No New Grads !

Get experience in peds first, if you need to. For years, most NICUs did not hire new grads, it has only been in the last few years that they have done so. Orientation in the NICU is months long, much longer than a regualr ICU orientation, so a hosptial is saying that they do not want to spend all of the time training a new nurse right now, who will not count in their staffing numbers, but will be getting a paycheck for the next six months or so. The other option that you have is to see if one of the hospitals has a student extern program available, that would be one way getting around the rulings, and they would already be familiar with you, adn you would be getting some training under your belt.

Thanks, that it good advice. What is the difference between an internship and externship? Hope that isn't a stupid question!

Thanks, that it good advice. What is the difference between an internship and externship? Hope that isn't a stupid question!

As far as I know it's the same thing except it is called an externship if you get paid. I am only aware that nursing students do externships.

Here in Dallas there are externships for student nurses, which are offered during the summer while you are in nursing school. The internships are after you finish nursing school. That was what I was told by the Childrens Hospital in Dallas. I also want to work in the NICU and they have explained to me that the only way to start in the NICU is to do an internship after graduation or start in peds first and get some experience, like Suzanne said.

The internships are after you finish nursing school. That was what I was told by the Childrens Hospital in Dallas. I also want to work in the NICU and they have explained to me that the only way to start in the NICU is to do an internship after graduation or start in peds first and get some experience, like Suzanne said.

That's interesting. Is this a paid internship?

To be honest with you, I have never asked them when I called. I still have some time until summer. I want to work in the NICU so bad that I would pay them to take me

I am confused. I have went to severeal hospital websites that are hiring for NICU nurses. All I seem to see is NO NEW GRADS in bold print letters everywhere! How are you supposed to get experience if the places that you could work won't hire you as a new grad? They are mostly wanting level III experience. This concept seems a little strange to me :uhoh21: If you are a new grad and got a job in the NICU, where and how? If you are an experienced NICU nurse, what can I do in this situation ? I want so bad to work in the NICU when I graduate and even though that is next year I would like to know what I could do to increase my chances of getting hired in the future. Thanks in advance !

You might also try to find a job on a postpartum (mother/baby) unit. This is less stressful than L&D but will give you hands-on experience with wee ones. The larger hospitals tend to have separate L&D and postpartum units. Small to medium facilities are more likely to have LDRP care which combines everything.

I work postpartum and like it very much. Down the road a bit, I might look into NICU or antepartum, but right now I'm happy where I am.

hi

in march when me and my friends got hired a lot of them went to nicu and i went to med/surg....ooooh woe is me LOL..anyways. They went thru hospital orientation and then they did critical care classes and then went to floor orientation. They enjoy it and love it so much, which is really good, they take care of 2 to 3 baby's a night. I work at a teaching hospital by the way, so they hired so many people now they are telling my friends there that they hope someone quits because they're overstaffed by 22 people. My friends are a lil bit discouraged because they feel they want them to fail, so i'm kind of happy that i didn't follow suit, and join them all there, but they are doing great, so maybe try to find a teaching hospital or do some time in peds as sue wrote. I eventually want to do mother/baby or L/D but i want 2 years med-surg as i go back for my BSN, and work nights. Best of luck to you!

Hiring new grads for the NICU is not at all unusual in large teaching hospitals, as these units have the ability to "absorb" new employees for lengthy orientations, while smaller units may not. I am not familiar with your area, but if you have a large teaching and referral center near you, it would probably present your best bet for finding a NICU position as a new grad.

I started as a new grad in the NICU 20 years ago, in a 45 bed unit that staffed each shift with 20+ RNs. (The overall staff of the NICU consisted of 120 RNs. Some small hospitals have fewer nurses on their entire hospital staff!) With a staff so large, it was not a problem to accomodate 10- to 20 new grads per year. Compare that to a small, Level II NICU in a community hospital with a staff of 3 or 4 RNs per shift. A unit like that could probably only accomodate 1 or 2 new grads per year.

Another thing to consider is that "new grad hiring season" is typically considered to be the summer months, following spring graduation. Units that won't consider new grads now may be more willing to do so during the summer months when hospitals typically schedule facility-wide orientation for new grads.

Don't give up!

Some hospitals offer great New Grad programs. Over the summer, I worked in Labor and Delivery. It was a great experience. I didn't pass my boards this summer and I couldn't stay, but I am glad that I took the opportunity. I finally passed but, this hospital is in another state and too far a commute. Keep looking you might find a hospital that is willing to train you in a specialty. Good luck.