NICU New Grad

Specialties NICU

Published

Hi!

I know this might be a silly question and probably time and needs specific, but do any of you know in which areas of the country or hospitals in general don't usually make new grads work nights? Are there any positions nowadays where new grads are hired days? I don't mind working holidays and weekends, but nights are just killer for me and I don't think I'd last even a few months.

Thanks for any input

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.

Specializes in NICU.

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.

Specializes in NICU.

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

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.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

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

Specializes in NICU.

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.

Specializes in NICU.

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.

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.

Specializes in NICU.
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.

Specializes in NICU.

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!

Specializes in NICU, Infection Control.

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.

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