cruller

I'm an RN with 13 years experience (Pediatrics, Step-Down, M/S, Management in a boarding school clinic). I've been working on a M/S unit for the past 2 years, but I am most interested in working in NICU. In fact, my main interest was NICU when I entered Nursing School, but always felt I needed some solid Med-Surg experience first. I left hospital nursing for 7 years, so when I returned to the hospital 2 years ago I sort of felt that I was starting from scratch. Whatever the reasons, I really want to pursue a NICU position seriously now. Currently there aren't any available positions in my hospital (the only NICU in the area). I'd like to prepare myself in anyway possible, so that when a position becomes available I'll be considered. I'm planning on registering for an online NICU course (recommended by Sigma Theta Tau), but it doesn't start until January. Does anyone have any other suggestions (books, online information,....) for someone without ANY NICU experience? I'd love some advice. Thanks to all.

I've lived in the Berkshires for 10 years and have worked as a nurse for all of them. I worked at Berkshire Medical Center for 1 year and didn't have a good experience. I found many of my co-workers to be "catty" and unhelpful. I overheard a lot of gossip and blatant, nasty arguing in the middle of the nurses station. I think that was mostly because many of them felt slighted by the hospital, but whatever the reason it was unpleasant to work around. In the end my unit shut down and in the process they "floated" us wherever we were needed each shift (for a few months until the closure was finalized). That meant that I worked in M/S, Tele, Onc, Respiratory, Ortho. I was never oriented. I was put in charge of some of those units on several occasions when I had worked on them only once, twice, or even never! And it would be myself and other floats running the unit for the night. I dreaded calling the MD's because they were usually rude. Anyway, I left and I currently work at Baystate Med. Ctr. in Springfield. It's like night and day. From the first day I've found it to be a very professional environment where the nurses are respected and more dedicated than almost anywhere I've worked. We just made Magnet status and the hospital was named in the Top 100 Hospitals. I definately recommend Baystate if you want to work in a hospital in the Berkshires area. I do know a few nurses that travel to the hospital from Great Barrington area and Greenfield area. Three 12 hour shifts make the commute tolerable.