Motherbaby to NICU

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Mar 16, 2011

Like you said, you might not even get an interview, and even if you get an interview you may not get the job. Take one day at a time. If you do get the job is it the same shift (day vs night)?, maybe you can stay on part time or per diem at your current job if you do get the new job. Just out of curiosity, how comfortable do you feel working in the NICU at your current job? It has not even been a year yet, do you feel efficient enough to do NICU full time? Personally, I think you have better opportunities at your current job; you can do NICU work as well as Mom-baby right? Once you start doing NICU full time and nothing but NICU you will start to loose those Mom-baby skills (and labor skills if you do that too) and it is always best to have as wide of a practice skill set as possible.

pinkynbd_99 · Mar 18, 2011

I agree with the above post. You just applied, don't know if you're even going to be called. And if you do get an interview I would go with quesitons ready to help you know if that's a right move for you to do, such as: How long of an orientation will I get? schedule? pay? get a tour of the unit, talk to some of the nurses on the floor and get a feel to the environment and whatever else you would like to know to compare. Usually if start out in a teaching hospital and then go to a suburban/community hospital, it's VERY different. Drs may not be avialable to you 24/7 on the floor, certain procedures may not be done there as efficiently as they would in a "medical center" hospital, etc. Also the experience they'd expect you to have may not be as patient as where you started out. The community hospitals will expect more out of you and be less patient. Like I said, it all depends. So look into all these things and how well YOU feel about your own experience and judgement before going full-time NICU.

But that's just my :twocents:

babyRN0404 · Mar 21, 2011

I wanted to thank you for your advice- I did get an interview, I set up the time to do it, but think I am going to cancel. For some reason I have it in my head that everything needs to be done now, my goal is to be a NICU RN, but I haven't not even been a RN for a year and am only 22 years old, plenty of time to figure it out.

I would say I am comfortable in the Level II nursery- but not comfortable if that makes sense? I don't know how anyone can be comfortable around a baby the is desating every 15 min and the resident isn't returning a page. We do not do CPAP on our floor- the most is NC and not highflow. I feel I am always learning something new

I started out as an intern in L&D which I really enjoyed but moved to M/B and level II nursery because I would like to do NICU and I thought that would be the best place- learn breastfeeding, care for premature infants/rough transition infants, as well as learn to see the whole picture- caring for the family. My hospital does not cross train to L&D, but this in another area I wouldn't mind going back to- I like the fast pace and more critical patients (another reason for wanting NICU).

I work at a level 1 trauma center and it is a teaching hospital. The other hospital I applied to is very similar, but smaller (a lot of residents, no medical students).

So I will keep you all updated with what happens, either way my husband finishes grad school in august of 2012 and we will be moving then- so really in addition to everything else, I have to ask myself, is it worth it to orient to a new hospital right now? I do not want to be labeled as a job hopper. Thank you so much for your advice.

Bobbkat · Mar 22, 2011

Echoing what the above posters have said, take it one day at a time. I'm currently in my first year as an RN, in a level IIIc NICU, and while I LOVE it, I work an hour away from home. There is a hospital closer to home that has level III NICU openings, and I have to similar trepidations that you do. It was SO hard for me to find a job, so now when I consider leaving my current unit and hospital, I feel a little guilty, and like I shouldn't be leaving quite yet. But on the other hand, working closer to home 36 hours a week (instead of the 40 I work right now), would be better for myself and my family.

To be honest, i haven't decided yet what I am going to do. I also don't want to be labled as a job hopper, and I really, really do appreciate the oppourtunity I was given by being given a job on my unit. I'll figure it out eventually. You aren't alone!

babyRN0404 · Nov 1, 2011

Bobbkat what did you end up doing? I know you posted a loooonnnnnnggggg time ago.

To update on what happened with me, well I regretted canceling the interview- at work I always want to go in the nursery and although I loved l&d i find i do not like the couplet mom/baby care as much. i love the aspect of critical care- focusing on 1-3 (depending on degree of illness) patients and putting your whole self into their care. I find taking care of 4 couplets is rewarding but I don't feel "needed"- not like in the nursery.

So i decided to apply to another hospital (magnet, considered THE "baby hospital" of the area), had an interview, really clicked with the NM and was offered a job. Better hours, same pay. My husband wants to stick around in the area after he graduates so i figure i should just go for it! i haven't officially accepted yet, and i do have a tinge of fear- what if i'm not good, what if i'm asked to resign/fired- but in the end i feel like i have to do it. I have talked to my current NM and she told me that i should "go for it" and that although she would miss me that she was happy for me and could see me doing that.

So i'm going to make my decision soon. I think before had i taken a job it would have been too early but I feel more ready now.