Transition From ER to NICU?

[cna to crna2b]

I have a couple of years of tele experience and a year of ER. I want to be a neonatal nurse . The more I look into it the more I want to do it. How hard of a transition would it be? How would I get in to it?

[rnkaytee]

Does your current hospital have a NICU? I'd start by maybe asking the unit manager for a shadow day? We've had one ER nurse that has transferred in. Quite frankly, it didn't go so well, but only because her personality was more "I've been there, done that" which never goes over well. NICU is a completely different animal.

[%63theend]

I would think it could be done. It may be easier to get into a pediatric ER first and transition from there so at least you have more Peds experience to sell on your résumé. But just give it a shot. All they can say is no!

[aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

It absolutely is possible.

When you go to interview, highlight your strengths such as time management and adaptability to change and dealing with the unknown as in you never know what is going to come through the door.

When you do get to the NICU, keep in mind that we are a world all of our own. EVERYTHING is different here. As long as you keep an open mind, you should be fine.

I do recommend shadowing someone if you can just to get a feel for what you will be doing. The NICU is a very quiet place but it doesn't mean that we aren't busy or that we "sit around all day".

One big change that may take a while to get used to is that we do everything by weight. Feeds, meds, drips, vent settings, bed selection (radiant warmer, open crib, isolette), total fluids.

We see all sorts of diagnoses. Neuro (lots of neuro where I work HIE and IVH are the two major ones followed by seizures), respiratory (the MAJORITY of your patients will come for "respiratory distress"), cardiac, GI (dx like NEC, gastroschisis, volvulous, stenosis, CDH, etc), sepsis, GU (UTI's, reflux, missing kidneys or urine coming out of places it shouldn't), and lots of surgeries.

If you are at a level III facility you can also experience ECMO and WBC (whole body cooling for hypoxic birth injury) which is pretty amazing.

ETA: The NICU can be viewed almost as like an ER for babies just born in, or outside the hospital. You never know what you are going to get for an admit or a transport.

[pbajil]

I've been trying for 7 years. Do it now, with a "couple years" experience. No one will hire me, I have too much adult experience. (10+). They are probably assuming I will be "difficult" for me and that I am "set in my ways" as those above have described. I think it's obvious that a critically ill newborn is different than an 80 yr old. Of course I would be open to a completely different way of doing things!

I could have finished a NNP program by now (twice). It's ridiculous that I could have gotten hired as a NNP faster than I could as a NICU RN.