reentry nurse

Yes, if you are highly motivated. And you would probably be better off without med/surg experience.

This topic comes up frequently with new grads who are bombarded with the age-old mantra that you need a year of med/surg experience before going into a specialty area. I have NEVER understood that logic, UNLESS you enjoy med/surg and desire the experience it provides.

I've read your other post which indicated that you've already completed a refresher course, which, I'm sure offered virtually no exposure to maternal-child nursing, let alone the NICU. You were questioning whether to take another refresher or take a staff position with a preceptor. Unless you know of a course geared to OB-Peds-NICU, you will gain nothing by taking another refresher. It's time to get a paying job!

Seek out a position which offers a minimum 3 month orientation 1:1 with a preceptor. Orientation should also include a didactic portion, usually 1-2 weeks in length where you will learn about such topics as fetal development, high-risk pregnancy, pathophysiology and pharmacology. Once off orientation, you should have an identified mentor on your shift for the next 6 months. This person will be invaluable as a back-up when you need clinical support with a complex patient, as well as showing you the ins and outs of the unit and hospital politics.

As you interview, seek out information on topics such as orientation, floating, nurse-patient ratios, support staff available on the unit, and their roles, such as clinical educator, clinical nurse specialist, etc. Find out what certifications you will be expected to obtain, and how you will go about getting them. For example, are you expected to find an NRP course and pay out of pocket, or does the hospital provide and pay for such a course?

Just a little friendly advice: I would steer clear of any unit in which you would be expected to float during your first year. How in the world can you care for patients on a strange unit when you are still learning your way around your home base? Run, don't walk away from any unit which has less than 50% experienced staff. By that I mean at least 2 years of NICU experience. Any unit that relies too heavily on new, inexperienced staff will be an awfully dangerous place to work.

Good luck to you. I"ve worked with a number of re-entry nurses, most of whom were extremely qualified and very conscientious. They just needed time and experience to gain their confidence back. It will come, and you will be an asset to your unit.