Needing advice from NICU nurses.

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I have been an ER nurse for 12 years and I am ready for a change. Although I have no experience with neonatal nursing, it sounds awesome and rewarding. Has anyone out there ever gone from ER to NICU? Will my ER background help me at all?

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Specializes in ER, NICU.
I have been an ER nurse for 12 years and I am ready for a change. Although I have no experience with neonatal nursing, it sounds awesome and rewarding. Has anyone out there ever gone from ER to NICU? Will my ER background help me at all?

Yes.

When I was in nursing school I loved my rotations in ER and NICU.

Both are intensely exciting in my opinion.

I did ER until an NICU internship opened up at one of the best.

I think your ER will help you very much. NRP. PALS, and STABLE will be easy if you already have ACLS, etc.

The only issue I would worry is about meds. The amounts in NICU are SO small compared to ER. You will seriously need to remap your brain to think NICU.

NICU is much more precise than ER - with NO room for error in most instances.

I think ER and NICU are good matches, though I think you find more OC nurses in NICU.

Good luck and welcome.:welcome:

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Thanks Jerico!

It is good to hear from someone who has done both ER and NICU. I have taken PALS, NRP, and STABLE already this year. Taking those classes is what got me interested in NICU. It seems very challenging and rewarding. And the patients probably won't be vebally abusive, intoxicated, noncompliant diabetics....

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Specializes in NICU.
I think you find more OC nurses in NICU.
Topped only by OR. LOL.
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Whoa there...You are going to get the infants of the intoxicated, drug addicted, non-compliant diabetic, psychiatric parents and have to deal with not only the consequesces of mothers actions to the baby in utero-but also to the mothers and fathers themselves with these problems. So YES your experience in ER will definitly be an asset.:welcome:to the NICU

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.

i'm very interested in the responses you get, because i've been trying to do the same thing for a few years.

i have an adult icu/er background, and i can't even get an interview, let alone an offer, for a nicu job.

it isn't my resume, application, or references, because i get offers for adult positions all the time.

i've been told that in my area, nicus arn't interested unless you either are a new grad or have l/d or nicu experience.

i hope you have better luck!

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