cvzsRN

All of this. I left NICU due to no consistency in my schedule and have a small baby at the time. I fought for myself and wanted to give it one more scheduling cycle but it just wasn’t working. Two years later and I’m having the hardest time finding NICU interviews but get many pediatric interviews (was interviewing for a move recently). I’m grateful for the opportunities presented but feel a slight pain of missing out on that one thing. Hopefully one day the opportunity presents itself again.

It sounds like you went to school for a reason and have a pull toward education and inpatient Nursing. I would give yourself credit for what you have accomplished and what you know that your easily brushing aside. All Nurses have aspects that need polished and when you come across something you need more skills of your own on, network, research and ask questions. It’s going to be a great leadership and education quality. Best of luck in your final decision. If I were you I would take. I’ve passed on opportunities before because I was scared of how it would fit my personal life and I still regret them 2-3 years later. I wouldn’t want you to look back and feel like you missed an amazing opportunity. Most hospitals these days also will offer a transition time after a few months, usually around 6. If it’s not your thing they might be able to help you find something in house that is

So I'm back! I'm looking for advice on returning to nursing after 12 months away due to the unfortunate (extended time) & location of my husband in Puerto Rico! We are currently waiting on the news of when and where he will be located next! I'm am coming into my 12th month out of practice (with one year experience), it may be 15-18 months by the time we make it to our next home. I am stressing about getting back back to states and starting work but I'm scared my lapse in practice may hinder my ability to get an interview or call from HR at all! Is there anything I can do to show that I am passionate about returning to work! This break in practice has been terribly painful for me and a huge stressor for my husband and I b/c he knows how much I loved the job I left & how much I can offer any nursing unit! I would love to start on a postpartum unit right away but with one Year med/surg-cardiac experience and a break in employment, I know they may be difficult but I also know I have so much I can contribute as well! I would be happy to go a to cardiac unit but I don't think it would be long term and the kind of excitement and fulfillment I think about if I were able to begin on PP right away! Obviously I am going to be over the moon to return home and happy to go back to work but just looking for ideas, feedback or those that have been in similar situations! I've read a few posts and statements saying it could be nearly impossible & that completely terrifies me. ***We should know by end of July about when/where for our next location*** I know that will be helpful in my search and personal research as well! Thanks all!

I would love to know how it goes! I too am trying to transition to L&D with one year experience in cardiac med/surg as an RN and more before that as a CNA. I am currently unable to find any position as a nurse at all in Puerto Rico. It is very frustrating. My fiancé and I will relocate back to the states in the next 7-10 months but it is very discouraging that I have a gap in practice. I am currently looking at childbirth educator courses or lactation educator b/c I feel so passionately about BF. I am hoping one of those will at least give me an opportunity to invterview. I also love nursing and know that I can more than likely transition back to cardiac & everyday I walked into work I prayed thanks for a job to walk into but I also feel like I am ready to do what is going to make me happy make a second home of my career & I know that's the OB/Women's Health/Newborn world! best of luck í ¾í´—

I'm hoping to get hired as an L&D nurse but not opposed to postpartum. I have considered the doula route as well. I understand the hesitation of any hiring manager with my lapse in practice so I am trying to look at the best alternatives for the next 7-10 months to take a better step in that direction. I think it would be very beneficial to take any of those classes so I appreciate the input. I will definitely look into that as well. My thoughts were that if I was unable to start right away in women's health as a nurse that I could and would at least be certified to teach childbirth classes and more than likely be able to get back into the swing of practice as a cardiac nurse until the time was right to make a transition to OB. It would be nice to begin right away in labor and delivery but I am aware of the challenges I will face whenever relocate back home. I am currently at 6 months out of practice and because of the hiring practices in Puerto Rico it has been extremely difficult to find a position. When I return from visiting my family I am hoping to start volunteering at a local ER/urgent care.

So! Basically long story as short as I can make it! New Nurse, one year experience in Cardiac medicine at well known teaching hospital. LOVED it! Chose cardiac b/c I worked as CNA during school on a step down and felt it was the best transition from student to nurse for me and that I could most definitely use those skills in the OB world :) Well after just about a year of experience I left my position b/c of a transfer for my fiancée job & us having a newborn daughter. We currently live in Puerto Rico and will be transitioning back to the states in 7-10 or 12ish months! Obviously hoping for the lesser! I have searched and searched for a position here and it has been extremely difficult. I always wanted OB or NICU in school and tried to make decisions for my career based on getting to those two points. I never planned to take time off and it has been difficult. Anyway, as we prepare to relocate back to the states, my fiancé (will be married in April 2017) is actively trying for a position in San Antonio so that we can relocate to our forever home and be closer to family- I am trying to work through many scenarios in my head of how to make steps to beginning on OB or NICU. I am realizing jumping into NICU after almost a year off might be more difficult than I can prepare myself for. Now that I have healed from my own birth experience I now feel a new surge of energy to start looking at what I can do to prepare myself to enter the women's health world. This is not a stepping stone, should I be blessed to receive the opportunity to work as an OB nurse and thrive here, I will most definitely be happy staying in this specialty as long as I am able to provide excellent care and be a productive member of the team. So, I am currently looking at childbirth educator courses through CAPPA. I feel like this is a good step in the right direction, will help me pass the time as I continue to search for positions here or at our next location & might help give me the push to at least get an OB interview. my questions are, after a year (or more) out of practice do you think this could be a wise decision? Even if I do not land an OB position and find myself back in cardiac medicine, do you think there is still opportunity to teach classes from time to time? Or does this just sound crazy and even desperate? I know I will have to make the best choice for my career at the end of the day, but reaching out doesn't hurt :) Also any knowledge of CAPPA would be great, I am still researching as I go foward making the decision. Ultimately I would love to become a lactation consultant and maybe a clinical instructor at some point. Many advice is greatly welcome. Thanks!

So your interview was the day or two after Christmas it looks like, and we just started off New Years week. A lot of HR departments were off on Monday and I would think some may have continued with possible vacation days. This is a weird time with extra time off between departments. Did they say they would call or was this about the time they said they would be getting back to canidates? Sorry for the questions! I really hope you have a chance also :) I'll be in a weird spot in the middle of the year but hope I can just land a NICU interview! But, really best of luck :) I would love to know how it goes Also for the future I have started reading posts I find in searches from Pinterest, it's hard to find great ones but it might help prepare for future interviews

I graduated at 27 and started my first nursing position 4 months before turning 28. Of course I was in school on and off, tried the teacher thing thinking it wouldn't be as stressful as nursing school but my heart wasn't in it. So buckled down, started working to save money for that foreshadowed time where people tell you that most schools suggest you only study and not work. I was still able to work part time and be successful once I really made the commitment (not without an amazing support team at home though). Anyways start to finish 3 1/2 years for a BSN once I truly commited. It could have been faster but some of my sciences had expired just the semester before I transferred to a local community college where I was living at the time. Although in 2012 I was looking at the 2015 finish date (at the time just for ADN & knowing I would need and desire a BSN) I felt like I would never reach my goal, but I seriously could not imagine what I would be doing in the meantime. I ended up obtaining all nursing pre-requ's from that community college and got lucky enough to transfer to a private university (yes with a lot of debt now) and immediately start my BSN preparation. I also had to take extra humanities and courses in conjunction at my local community college for and AS that would fulfill requirements for the university! It was so much & very discouraging at times & I struggled in the nursing student world but was so determined that even when I thought I might have to repeat a class, I accepted it and told myself I would survive. Honestly, you can't change your school policy but you can change the way you approach the situation. I truly hope it works out for you, but study-study & ask for help. Ask your instructors for any tips and evaluate what is working for you and what is not! Is it an option to go part time at all? It will take longer but you may be more successful! If it's really what you want the length of time it takes you is just a part of the journey!

I am curious as to how your interview went! I am a new member and just saw this thread! I hope it went well!

Thank you :) I think I would be a better fit for a postpartum unit then a L&D unit. Where I did clinical as a student you were hired in to both and the requirement was two of four areas: L&D, mother/baby, newborn nurse, and triage. I wouldn't mind L&D if it were a unit like that. I will keep researching areas and putting forth my effort for the meantime here. I absolutely miss putting those scrubs on everyday and did not expect to have so many barriers here but it will make me that much more grateful wherever I end up.

Hi all! I've read lots of posts on trying to transition into the NICU as a new grad. I am a new nurse with just about a year experience in adult cardiothoracic med/surg. This is where I successfully worked as a student and I thought it would be a great transition from student to new grad. I feel I caught on quickly (with the mindset to always ask questions at appropriate times) and I do have a love for cardiac medicine. The But, is that I got into nursing for neonatal medicine and I know it will be a huge transition & possibly challenging to find position. I am just looking for pointers, such as continuing education that I can get into, books or literature, or anything anyone has to offer. I left my position at the end of June 2016 b/c my fiancés job extended his obligation in Puerto Rico and we now have a young daughter. It is so different here for being a territory of the US. It's been six months and the application for endorsement has been a nightmare, I was offered a coding position with a US based insurance company that was supposed to start 10-31-16 and now they are saying it will be January but I still haven't heard from recruiter or HR rep after follow ups. This is a temp/contract position or I would not have agreed b/c we will be relocating home between June 2017 and January 2018 (our hopes are earlier). I know how much it costs to hire and train new nurses-another passion of mine is retention. Anyways I am just super worried with the lapse in practice (work) and no recent clinical experience it will be much harder than I imagine to make the transition at this time. I have reached out to local hospitals back home but they are pushing L&D and one even offered a cardiac interview with the option to transition later. I just really feel like I need to do whatever I can to make a NICU position work, I have always been flexible which is one of the many reasons I started out as a new grad in adult medicine. I tried to listen and take in all the advice of my mentors and peers. Anyways, thanks for reading, I would love ANY feedback on what might make me more appealing to the NICU team :) I have also started reaching out to volunteer at a NICU here but everything takes an extraordinary amount of time around here, and I still haven't received a call back from initial inquiry.