New grad NICU nurse

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I'm a new grad in the NICU and I've been there for about 3 months. I absolutely love my job and couldn't think of a better place that I could work. I'm having the normal problems most new grads have in the NICU, like time management, etc. My main problem is that I get so incredibly bored when I'm not at work (I work 3 12's a week). I'm a single woman with no children, I'm working nights so most people are sleeping when I'm awake, and nursing school took up so much of my time the past 2 years that I've completely forgotten what I like to do as hobbies. I was just curious as to what other new grads or veteran nurses do with their free time. Thanks :)

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Specializes in ICU, Med/Surg, Tele.

do you suggest starting off in the NICU.. It's so hard for me to decide between the typical route of starting med/surg or not..

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Specializes in Pediatrics Only.

Ren:

I feel your pain! I enjoy a few days off so that I can go food shopping, buy things for our house ( we bought a new house 4 months ago), and do those types of errands.

However, I get so bored if I have to much free time, that I try to work 4 days a week - 3 at the full time job and 1 at a PRN job. I try and hang out with my best friend (also a nurse) every other week. We usually go out shopping, have lunch, hang out and talk, etc.

I'd also like to tell you that I'm an avid scrapbooker, but I havent done it in so long! However, I will be starting it back up shortly, I hope.

Lastly, to help with my boredom (and b/c its time), hubby and I are working on adopting a dog. This way I can go out on walks, go to the dog park, and have less bored time.

So, I guess thats what I do! Dont know if I gave you any ideas but just wanted to respond :)

-Meghan

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I rediscovered all the hobbies I lost while in nursing school.

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Specializes in nicu.

Haha I feel the same way! I am young and have no children and living by myself for the first time. I moved to a new city and work weekends bc I have to follow my preceptor's schedule, but it has been difficult for me to meet new people on this schedule. I get bored too having 4 days off and not being able to work overtime yet. I am just using this extra free time by volunteering and catching up on my hobbies I left behind during nursing school. :) I am even considering going back to get my masters degree. Sometimes I will try to read up on my patients' diagnoses to help me learn better. Well good luck with the NICU training. I am interested in what others do too during their down time! :)

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Specializes in NICU, Telephone Triage.

Whoever is bored, you can come watch my kids! LOL

Where do you live? LOL

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Specializes in ER OB NICU.

A problem I have never had as mom to 5, three grand babies, one great dane, 2 other pets, nursed, sick mom till recently passed, everybodys' phone buddy for all those dumb questions regarding their health, and that of their family and friends,50 loads of laundry a week, garden multiple hours, with three huge flower gardens, and a one acre yard to take care of, mom to 5, nursing third tkr in three years, clean 14 room home, homework helper, picker upper, general maid and handyman, decorator, cook, babysitter, did I mention momto 5 ( an unending career)... avd reader, self taught computer surfer, missing time for piano, violin, to sittttttttttttttttttttttttttttt and think!!!!!!

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Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

Heh... I know what you mean! This is what I did... First try to get out there and reconnect with all the friends you abandoned during school... plan some short day trips or vacations on your days off. Try to get laundry, housecleaning, shopping, etc done all on one day ( or night... I've been seen in walmart, or cleaning toilets at 0300). I would always meet two of my best friends from NS for an early before work dinner or after-work breakfast once or twice a week to catch up and relax. I then took on a unit improvement project for my clinical ladder bonus, and did research, etc in coffee shops, libraries, etc. I also contacted my alma mater and did a few guest lectures on neonatal care throughout the school year. I also worked OT when my unit needed me, but that ended up being quite rare. So I took a PRN job in the PICU, where they always needed me, and I had the flexibility to work around my schedule. So I ended up being busy and socially active at the same time. I'm in a new state, and a new job now, and have grad school to work around, so I can't do a lot of those things anymore, but they really were great while I could do them!

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-still have my university library access, so I pull up papers on subjects I came across during the week

-emedicine has some awesome articles on neo stuff, as does the ucsf icn handbook

-pull out the old a&p texts to brush up (need to get a good fetal/neo anatomy text)

-read the core curriculum

-of course, be lazy and watch tv, dvds, etc., try and decompress from the stress of desatting/bradying vent kiddos...

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Have you considered substitute teaching. My area in S. FL has a sub shortages. I plan to sub to help pay for school and for extra cash after school until I can work overtime as a nurse. In this county, you must have at least an AA Degree.

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