looking for in candidate? Are they asking for certain certifications or years of experience? You may have to get more than a year of experience before applying to a specialty area like NICU.

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

I would take this to an alternate person. See if you can make an appointment with the HR director to talk about what you need to accomplish before you can work in the NICU in their hospital. Mention all that you have done as far as shadowing and the like, and the conversation regarding the nurse recruiter wanting you to "apply" through her and not online (which sounds a bit odd). If you are clear that this is the way you would like to go, I would say that after the appropriate amount of experience, you would like to certify in NICU. (and if it is like most certifications, you have to work it for a bit to then test). I would also be active in getting NALS, if there's any other continuing ed or certification classes specific to NICU. It is a hard switch from Med/Surg to NICU, but it doesn't mean it can't be done. Perhaps if you get another year of specific peds or post partum where your focus is on infants (or children) as opposed to adults. 2 hours is a long drive, but to do part time or per diem if you can get it may be worth the NICU experience. Is there a specific ER for peds near you? Is there a pediactric MD office near you (even a pediatric specialty office on critically ill infants/children) that you could work a day or 2 a week that would give you a good base for assessments of infants? That would be another thought, as you should make some sort of switch from adults to kids, as it is a huge difference in care.

Best of luck!!

[chrystie4067]

They are asking for 1-2 years nursing experience (no specific to NICU) which I have. However they also told me that they hire new grads all the time so they dont necessarily need to have people with experience. No specific certifications either. Thanks for the post!

[chrystie4067]

Should I speak with someone in nurse recruitment or try to speak with the floor manager directly? Great idea about doing per diem somewhere. Do you think a hospital would hire someone with no NICU experience for a per diem NICU position. There is one open at another hospital a few hours away? I have tons of experience with infant and children as I worked in a child care center for 5 years, however I dont know if I should mention that or not. I will definitely look into any certifications or things I can get before starting. Would becoming a member of a NICU related nurse council help at all?

The hospital I am at now does have a special care nursey, labor and delivery, and a peds ED. However this hospital dose not take many pediatric patients, they usually go to the other hospital.

Thank you for all the great tips. I will keep trying for sure .

[Nurse SMS, MSN, RN]

If you have done that much shadowing and not gotten an offer anywhere in the hospital when there are known positions open, I don't think it is the recruiter. See if you can get feedback on what is turning up as the reasons for no hire.

[Luckyyou, BSN, RN]

What is it specifically that draws you to NICU? Maybe there is another specialty that involves what you are interested in doing that may have more availability right now. Also, are you shadowing as part of the interview process or just on your own time? There is definitely such a thing as being too eager. Management recently told someone they couldn't shadow in our unit anymore because they were wasting both our nurses' time and their own. Maybe you have inadvertently become a pest and that's why the recruiter acted the way she did?

[Nurse ABC]

You've shadowed six times without an interview? That seems odd to me because we don't shadow at our hospital until after an interview. Maybe that's common there? Six times seems excessive, like you can't make up your mind where you want to be. It sounds like you've worn out your welcome or your personality isn't clicking with theirs. I second the PP's advice-make an appt with someone else and find out if there is a reason they aren't considering you and what you need to do to be considered. Good luck!!

[jadelpn, LPN, EMT-B]

I would go directly to HR. And ask for an appointment with them and the floor manager.

I have never heard of a recruiter who says NOT to apply online, to go through only her. Perhaps see if you can get some pediatric ER time under your belt. You can certainly speak with your DON about your professional goals, and see how you can best do that. If you are given the opportunity to train and float to a more specific area closer to your goal, then perhaps that will be a better option to get pediatric specific.

[geekynurseRN]

Does your hospital not have a NICU? Maybe you could start with PICU or Mom & Baby at your current hospital instead of trying to switch hospitals.