NICU New Grad

jennylee321 · Apr 23, 2017

NICUs need nurses 24 hrs/day, so I doubt it. Everyone has to pay their dues, and most of us will still be paying them years later.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Apr 23, 2017

Day shifts are given based on seniority (25% corporate time/ 75% unit time regardless of position). If a new grad was a PCA or unit secretary prior to going to and during nursing school may have enough seniority to get day shift. Except for that scenario, new grads put their time in on night shift. I was fortunate to get a day shift Weekends Only Option after 15 months. Most people don't want to commit to working 52/56 weekends per yr. even with the bonus pay/hr.

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Apr 24, 2017

Depends on the hospital. Nursing is a 24/7, 365 job - which I'm sure you knew going in. Where I work everyone FT is 2 days, 2 nights and 5 off...no exceptions unless you have a medical note

cmary · Apr 24, 2017

I think starting out as a new NICU nurse, you get your best experience from rotating shifts. There are things you experience on night shift that you do not on dayshift and vice versa. From my experience, most NICUs seem to hire new nurses into rotating positions for this reason. I do have friends in the adult world who started as new nurses on an adult med-surg units who were lucky enough to get steady daylight positions, though very unlikely.

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Apr 24, 2017

Since most NICU jobs are hard to come you will most likely work rotation or straight nights.

BrandNewBabyNurse · Apr 25, 2017

Where I work, all new grads are oriented on days and then switch to nights until you have enough seniority to come back to days. The reason we orient on days is because of the number of planned procedures that otherwise only occur at night under emergent circumstances. They want new grads to have experienced different scenarios under a controlled setting for the first time, so that when things do happen emergently at night, you're not totally inept. Our average wait is about 18 months for day shift right now.

vintage_RN, BSN, RN · Apr 27, 2017

That's terrible. I don't think it's fair to have to do all days or all nights whether you're new or not. I think the way we do it...2 days and 2 nights whether it's your first day or 30 years...no exceptions. But I guess different places just do things differently.

Slr2458 · Apr 27, 2017

I worked in two different NICU's in Texas. One of them put several new grads on days, one did not. Just depended on the need. Just be upfront about your desire to do day shift! You may get lucky.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Apr 27, 2017

That's terrible. I don't think it's fair to have to do all days or all nights whether you're new or not. I think the way we do it...2 days and 2 nights whether it's your first day or 30 years...no exceptions. But I guess different places just do things differently.

How is that terrible? Your schedule is very rough on your body. Your circadian rhythm and sleep/restorative process is constantly being disrupted. The human body is designed for consistent regular sleep/wake schedule, primarily day (wake), night (sleep) schedule. Night shift workers can trick the body into thinking that we are on a day schedule by light blocking shades and wearing sunglasses on the way home from work in the morning, but it is a rather poor substitute for day shift.

BrandNewBabyNurse · Apr 27, 2017

As much as I dislike night shift, I would WAY rather work all nights than be on a rotating day/night schedule. At least with clustering my 3 shifts a week I can power through and then spend the other half of the week like a semi-normal functioning human, rather than being on a constantly rotating work pattern. To each their own though!

prmenrs, RN · Apr 27, 2017

I think straight nights is much better biologically, like 'guy' said. And, if there is a unit that lets you go straight days (other than orientation), right off the bat, I have not heard of it.

Sorry, but, if you want NICU (or any other unit, probably), you're going to nights.