NICU or ICU for new nurse

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Let me start by thanking anyone that wants to read it and give good advice. I am applying for graduate nurse jobs. The areas I am interested are as follows: Neonatal ICU, Pediatrics, and Neuro ICU, I would even work neuro tele. My ultimate goal is to be a nurse practitioner and I have a special place in my heart for pediatrics. If PEDs was an option to choose I would do so but the hospital I have a contract with is not a pediatric hospital so I planned on working at my contract hospital in one area finishing my BSN then picking up a PRN position after a year in pediatrics. My question is would the best experience be in the NICU to start or should I go into ICU? I feel like I am curious about NICU and it may spark an interest to stay in NICU all together but I do not want to miss out on ICU experience either because it is so specialized. Has anyone actually done the transition from NICU to PICU or Peds? I heard that a lot of times NICU nurses are floated to Peds anyway. Which area gives me the best chance to get hired at a pediatric hospital? Thank YOU!!

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Specializes in L&D.

If your only experience is adults you would not be hired PRN in Peds and DEFINITELY not NICU. So you should wait until your contract is up at the other hospital and you have your BSN and then apply for full time Peds positions.

NICU would be the most competitive and the most specialized. I actually just started in the NICU and I LOVE it so far!

NICU nurses sometimes float to PICU but not usually to general Peds.

Most NICU nurses I've met have no interests in working with anything other than neonates. Of course you could transition if you wanted if they gave you orientation.

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Specializes in L&D.

And as for a unit to start with try for mother/baby or newborn nursery if possible!

But those can be tough to land for new grads (not as tough as NICU though)

Any ICU would be good too if you could get it.

Does that hospital not have ANY Peds or NICU?

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Yes! Thank you for replying! I am glad you like Nicu! I think I am heading in that direction for sure if I can snag a job! They have plenty of internships for NICU in the hospital I work in just no pediatrics. Maybe I'll start in nicu!

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Specializes in L&D.

If you can get an internship in the NICU as a new grad do it!

All the new grads hired to my NICU were student externs there.

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