Published Aug 25, 2008
Bravesgirl
2 Posts
I am a 10th grader in high school.. i understand that i am a young person, but i really would like to get a kick start on my career. anyone that knows anything about being a NICU Nurse it would be really helpful. i dont know about college, what type of classes i should take to help, or if there is anyway i can get work in a hospital. i dont know what to do
anything will help..PLEASE
BelleKat, BSN, RN
284 Posts
Hi Bravesgirl and welcome! There are a lot of nurses who work in the NICU here but I'm not one of them. I just wanted to welcome you though!
ilstu99
320 Posts
I am a 10th grader in high school.. i understand that i am a young person, but i really would like to get a kick start on my career. anyone that knows anything about being a NICU Nurse it would be really helpful. i dont know about college, what type of classes i should take to help, or if there is anyway i can get work in a hospital. i dont know what to do anything will help..PLEASE
Hello. :) It would be a great idea to head over to the NICU board. It's under the "Specialty" tab at the top. Then click on "Critical Care" and you'll see the NICU forum. There's a lot of great information there about being a NICU nurse. There's also a student forum with TONS of great information. :bby:
Even before that...my best advice is to get great grades (especially in sciences), get involved in your community (can you volunteer at a local hospital?) and don't let short-term things derail you from your long-term plans.
Best of luck, and your interest in nursing is AWESOME! :hpygrp:
supernurse20
15 Posts
Welcome. I did all of my rotations in nursing school my senior year in the NICU and loved every minute of it. It is very tough but takes a special person to be a NICU nurse. Id would recommend previewing the information on the NICU forum. Good Luck!
nessajune21
133 Posts
Once you're old enough, you could take a CNA course and apply for a CNA position at your local hospital. By the time you graduate, you could have plenty of hospital experience and a better chance of landing that NICU dream job.
I'd recommend contacting the hospital and setting up a job shadow day as well. This way you will have the opportunity to ask the NICU nurse any and all questions that you may have.
Good luck!
Harparia
104 Posts
I recommend volunteering at your local hospital. I did it years ago, as a candy striper. (Do they still have those?)
I got to work in all over, including the NICU. I had to get a current TB test and make sure that all my immunizations were up to date. I did a lot of cart stocking, fetching things for parents, and observing. Occasionally, I would get to feed or hold a more stable baby. :loveya:
As others have said, do as many science courses as you can in HS. These will give you a strong base for when you get into college.
Read lots of stuff on allnurses to get an idea of what to expect.
Good Luck with everything!