celyseRNBSN

Tons of people in my nursing class got jobs as patient care technicians or nurse techs at hospitals as a part time job. Most of them started out in the summer and then kept the job working part time during the school year. Call HR and inquire if they hire student nurses as nurse techs.

I think peds oncology would be the better choice, too. Things don't always happen on the timeline we want them to, unfortunately, but if you know you're passionate about NICU, don't give up on it :) Get some experience, learn your time management and prioritization skills, and then try to transfer to the NICU in a year or so.

Good Luck! :) If you need more time in the NICU in order to make your decision, you might see if your local hospital allows volunteers as feeders or "cuddlers." I know that my nursing school only gave us a few short hours for our one and only NICU clinical, so not much time at all if you're trying to get a feel for it as a potential place to work!

I understand your concerns about "pigeon-holing" yourself, but my opinion is that if you are really serious about pursuing NICU, doing a preceptorship there is the best way to get your foot in the door. NICU is so different from any other area of nursing. And if you make a good impression, you may even be able to get a job in the NICU that you precept in. It's such a good way to have an "in" that many other new grads do not! You will need to consider how seriously you want to pursue NICU, or if you could be equally happy working with adults in med-surg or ICU. For me, once I knew that I wanted to do NICU, it was hard to even consider the prospect of working with adults again! I am a new grad, and will start my job as a NICU nurse in June. I went all in, took a risk, and only applied to NICUs (but I applied just about everywhere in the state because I didn't care about moving). It worked out well for me! My favorite things about NICU? -Knowing that I'll never have to throw out my back trying to move one of my patients up in bed -When one of your tiniest babies grabs your finger in an attempt to stop you from doing whatever is irritating him (assessment, diaper change)...like it could make a difference :) -The reaction from people when you tell them you are a NICU nurse -When the parents of a baby who were too afraid to visit because they weren't sure he would make it, come in and hold him for the first time.

Wow, I had never heard of so many schools not allowing IV starts until now! My program had us first practice on dummy arms in lab (we weren't allowed to stick each other), and then any time we had an opportunity to start one in clinical, they let us! I guess I just assumed it was like that everywhere.

To be honest, I didn't really want to go to nursing school either. My mom convinced me that it would be a good fit for me as a career since I was interested in healthcare, but didn't want the commitment of going to med school (Sounds like great reasoning, huh?). My first semester of nursing school, I felt sure I had made the wrong decision and absolutely hated my mom for "making" me go. She kept encouraging me and telling me she knew that nursing was what I was meant to do. I doubted her a lot, especially since she wasn't a nurse and we didn't really know any nurses personally. Second semester, I had a day in clinical where I just all of sudden knew I could do this. And I liked nursing--wasn't passionate about it--but I liked it. My third semester, I walked into the NICU (completely unsuspecting) and fell in love. That's when I became really passionate about something career-wise for the first time in my life. Sometimes (not always, but sometimes), those who are close to us know us better than we know ourselves. Maybe you will have an "Aha!" moment the way I did. Or maybe you will just like nursing enough to realize that it is a great, stable career path with lots of options and room for growth. Either way, I don't think you're wasting your money going to nursing school.

Good to know! Thanks!! :)

Thanks Boratz! I have been creeping on the NICU forum for a long time now lol, and saw that you have a "brain" posted. It looks awesome, and I will definitely be using it! Any advice for special supplies I'll need on the job? My mom is buying me an infant stethoscope for a graduation present (I'm not sure if they'll have individual ones for each baby on the unit), and I'm looking into getting one of those little lights that helps you find veins for IV sticks. Not sure what they're called or how much they cost, but several nurses on the unit I currently precept on have them. Will that be something useful?

Just received awesome news: I landed my DREAM JOB as an RN in a Level III NICU! I will start in June and could not be more excited!! :redbeathe This will be my first RN job right out of school (I graduate in less than a month!!), and my advice to other new grads looking for NICU jobs: 1) APPLY EVERYWHERE! Even if you don't think you'll get a call, you have to apply or you'll never know. If you have the flexibility to move, consider it. Sometimes, your hometown or dream location just isn't hiring at the moment. 2) Use any networking that you can--don't be afraid to call a friend-of-a-friend who knows someone who works in the NICU. It worked for me! 3) Be extremely professional in all your interactions with the hospital, even if the emails or calls they send back seem short or rude. 4) Do anything you can to give your resume a competitive edge. Volunteer in the NICU, get a nurse tech/PCA job, and if possible try to get a senior preceptorship there. 5) DON'T GIVE UP! I have dreamed of the NICU since I first set foot in one (literally, I would have dreams about it at night, lol). All the time filling out applications, making phone calls, and sending emails paid off! So excited to start in June!

Congrats!!

Nope. I got the email from the nurse recruiter, too, saying that they were already interviewing. I'm disappointed I didn't even get an interview, but I guess you never know what they were looking for. Oh well! I guess Scott and White is not the place I was meant to work!

How great!! I'm sure you'll get it! I know what you mean though about not wanting jinx anything--I always feel that way haha.

How did your interview go, Jackfackmasta? Let us know how it all turns out!! :)

Not that I know of. Or the NICU :/

Ok thanks masmith! I'm starting to get nervous about it.