JDD1017

I would love a copy as well!!:-)

I came to NICU from the ED!!:) I too started out as a new grad in the ED and worked there a year before transferring to NICU. I still work PRN in the ED because I DO love working there, but I think the NICU is definitely where my heart is. It can definitely be done. NICU nursing is a much different pace and completely different type of nursing than ED. There is a lot to learn in NICU but I felt like having experience elsewhere made me a better NICU nurse. Good luck to you!!!:-)

I don't think we had anyone from California, but there were people from Washington state and Oregon. The only time you would have to come to Kansas for the program would be for clinicals each semester (for a total of 3 semesters). Most people from out of state would come and stay for a week to two weeks at a time to get all of their clinicals done. A few out of towers that I talked to said it was about 8-10k total for them to go through the program, including flights to and from KS and time away from work. It's a great program and very laid back and flexible with schedules. If you go to their website it does a good job of giving info. Let me know if there's anything else you want to know!:)

Thanks for all the comments everyone! I also said abdominal pain because it seemed to be the most likely to be most acute and I must have gotten the question right or did okay with my other interview questions because I got the job!!! I can't wait to start!! If any of you ER nurses have any advice for a new nurse going starting in the ER I would love to hear it!!:):)

Thanks so much for your responses! I also agree that a new nurse without any ER experience shouldn't be asked these questions, but I guess he wants to make sure that he hires nurses who are able to think critically. Hopefully my eagerness outweighs my lack of experience...:)

I just had an interview and was asked this question: you are working triage and have the following patients: a pt c/o abd pain, a pt c/o lady partsl bleeding, and a child with a broken arm, who do you see first? Using the ABC's I said lady partsl bleeding (circulation issue), however abdominal pain could also indicate internal bleeding and a broken arm could cause compromised circulation in that extremity. I was given no other information to use to answer the question...I would love to hear input from all you experienced ER nurses as to what answer you would have chosen and why...:) Thanks so much!! Keep your fingers crossed for me!! ER nursing is my dream job!

Thank you for your response! I felt that it was inconsiderate to show up unannounced as well and I wanted to get other people's opinions about it. I am hoping to start volunteering within the next few weeks. I have to fill out the application and then go in for an interview. The only downside is I have to spend 40 hours volunteering in regular guest services (passing out flowers, mail, etc...) before I can go to a specific department. But if it's the only way to get my face out there and network then I am willing to put in my time:) Thanks again for your input! I appreciate it:)

Hello, I am currently a nursing student and will be graduating as an RN in December. I have been trying to get hired on as a nurse tech at a hospital here in town and there are either no positions open, or when I do apply I get a rejection letter a couple of days later. It is becoming very frustrating! My ideal job would be in the NICU, but I imagine there are very few nurse tech positions that open up in that unit. I am a great employee and get along with everyone and I know that if I was given the chance to interview they might like me, but I NEVER get to interview. With the application process being online now I am just a faceless applicant... Here's my question: I had clinicals with someone who works as a nurse tech at the hospital and he suggested that I bypass HR all together and go directly to the hospital and meet the unit manager...just introduce myself and tell them I'm interested in a nurse tech position. It sounds so simple when I type it, but I am NOT the type of gutsy person to approach a busy unit manager and beg for a job. I don't even know exactly what I would say! I imagine having to stand in the hallway of the hospital and give her my speech and I would really rather avoid having everyone hear how desperate I am for a job lol. On top of that, I have only been to this hospital once, I don't know my way around, and I don't even know how I would find the unit manager, other than showing up at the nurses station and asking to see her. Has anyone else done this before and what do you do and how did it go? What was the outcome? Would it be better to wait until a position comes available, then apply online and also go up there after filling out the application? Does anyone else have other advise for me? ANY advice would be appreciated! Also-I just spoke with the hospital regarding volunteering and I am going to try to start volunteering there. I am hoping it will help me network with some people and maybe something will come from that. Has anyone had any luck starting out as a volunteer and then getting a job as a nurse tech or an RN? Thanks SO much for your advice!

I got on this website hoping someone else had posted this question! I also want to go into NICU nursing!:) I am currently in an RN program and will graduate in December and am having no luck finding a nurse tech position so I figure I might as well give volunteering a shot. The application process has gotten so impersonal lately that I figure at least by volunteering I might be more than just a faceless applicant and might be able to do some networking. Maybe I can make a good impression on the nurses or staff and hopefully it will help me when graduation rolls around! After reading your question and all the responses to it I called one of the big hospitals in the city that I live in and this is their process for volunteering: 1.) They mail you an application, which you fill out and send back 2.) They call you in for an interview and do a background check on you and check your references 3.) You go through 12 hours of orientation 4.) You have to put in 40 hours of volunteer time in guest services, which includes passing out mail, flowers, etc... 5.) After your 40 hours, you can volunteer in different departments such as ER, Peds, Surgery, etc... I don't know if they specifically take volunteers in the NICU, since the babies are so critical and I can't imagine there would be much a volunteer would be able to do, but even if I can do pediatrics or something, ANYTHING to get my foot in the door at the hospital, I'm willing to do it!:) I guess if I were you and you were only wanting to volunteer to help you get a job, I would wait until you are in a nursing program. But if you're wanting to do it to try to get into a nursing school, then go ahead and give it a shot. Hopefully gas prices come down soon since you will be traveling so far to do it! Good luck to you!:)

That's a great idea, but I'm wondering how you know where to go to apply? I live in KS and all of the hospitals that are in the area want you to apply online, however I think it is so impersonal and I really would like to do just what you suggested, but how do I find out where the HR office is and who should I ask for?

I am currently in an LPN to RN bridge program that is all online. The program is at Hutchinson Community College in Hutchinson, KS. It is also for Paramedics to bridge as an RN. Our class has 50 students, 25 paramedics and 25 LPNs. I'm not sure how many people applied...at one time I was told it was 300, but I'm not sure how accurate that is. We have students from all over the U.S. During our orientation there were students from Seattle, Texas, Alabama, New Mexico, Iowa, and I'm sure many more but I can't remember them all:) Most of them were Paramedics because apparently there are not a lot of online Paramedic-RN bridge programs. The cost of the program is very reasonable. My tuition for this semester was about $1800. I just started in January and will graduate in December. The way clinicals are structured is that you are given a list of clinical dates at the beginning of each semester and then you get to pick the days you want to do them. They have a lot of the clinical days grouped together so that you can come here for a week and do them all at once. This semester we have to do 6 clinical days, this summer we have 6, and our last semester we have 14. A lot of the people coming from out of state were rooming together at hotels and I think some of the hotels in town even give discounted rates to the nursing students. So far it's been a great program...but I've only been in it for about a month. The admission process involved taking the TEAS-V test, doing an interview (people who lived more than an hour away from campus were allowed to do phone interviews), and then being IV Therapy Certified prior to the program starting. I, luckily, live only 45 minutes away from the college so I don't have to pay for plane tickets and hotel rooms. The students that were from out of state said they estimated it would cost about $10,000 from start to finish. That's not too bad considering a lot of online programs charge a lot more than that! If you go to the website hutchcc.edu, you will find out information on the requirements. The administrative assistant is AWESOME and she's a great resource for any questions you have. Good luck on your search! :)