New Grad NICU Support Thread

Specialties NICU

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Calling all New Grad NICU nurses...thanks to a thread started by NurseDevonL, we have decided to start a support group. Hopefully some of our more experienced NICU nurses will look in every so often to lend some support and knowledge as well. Welcome!

niculove:yeah:

One of the best posts on here.... Just passed the NCLEX in September and I highly value my license

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I think creating a new grad support thread was an excellent idea - it is a stressful transition. The precursor to this thread was a thread looking for e-mail pen pal for new NICU nurses. It was also suggested in that thread that maybe more experienced nurses could check in and offer support and advice every so often which is why I am butting in, even though I am new to the forum. I'm going to assume that most of you on this thread practically grew up on the internet, facebook, blogs etc and are quite comfortable sharing information about yourselves. However, it is imperative that you monitor all aspects of your online activity to ensure that you are not inadvertently placing your hospital, co-workers and self at legal risk with information shared online. You need to consider info available in totality, even if it is not listed in one entry. There is mention in the original pen pal thread directing readers to a blog. That blog lists, item by item, all of the errors that occurred on a specific day at work and makes mention that there was "obvious harm done to the patient." I believe the author assumes she is okay since she doesn't use her name on her blog. She does not have to....she has already given readers all they need to know. She has told anyone reading her blog, exactly what problems occurred in the NICU of a specific hospital on a specific day and shift. This is the stuff that will give the risk management and legal department of that hospital a coronary, understandably so. Someone did not stop and think. If anyone is in touch with the blog author, I would recommend contacting her to suggest she remove certain entries. We all need to carefully consider any info we post pertaining to specifics of our professional life. [/quote Best post on here!
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Tomorrow is my first day on the NICU floor! I cannot wait, sooo excited. I am working at the hospital that I did my preceptorship at, so I cannot wait to see everyone again. :)

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I want to become a nicu nurse, and I recently talked to the clinical manager of the nicu at the hospital I work at and she was explaining to me that i will have a lot of competition with experienced nicu nurses when i apply, was it difficult for any of you to get your job in the nicu? I really want to prepare myself...any help/info would be great. thank you!!!

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Specializes in Neonatal, NICU level IV.

Hey everyone,

I am a recent new grad (May2013) and I am currently interviewing with multiple hospitals for NICU residency positions. NICU nursing is the reason I entered the profession and I am so excited to be on the verge of my first position in a NICU. :cheeky: I would love to hear any advice regarding preparing for my first position and for the NICU in general. I completed my preceptorship in a level III/IV NICU and loved every minute if it. I can't wait to join the employed RN's out there and begin this amazing career.

The programs I am interviewing for include: CHLA (Los Angeles), Texas Children's (Houston), Randall Children's (Portland), and Mary Birch Women and Newborn (San Diego). If anyone has any advice on any of these programs I would love to hear from you. Thank you so much!:barefoot:

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I graduated last december and passed my boards! Earlier this month I got a job offer for a position in a Level II NICU. I'm looking forward to begin the GN program in February! I'm a bit nervous since nursing school didn't really go over much of neonatal care but i'm confident the vast knowledge will flow in once I get on the unit ^.^

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Hi all!, new RN starting in level 3 NICU ! good luck to all pray for one another to provide courage and strength to care for the tiniest miracles:) :yes:

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Can I restart this thread?

I'm on week 5 of my NICU orientation. I am LOVING it so far... have had amazing preceptors (although my current one is TOUGH but incredibly knowledgable and experienced) and she started me out with the toughest patients. Didn't waste any time. I am sometimes overwhelmed and feel inadequate, but then I am reassured that everyone started there. For example, I was doing a heel stick, and first couldn't milk the poor baby's foot enough to get the blood out... then it clotted and I had to do it all over again. The next time I tried, I got TOO good at it, and the same baby had blood running down his leg. Poor little guy, but I did manage to get the whole sample without having to stick him again. It's a lot of work, but totally worth it!

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Hi everyone! I graduated in Dec 2013 and started in a level III/IV medical-surgical (non L&D) NICU in February. I have been off orientation for about 3 months. I love my job, but we see the sickest of the sick on our unit.

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Specializes in Med Surg/Ortho.

This is a great thread. I took two days to read through the whole thing. It is nice to know many people are getting NICU jobs right out of school. The more I think about it, this is the only place I see myself. I just can't picture myself working with adults (except maybe OR, but they are asleep, lol). I'm so scared of getting through school, not changing my mind about working only here, but not getting a job in the NICU.

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Specializes in Neonatal, NICU level IV.

I love working in the NICU! :cheeky:

When I graduated, I knew that there was nothing else I wanted to do besides NICU nursing. I am so blessed to have found a position with an amazing hospital on a level IV NICU. The patients I get to care for each day are so much more critical than during my preceptorship (capstone), and I see cases every shift that have issues I have only read about. This is truly the best job in the world! :yes:

Keep in mind that everyone is nervous, scared, riddled with anxiety, and feels like a failure in the beginning however, it does get better and you will begin to feel more competent. Good luck to you all.

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I have an interview for NICU and wanted to know if anyone has advice for peer review interviews?! I'm so nervous and I know about all the "tell me about a time" questions but what if I don't have a time when something like that happened, I don't want to feel stumped and not have an answer! Thank sin advance! Also any good questions to ask the NICU nurses during the peer interview?

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