No New Grads !

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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 !

Specializes in Peds Cardiology,Peds Neuro,Pedi ER,PICU, IV Jedi.
That's interesting. Is this a paid internship?

To answer your question and to clear up some others:

The "internship" is for RNs and yes, it is "paid" as you are already an employee of the organization.

An "externship" is for student nurses who have completed a specified amount of their training, to work alongside RNs in the unit.

They are both paid positions - the Nurse Extern is paid comparable to what the technical staff are paid.

We don't have a NICU here at Children's - not anymore. They redesigned our facility a few years back and now we've got simply "critical care" beds. No NICU, per se. However, Our ICUs are fully equipped to handle just about any type of peds patient regardless of their age.

And if you want to learn --- COME ON DOWN!!! I have been here for 10.5 years and I wouldn't work anywhere else. It's hella rewarding to work with the kiddos - and I've watched a number of them grow up.

If you have any further questions...let me know and I'll find out whatever you need!!

vamedic4

Dallas TX :)

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Specializes in NICU.

I am a relatively new grad (May '05) and an RN in a Level III NICU. My hospital did not hire new grads for years, but has started to do so in the last year or so. I was lucky enough to have a NICU clinical my last semester of nursing school, and when I mentioned this to my potential employer, she was very excited. This clinical gave me the opportunity to feel comfortable with the assessment process and to get used to being around babies, even though it was not at the hospital where I am now employed. I think hiring new grads into the NICU is wonderful - the only thing you'll really learn in med-surg is time management...and even that isn't the same as the NICU. We have 2-3 pts in neo, depending on how sick they are, sometimes only 1. In medsurg, you have 5-6, and prioritizing is different, as far as I can tell. The orientation process is rather long, and only since the beginning of this month have I been fully off orientation.

Good luck to those of you who just graduated or are about to! The NICU is a wonderful place to work, and I hope you all find the position you are looking for!

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Are you talking about Children's Hospital in Columbus? I used to go to OSU, but my husband got transferred to South Dakota with the Air Force :crying2: What is a UC?

I know that it is sometimes an issue at the Children's Hospital here, but that's why I've planned ahead :lol:

I started Jan of last year, working as a UC in the ER at Childrens. (before I started my program) and then through networking, I moved up to UCing in the NICU as well. It was then easy, once I met the minimum education requirements to become a PCA, to ask my manager if I could get oriented and trained as a PCA and switch my job.

And I know when I finish my RN, I will be able to get a job in the NICU much easier because I know the staff, the managers, the clinical leaders - I've proven to them already that I'm trustworthy, hardworking, dedicated and a fast learner. They don't have to take it on faith.

I would do whatever you can to get to know people/managers in your NICU. Do some volunteer work there if you can, along with your regular work. Show them that this is what you want to do and you'll do what it takes to make it happen. :) Good luck!

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Specializes in NICU/Neonatal transport.

Abby: Yeah, I am at Children's Columbus and go to OSU!

UC=unit coordinator, also known as Unit Assistant, Unit Secretary etc. Depends on the unit what you do. In the ER, we were part of the trauma team and got to do a lot. In the NICU as a UC, you don't do much, fetch blood, order the occasional stat xray, talk to parents, coordinate new admits etc.

I love so much being a PCA. I work tomorrow, woohoo!!! I can't wait til I'm a real nurse and can do even more.

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