Transitioning to NICU

[ERGypsyRN21]

Has anyone had luck transitioning into NICU from a non-peds or L&D speciality? I've been in the ER for nearly 8 years now and I'm super burnt out. I've always been super interested in NICU. I'm afraid it'll be difficult to get into though? Any thoughts?

Thanks!

[Lady_Leijing, BSN]

I switched from a Med-Surg floor to NICU about a year ago. It's a hard transition, but doable. It may depend on your hospital and how much experience they are looking for in their incoming NICU staff. (In my case, it probably didn't hurt that I knew a couple of the nurses that worked down there already).

My best advice if you get the job: ask lots of questions and don't let them short you on orientation. NICU isn't like anything else in the hospital, and while your assessment skills will give you an advantage over a new grad, you have to readjust you're whole mindset.

[prmenrs, RN]

The big difference is adjusting your view of "normal". From nursing school on to the hospital, you have been caring for adults. Babies are a whole other species. And that is what is discomforting for quite a while after coming to the NICU. BUT. It's a worthwhile transition.

The anatomy and physiology is different--all the parts are pretty much there, but they work differently. The way babies handle medications is different. The diseases and disease processes are different. How many grown-ups have you met that managed to aspirate meconium? What's oomphalitis? Necrotizing enterocolitis? Persistent Fetal Circulation? Dysmorphology? You'll have a lot of new things to learn--and babies are fascinating.

I would encourage you to look into transferring. Good luck!