Hello there! I am hoping someone can give me some advice because I am feeling pretty discouraged as of late. I graduated in May from my BSN program and had a job lined up at the NICU at my local hospital. My DREAM job is to work as a NICU nurse...it is actually why I am in this career in the first place. I took my boards in August and unfortunately did not pass so the position that was being saved for me was filled. I am taking my boards again soon and have been job hunting as well. I realize that I was really luck with the opportunity I had because the same hospital is not hiring for NICU nurses now.
***My question is this*** I keep running into the problem of most hospitals wanting 1-2 years of NICU experience before they hire you. As a new grad with no experience, I am discouraged because I want to get into the specialty right away (like I was going to) but it seems I need med-surg experience first. I am interviewing for med-surg positions now, but do I take them? Or hold out for what I really want?
I am afraid that if I wait, that it will take to long to get hired. But I am also afraid that if I work, let's say in a renal unit, NICU managers won't want to hire me. Any advice??? What can help make me look desirable to work in the NICU? Any certifications, etc? I am not sure how to navigate this to get to where I eventually want to be.
If you get a job in other than NICU at the hospital where you want to do NICU, you would be learning their computer, policies, meeting staff and doctors. Not a complete waste.
Problem then would be transferring.
Could you work as an aide in the NICU until an RN opening becomes available? If there are aides in NICU. That would give the managers and staff time to get to know you and see what a great RN you would be.
Go to NICU special interest group meetings near where you want to work so you can meet people. (network)
It seems jobs open and close with rapidity in nursing. Write a nice short note to the nurse manager of the original NICU that was willing to hire you initially - tell her/him you still hold out hope to work NICU and that you really want to work there. Stress that you hope they will keep you in mind if a position opens - list the things you find desirable about this unit, and why you are the person for the next opening! Follow up by sending a short note once a month to keep you fresh in their mind.
In the interim take another job to get any nursing experience and a pay check coming in.
Keep in mind you never know what the future holds, or really where you will actually end up. You may really like another job for entirely different reasons. Keep an open mind.
I really, really wanted a normal new born nursery position when I graduated - like with a passion. I worked in the student nurse float pool of a major hospital in my last few semesters, and literally went to any/all units from PACU to normal new born nursery and all units in between. The manager of the normal new born nursery at the hospital I had been working in said she would hire me when I graduated, but she left right before I graduated. I was deeply disappointed as the new nurse manager said she only hired nurse's with normal new born experience (um, then how do I get experience without experience? An oxymoron if I ever heard one). I never did work normal new born nursery as an RN, instead I went down an entirely different path. I'm okay with that now.
I'm a new grad that just got my first job on a med/surg floor, so I don't know if you're interested in doing this, but I would suggest also getting certified in pediatric advanced life support (PALS). I got my ACLS and PALS at the same time, and either way it makes you a more competitive applicant because most new grads come out with just their BLS. I know the hospital I got hired at was pleasantly surprised to see that I had it as a new grad, they all asked me during the interviews if I was interested in ICU because I got those certifications. The PALS will look good for any peds or NICU unit you'd apply to. It seems like you got in the first time, so you're definitely a competitive applicant, but maybe getting your PALS can help as well!
ICU, NICU, SICU, etc. are all specialized units. They deal with equipment you will never see working the floor and the floor has equipment you have never used as a new grad. Most Critical care areas want at least 1 year of med. surg. because YOU HAVE NEVER WORKED AS A NURSE before. Can you read an ECG strip and know if it's bad or good and what the treatment would be, can you Monitor and work an arterial, CVP, Intercranial pressure line ,Swan Line or other invasive vascular measures. Hey, do you know how many mg/kg/minute a drip would be at??? Do you know Babies are NOT little adults and their medications in NICU can often kill them in minutes if you don't know what they are or if you are not watching your patient. The machines may tell you the dosage, but if you have no idea what these medications do or how they work, you have no business being in an ICU of any kind. Do yourself a favor and take the med./surg. job, you really don't know as much as you think and under pressure you know nothing! Wishing you luck and don't rush, You have other peoples future in your hands. Love a 30 year Critical Care Units (all), 9 year Nursing Home, 2 yrs. Hospice, 4 year Prison Registered Nurse.
I work in adult medicine/oncology straight out of nursing school I have 2 1/2 years experience now and I can't get into the NICU because I lack critical care or pediatrics experience. I would say look for a pediatric position or critical care because my 2 years experience has not got me any offers other than areas similar to where I'm already at.
Kooky Korky, BSN, RN
5,216 Posts
If you get a job in other than NICU at the hospital where you want to do NICU, you would be learning their computer, policies, meeting staff and doctors. Not a complete waste.
Problem then would be transferring.
Could you work as an aide in the NICU until an RN opening becomes available? If there are aides in NICU. That would give the managers and staff time to get to know you and see what a great RN you would be.
Go to NICU special interest group meetings near where you want to work so you can meet people. (network)