Would volunteering in the NICU help me to get a job someday?

[luvmy3kids]

Hello everyone! I hope you are all having a nice (backtoschool) day! I know I am! LOL The house is much quieter.

I currently am volunteering at a local community hospital on the OB floor. I've been there for about 18 months. I basically pass out waters, re-stock the cabinets with crackers/condiments etc, and clean the cribs and some of the surgical supplies. I have very minimal patient contact. (absolutely none with the babies)

I'm a "pre-nursing" student and I'm hopefully starting the nursing program next fall at my CC. I hope to one day work in the NICU at Children's Hospital in Mpls or possibly somewhere else in the US as my husbands job has the potential to move us elsewhere.

I got a call today about an application that I filled out for a volunteer position at Children's. I'm curious if anyone thinks that working there as a volunteer would actually help my chances of possibly working there someday... or if it really is work experience that they look for.

I'm quite comfortable with the volunteer job I have now, however it is not very challenging, and I don't get to work with the babies which is what I really want to do. The position at Children's is the "rock-a-baby" position, so I should have much more contact with them.

Any advice?? Opinions? Is it worth my time to pursue this? It's a different group so I will have to go through another interview, orientation, training... all that stuff...

Thanks for your help. I really appreciate you reading this long post (if you made it thru) lol

Jennifer

[hikernurse]

I think it would help. My friend who did this through NS was offered a job in the NICU she volunteered in.

I volunteered for several months before I applied for my first job in almost 20 years (CNA job; I was in NS) and they called my manager where I had volunteered. They looked at the fact that I was dependable--on-time and didn't call in sick.

Go for it :).

[RNDreamer]

Go for it! I plan to apply as a volunteer at a hospital I'm considering working for! Once I start clinicals next year I plan on finding out if there are any student/volunteer opportunities in the ICU, preferably the NICU

[rnpilot]

Absolutely. You'll get "face time" and have the opportunity to become familiar with the hospital and staff. When you are ready for a job, they'll already know you so you'll be like one of them. This is good from a manager's position because they'll already know how you interact with other staff. I'd say this is one of the best ways to get an "in."

[Skeletor]

I was just granted a slot as a volunteer :zzzzz cuddler :redpinkhe and :loveya: feeder in my local hospital's NICU.

I would think that the more exposure you have with the staff and the environment, it would seem the more likely you are to be trusted to work there upon graduation since you've established a rapport.

I already find it extremely rewarding and very educational seeing as I've just started my position there.

I'm the only male on the entire unit which seems to be sparking the majority of the staff's curiosity as to what I am doing there in the first place:lol2:

Feeding time is fun:D

:hpygrp:

[elizabells, BSN, RN]

I'd say take it! Cuddler positions are much harder to come by than they used to be. You'll a) get face time with the people on the unit and b) they'll know that YOU know what the NICU is really about. There's a lot of attrition of new grads who didn't really realize what they were getting into, and if you apply there, they'll know they don't have to worry about that with you.

[NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN]

Yes!! Go for it and once you are closer to being in nursing school, or even now try to get a job as a CNA!

[kashi1019]

I would definitely recommend volunteering, teching, or shadowing in the NICU if you can. I JUST had an interview today for a GN Fellowship in the NICU, and they really were happy that I had shadowed. It shows interest, and you definitely know what you are getting yourself into.

My interview went much better than I expected, but I was sooo nervous and did ramble quite a bit, but I got in all the points that I wanted to say to highlight why I would be a good person to hire, so cross your fingers that I get it!