NicuRN628

We have quite a few 22 weekers in our unit currently as well. I have very mixed feelings about it.

I am a new grad and started in a level III NICU in January. I just did my NRP certification this past month. As long as you read over the book and understand the algorithm it is not bad at! Good luck!

I work in a level III NICU and have my BSN. A lot of hospitals are only hiring BSN prepared nurses, although you may find a hospital that will hire you if you have an associates degree. I am a registered nurse, and can technically be called a neonatal nurse because I work in the neonatal ICU. I care for babies 22 weeks gestation and up, some of my babies weight less than a pound, some are full term chubby babies. If you are intersted in caring for normal babies I would suggest looking into a job at a normal newborn nursery, post partum, or a level 1 or 2 NICU. I work night shift full time (3 12's). This includes a lot of weekends and holidays. Yes, it is possible to have a family and have this job (I am married, no children yet), but I imagine it is challenging. My job can be mentally taxing, having a good support system is important. If you look up the average RN salary you will be able to see what you would expect to make in your area. It truly depends on your area. I have always known I wanted to work in the NICU. I love the high acuity, the relationships I form with parents, and taking care of the infants. I know this is the right fit for me because I never dread going into work, I truly enjoy what I do and feel I am making a positive difference in the lives of my patients and their families. Nursing school is challenging and time consuming. It requires dedication and hard work. Good luck with everything!

Check out Walsh University. I was told in all of my interviews that they chose to interview me because I had my degree from Walsh, it is arguably the best nursing program in the state. I also received a job offer from every interview I went on, and ultimately got my dream job. It's also a D2 school so you can get athletic scholarships which saved me a lot of money.

I'm pretty sure Metro only hires BSN prepared RNs.

1.Do you feel respected and valued at work? (what type of facility are you in?) I feel very respected and valued at work. The doctors and nurses on my floor work as a team and I feel my opinions matter. I am respectful to others at work and in return I get respect. 2.Are the Doctor's always yelling at you? (and what can you do about that?) I have yet to have a doctor yell at me. 3.How do you feel when you get home? (Do you "bring your job home?") Some days I come home and cry, and some days I am extremely happy because I saw something amazing at work. The good days far outweigh the bad. I talk to my husband about work for a short period of time, and then I am done with work until the next time I go in. 4.What would you change about this profession? I love the nursing profession. There are so many different areas you can work in, and there are always career advancement opportunities. You can specialize, get certifications, go back to school to further your nursing career, or be content where you are at. I don't think I would change anything. Nursing is one of the most trusted professions.

After graduating it took almost 2 months for me to get my number to sign up for the NCLEX-RN. During this time I planned to study, but I felt burnt out and didn't study. The day after I got my number I took the test and passed. Nursing school should have prepared you to take the NCLEX, you shouldn't have to cram for it. Good luck!

If you are a strong student go for the four year program. In four years I completed my BSN as well as a bachelors of science in Biology, 187 credit hours. I took a couple summer courses. During the school year I was also on a varsity sport which required a lot of time. Good luck!

I did a bachelors to BSN accelerated program which was 15 months. I worked for about half of the program, and was planning a wedding during the other half. If you have good time management skills and a flexible job you should be able to work at least part time. My school advised against it, but it was fine working also. I could have taken three years to get the same classes done through the traditional program, but I am so glad I did the accelerated.

I had a different experience in Ohio, I had multiple offers and have since been working in my dream job setting. Do you have an ultimate dream job? Would one of these current offers prepare you better for that job? If so, I would take the one that aligns with your long term goals. Congratulations and good luck!

I know of a very large hospital system, the Cleveland Clinic, that starts new RNs at a salary similar to this, though the insurance does kick in sooner.... Good luck!

3 with one being a parent

Do you not like working in the NICU because you have made mistakes and feel bad or because you genuinely don't enjoy the NICU? Working in the NICU is not easy, and it does not help comparing yourself to other nurses on your floor, new grads or not. Mistakes will be made, it happens to everyone. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. If I were you I would talk to your manager about your feelings and see what they think, maybe they feel that with a couple extra weeks of orientation you will be ready to be on your own. I understand your confidence is low, but as long as you feel comfortable asking questions when you don't know something and are wiling to put in the time and effort to learn you might surprise yourself with the nurse you become. I would not give up the NICU job unless you are 100% sure it is not for you. That's just my two cents :) keep your chin up, it gets better!

Hydrops & ectrodactyly.

I work in a level 3 NICU and we were required to buy our own infant stethoscopes :) but I was told of this at my interview. We only use individual stethoscopes for isolated patients. I recommend Merenstein& Garner's Handbook of Neonatal Intensive Care. It is a great resource. I read five or six chapters before I started and it really helped to prepare me and put me a step ahead of the game. Good luck :)