CrisNICURN

Hi Daisy!! I just got your message but I can't respond to private messages yet. Can you message me your email then I can write back to you :)

No problem jp2012grad! I don't think every hospital offers NICU classes, I got lucky and got to sit in on them because they knew I was interested :) It definitely doesn't hurt to call around and see who offers it!

Hi jp2012grad!! You already have a leg up on me, you will be graduating with a BSN. I will tell you, one of the main things I noticed when I applied to different hospitals is that most hospitals in my area preferred someone with their BSN, experience, or both. You precepting in the NICU and graduating with a BSN, in my personal opinion, will definitely help you. I too was graduating needing to find a job asap due to having a family and having bills, etc. I applied to EVERY job I could find, whether it was med/surg (even though I wanted to stay away from med/surg), NICU, LTC, OR, tele, home health, etc, etc. My heart was definitely in the NICU but I knew I couldn't be picky when it came down to it. And my school would not let anyone precept in certain areas, we were not allowed to precept in the NICU. All through nursing school I did extra things outside of nursing school. I started volunteering in a NICU (they hired me :)), I started taking NICU classes at the hospital I was volunteering at, and I took NRP. I had several friends who also wanted the NICU so I told them everything I was doing and no one else wanted to do it because they didn't think it would help them because like I said before, we were always told NICUs don't really hire new grads, and if they do they will be looking for BSNs first. I say go for what you want, because even if things don't happen the way you would like, at least you know you tried so you won't have to wonder "What if I did this" and "What if I did that". I will never regret my decision to put myself into the NICU fully, doing everything I could to get in, even though it was stressful because I was doing all this during nursing school (nursing school is stressful enough!), but I'm happy I did all that I did. And when I interviewed for the NICU positions, they saw everything I did. They knew that just because I took these classes did not mean I was proficient in NICU nursing, they were more interested in my motivation and because I was a new grad I have not had the chance to develop any bad habits and that they could mold me. Good luck with everything :) Let me know if you have any other questions!

VCMC offered me a per diem job, so I took the full-time job in Los Angeles. However, the NICU manager at VCMC still wants me to work there so she said I can do per diem for her and full-time in LA once I get more comfortable working in the NICU. So I haven't officially started at VCMC yet, but one day soon I will. I did volunteer in the NICU at VCMC during nursing school, so I think that definitely helped me to get hired. And I took NRP. I also started taking NICU classes at VCMC as well, so that also helped. That helped me to get hired in LA too because they saw how much motivation I had. I loved VCMC when I volunteered there. Good luck and let me know if you have any other questions :)

Thanks!! I appreciate it. Very exciting.

Hi RNnicu42! I live near Los Angeles, CA. I got hired at LAC+USC Healthcare Network in the NICU full-time and also I got hired per diem in the NICU at Ventura County Medical Center. I know how hard it's been for new grads to find a job so I was prepared to work med/surg but so happy I don't have too. Are you in Northern or Southern Cali? Both LAC+USC and VCMC are hiring. I wish you luck :) If you have any other questions I will gladly answer.

Here was my experience with LAC+USC: I filled out the online app in February and got a letter in March saying to call them to set up an interview. The first interview was in March and I was told I would find out if I passed within 4 weeks. The questions were situational and behavioral type questions. I actually found out I passed about 8 weeks later (they told me they were behind or something so it was taking awhile). Anyway, I called them every week after I found out I passed to see if they were hiring. They ended up calling me in July for a NICU interview. I interviewed for the NICU on July 26th and got hired that same day. I then went through the fingerscan and physical and now my start date is tomorrow!!! Good luck to everyone. I'm a new grad. They are hiring a lot of RNs right now!

Hi!! I had an interview with LAC+USC back in March and passed. They called me to interview for the NICU in July and I got hired. Tomorrow is my start date! I am a new grad. They are hiring a lot of new grads right now so good luck!!

Hi!! I think you should follow your heart. I graduated last December with my Associates Degree in Nursing and I will be starting my dream job, in the NICU! And I also got offered a second RN position in a different hospital in the NICU as well. So many people discouraged me from going for my dream of becoming a NICU RN and they would always say "No one will hire you in the NICU as a new grad". But I followed my heart and I did not regret a moment of doing so :) But I did apply for every and any RN job I could find. I'm just happy my job search ended the way it did. Good luck!!