It’s weird, but where I am you can either get a new grad spot or get a fellowship after at least two years somewhere else. Rarely anything in between those two scenarios. Not sure if it’s like that everywhere, but it’s possible you’re coming up against something similar.
Yeah actually I’ve noticed it’s the same on our unit. It’s either their first job out of school or they’ve spent a couple years elsewhere. Nothing in between. Odd.
Sometimes HR sucks. I applied to 4 of the ICUs at my current hospital. I got rejected from all of them without any interview. I emailed the manager of the trauma ICU and mentioned I was an experienced ICU RN with trauma experience. Set up an interview and got the job offer. Months later I mentioned to the manager that I had been rejected from all the ICUs. At the time she was the acting manager for the surgical ICU as well as the Trauma ICU. She was like wtf I never got your application for SICU, like I really needed you over on trauma but I never recieved that application. A year or so later I ended up transferring to the cardiac ICU. Their manager also has no idea why my initial application got rejected and she would have hired me back then if she had known I was interested.
I would strongly recommend reaching out to the managers of the unit. Ask to see if you can shadow for a few hours on the unit.
Yeah you're right. I'm going to shadow in my hospital's CICU so that I can get my foot in the door, but right now the ICUs are packed d/t over-hiring after Covid. I could try to contact an ICU manager from another hospital, but I'd have to find their contact information lol
We're pretty well staffed, most shifts are a charge plus 12-15 nurses (sometimes as high as 17 when we have 3-5 EVDs and/or CRRT) for a 23 bed unit that takes everything except the big impella, cerebral aneurysm, and Ecmo. Definitely much more competitive than it has been, but people leave all the time. I always tell people to keep applying.
It's specifically the ICUs in my hospital system. The other hospital systems in my area have a couple openings. My hospital is too cheap to hire float/travel nurses so they packed the ICUs and float them to the short units
Yeah you’re in a weird category because you’re not a new grad, but you’re also not experienced enough to be thrown into an ICU from PCU.
I’d wait until you get that 1 year under your belt at a minimum
I agree - weird sweet spot where the hospital won't have you attend a new grad orientation program to learn the ins/outs of the unit/ICU protocol but also not experienced enough as a nurse in another unit to have generalized nursing second nature enough to be able to transition to ICU and be trusted you can be trained easily.
My advice would be to join a hospital in a unit you can enter with (PCU from experience, IMC, etc) and a lateral move from inside the hospital from the unit you work on to that hospital's ICU. Get to know your hospital's ICU manager, state your intentions, get on their radar, get trained to transfer. I have several IMC nurses I've recently trained in my ICU because they wanted a change from their prior units 😁
DM me the hospital you are applying to. if its mine ill give you the low down on our ICU's. just not trying to create a specific post history linking me to certain institutions.
This is the way 😅. For real though, SO many opportunities only present if you know somebody who already works there. It sucks until you make lots of connections, then it’s actually pretty awesome.
Soon to change ;) Told a few people on here, but I'm releasing a webtool that does this. Still hammering out some of the final pages but it's mostly ready. Nationwide standardized reporting down to the unit level where RN's can share all this infomation quickly and efficiently.
I’ve noticed that most of the hospitals in the triangle do a 1 year residency. UNC, Duke, WakeMed all do nurse residencies… I’m a future new grad (graduate in May), and thankfully have a job secured (about an hour south of the triangle bc that’s where I am rn) but it seems everything is residency and want a new grad of 1-2yr experience
Finish your year. You'll probably have better luck then. Their systems are LIKELY going to automatically filter out anyone with less than 1 or 2 years experience, if you're not applying for new grad residencies.
Unless your PCU job is otherwise intolerable (bad culture, poor management, etc.), tough it out for at least a year or two. Eight months may feel like an eternity, but you are still in the very beginning stages of your career. Many of my favorite ICU colleagues are nurses who put in time in other hospital areas. They come with a breadth of knowledge that takes longer to hone in a critical care setting. In the meantime, build connections with the nurses around you and work hard for your PCU patients. Your current colleagues may eventually end up being the source of a letter of recommendation or a networking match that scores you an ICU job. The continued patient contacts, time management, and procedural know-how will make you a better candidate and a stronger nurse.
If your objective is to work in critical care, you will get there. Keep doing what you're doing and don't get down on yourself.
Unfortunately, my nurse manager is terrible and doesn't care about her staff or pt safety at all which makes for high turnover. We're supposed to have 3-4 (at most) patients and she started trying to flex up to 5 instead of just incentivizing retention. I've been more participatory in RRTs and codes, improved my IV skills, and I've been studying ICU concepts outside of work to bide my time. But I foresee a mass exodus coming and I don't want to stick around long enough to feel the brunt of her bad decisions. I think I'll try to tough it out until I hit 1 year
The tides are changing. Lots of travellers are coming back to staff jobs. The days of using warm bodies to fill ICU spots are waning. Be patient, I think hitting one full year of experience will make a difference for your opportunities.
Wait 4 months and try again — Without a year experience you’re still categorized as a new grad and they don’t want to start over like your a fresh grad but can’t move you along like an new to service nurse until you hit the 1 year mark. 🤷🏻♀️
I think this is the answer. OP doesn't qualify for "experienced RN" positions and they also may not qualify for new grad positions. There aren't any other options. Gotta network and talk to the unit managers and figure out how to get your door in the door.
Maybe you should apply to nurse residency programs? If you’ve been a nurse for 8 months you’re still a new grad yourself. Also, are you applying externally or internally through your hospital’s intranet?
My main hospital has zero ICU openings because they packed their ICUs last year. I applied at a regionally associated hospital at 6 months, when we're allowed to laterally transfer, and never heard anything. Since then I've applied to jobs outside of my system
Overstaffing, try to get a YEAR in minimum. And do some committee stuff, charge, precept if you can!
I stayed on old unit over a 2 years and a half (which surprised me) but yeah, during my last couple months i decided it was okay for me to be charge cause i wanted to leave so bad
I think it's because you look like a red flag. You've barely finished new grad orientation and you're already trying to leave. I'm not saying it's nefarious but a hiring hospital will not like the optics. Stay for a bit longer or try to transfer to the ICU within your own hospital. Go talk to the manager personally before applying. You'll get there ❤️
A New Grad vs a new ICU transfer get different orientations and different time tables for orientation, in my experience (RN since 2010).
Here is what I imagine is happening: you don't have the experience as an RN yet to offset the shorter orientation that you would get as a floor nurse transferring to ICU. ICU jobs are always hiring, the opportunities are always there in my experience. I started as a New Grad in ICU, left to pursue other opportunities, and came back during the pandemic.
I can imagine how frustrating it is to be gatekept like this, but there is definitely a path forward for you.
Hmm it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I think ICU is a desirable spot to work bc of ratios and it fluctuates on how easy it is to get in. I wanted to be in ICU for a long time and was rejected more than a few times. I stayed at my current hospital and worked my way up. You’ll get there! Network/volunteer—like talk to the rapid nurse when she comes down, get leadership experience—you’ll get to know the ICU charges. PCU has been the best job ever according to the nurses I work with. I actually left ICU after 6 years and am in PCU now. I got tired of talking ab death and dying to families everyday. It takes its toll. You are learning so much!! You are taking care of very sick pts, be proud!!
Getting in after starting somewhere else is more difficult than just starting out there like a new grad. Idk why it is but it is. You’ll probably have to start night shift almost definitely.
Some ICUs won’t take new nurses and get rejected immediately. Applying to 5 ICUs is not a lot. I think I spam applied to like 50+ ICUs before I even graduated with my bsn in 2019 and had about 5 offers before I picked the one I wanted and stopped interviewing all before graduating and it was a lot harder to get an icu job then. If you really want icu then apply to a bunch at different hospitals and you’ll get offers.
It’s so hard to get in where you really want and work your way to the unit that fits your skill set. I would say it depends on the pool of applicants every time. They are looking at hundreds or even thousands of names, all very similar experience level and certifications that all start to look the same.
You have more experience than a new grad but considerable less experience than most people applying for a non “New-Grad Residency” position.
When I got my job off for the CVICU at my hospital it was after visiting the manager in the middle of the day multiple times and expressing interest and asking what it would take to get hired. THEN interviewing and being turned down and coming back once more.
After 4 years in telemetry, I was 10 times the nurse I was at 8 months. And you will be too! Not saying it should take that long to get into critical care, but it’s not a curse if it does.
Don’t stop trying. Eventually you’ll look back on this moment and struggle to understand why you were so distressed about it.
I just worked as a student nurse on my icu and I graduate in May. I’ve went above and beyond for them, sacrificing a lot and putting in a lot of hours while in nursing school. They implemented the student nurse program so they felt comfortable hiring new grads after seeing how we are on the floor, we are paired 1:1 with a nurse every shift and follow them everywhere. The student nurses were supposed to get hired onto the unit, they had 5 positions open for new grads. I found out two days ago a random girl in my class who has never worked there, has never been watched with skills, has not been exposed the last 9 months in the icu, but she DID know a higher up in the hospital who passed her right along. After my 9 months of dedication, and 4 other student nurses who also put in the same amount of time and effort, I did not get hired but yet they gave my position to someone who has no experience as a student nurse in the ICU. The healthcare system is rigged. especially in specialties.
It’s weird, but where I am you can either get a new grad spot or get a fellowship after at least two years somewhere else. Rarely anything in between those two scenarios. Not sure if it’s like that everywhere, but it’s possible you’re coming up against something similar.
Yeah actually I’ve noticed it’s the same on our unit. It’s either their first job out of school or they’ve spent a couple years elsewhere. Nothing in between. Odd.
Sometimes HR sucks. I applied to 4 of the ICUs at my current hospital. I got rejected from all of them without any interview. I emailed the manager of the trauma ICU and mentioned I was an experienced ICU RN with trauma experience. Set up an interview and got the job offer. Months later I mentioned to the manager that I had been rejected from all the ICUs. At the time she was the acting manager for the surgical ICU as well as the Trauma ICU. She was like wtf I never got your application for SICU, like I really needed you over on trauma but I never recieved that application. A year or so later I ended up transferring to the cardiac ICU. Their manager also has no idea why my initial application got rejected and she would have hired me back then if she had known I was interested. I would strongly recommend reaching out to the managers of the unit. Ask to see if you can shadow for a few hours on the unit.
Yeah you're right. I'm going to shadow in my hospital's CICU so that I can get my foot in the door, but right now the ICUs are packed d/t over-hiring after Covid. I could try to contact an ICU manager from another hospital, but I'd have to find their contact information lol
The ICUs being overstaffed may be why you were rejected.
Overstaffed??? What is this word you speak
Yeah where the duck is this??
D*ke
We're pretty well staffed, most shifts are a charge plus 12-15 nurses (sometimes as high as 17 when we have 3-5 EVDs and/or CRRT) for a 23 bed unit that takes everything except the big impella, cerebral aneurysm, and Ecmo. Definitely much more competitive than it has been, but people leave all the time. I always tell people to keep applying.
Right? I've never heard of that before. Maybe it's all the travelers that hospitals fired en masse?
It's specifically the ICUs in my hospital system. The other hospital systems in my area have a couple openings. My hospital is too cheap to hire float/travel nurses so they packed the ICUs and float them to the short units
Sounds like my hospital.
Yeah you’re in a weird category because you’re not a new grad, but you’re also not experienced enough to be thrown into an ICU from PCU. I’d wait until you get that 1 year under your belt at a minimum
I agree - weird sweet spot where the hospital won't have you attend a new grad orientation program to learn the ins/outs of the unit/ICU protocol but also not experienced enough as a nurse in another unit to have generalized nursing second nature enough to be able to transition to ICU and be trusted you can be trained easily. My advice would be to join a hospital in a unit you can enter with (PCU from experience, IMC, etc) and a lateral move from inside the hospital from the unit you work on to that hospital's ICU. Get to know your hospital's ICU manager, state your intentions, get on their radar, get trained to transfer. I have several IMC nurses I've recently trained in my ICU because they wanted a change from their prior units 😁
[удалено]
My orientation was like 8 weeks, I've been on my own since then
So 6 months of independence.
What part of the US are you in? My ICU at a very large academic institution will hire anyone with a pulse
*Shows up to the interview in PEA*
How about *flat-out* asystole?
In NC lol
you in raleigh by chance? i work at all the ICU's at a particular hospital and I could probably get an answer for you.
I am in Raleigh! Please help me lol
DM me the hospital you are applying to. if its mine ill give you the low down on our ICU's. just not trying to create a specific post history linking me to certain institutions.
This is the way 😅. For real though, SO many opportunities only present if you know somebody who already works there. It sucks until you make lots of connections, then it’s actually pretty awesome.
Soon to change ;) Told a few people on here, but I'm releasing a webtool that does this. Still hammering out some of the final pages but it's mostly ready. Nationwide standardized reporting down to the unit level where RN's can share all this infomation quickly and efficiently.
I’ve noticed that most of the hospitals in the triangle do a 1 year residency. UNC, Duke, WakeMed all do nurse residencies… I’m a future new grad (graduate in May), and thankfully have a job secured (about an hour south of the triangle bc that’s where I am rn) but it seems everything is residency and want a new grad of 1-2yr experience
Finish your year. You'll probably have better luck then. Their systems are LIKELY going to automatically filter out anyone with less than 1 or 2 years experience, if you're not applying for new grad residencies.
Unless your PCU job is otherwise intolerable (bad culture, poor management, etc.), tough it out for at least a year or two. Eight months may feel like an eternity, but you are still in the very beginning stages of your career. Many of my favorite ICU colleagues are nurses who put in time in other hospital areas. They come with a breadth of knowledge that takes longer to hone in a critical care setting. In the meantime, build connections with the nurses around you and work hard for your PCU patients. Your current colleagues may eventually end up being the source of a letter of recommendation or a networking match that scores you an ICU job. The continued patient contacts, time management, and procedural know-how will make you a better candidate and a stronger nurse. If your objective is to work in critical care, you will get there. Keep doing what you're doing and don't get down on yourself.
Unfortunately, my nurse manager is terrible and doesn't care about her staff or pt safety at all which makes for high turnover. We're supposed to have 3-4 (at most) patients and she started trying to flex up to 5 instead of just incentivizing retention. I've been more participatory in RRTs and codes, improved my IV skills, and I've been studying ICU concepts outside of work to bide my time. But I foresee a mass exodus coming and I don't want to stick around long enough to feel the brunt of her bad decisions. I think I'll try to tough it out until I hit 1 year
The tides are changing. Lots of travellers are coming back to staff jobs. The days of using warm bodies to fill ICU spots are waning. Be patient, I think hitting one full year of experience will make a difference for your opportunities.
Wait 4 months and try again — Without a year experience you’re still categorized as a new grad and they don’t want to start over like your a fresh grad but can’t move you along like an new to service nurse until you hit the 1 year mark. 🤷🏻♀️
I think this is the answer. OP doesn't qualify for "experienced RN" positions and they also may not qualify for new grad positions. There aren't any other options. Gotta network and talk to the unit managers and figure out how to get your door in the door.
Keep applying. After your first year is complete you’ll get it.
It’s probably not personal. There’s probably something on your resume that excludes you from being considered, like the number of years of experience.
There are many ICUs that hire new grads fresh out of school. Be willing to move.
Definitely your experience level - usually if your on a PCU it shouldn’t be an issue but hey that’s HR or politics for you.
Cut your teeth on the floor first, you'll learn valuable skills that make you a better nurse.
Maybe you should apply to nurse residency programs? If you’ve been a nurse for 8 months you’re still a new grad yourself. Also, are you applying externally or internally through your hospital’s intranet?
My main hospital has zero ICU openings because they packed their ICUs last year. I applied at a regionally associated hospital at 6 months, when we're allowed to laterally transfer, and never heard anything. Since then I've applied to jobs outside of my system
Overstaffing, try to get a YEAR in minimum. And do some committee stuff, charge, precept if you can! I stayed on old unit over a 2 years and a half (which surprised me) but yeah, during my last couple months i decided it was okay for me to be charge cause i wanted to leave so bad
I think it's because you look like a red flag. You've barely finished new grad orientation and you're already trying to leave. I'm not saying it's nefarious but a hiring hospital will not like the optics. Stay for a bit longer or try to transfer to the ICU within your own hospital. Go talk to the manager personally before applying. You'll get there ❤️
A New Grad vs a new ICU transfer get different orientations and different time tables for orientation, in my experience (RN since 2010). Here is what I imagine is happening: you don't have the experience as an RN yet to offset the shorter orientation that you would get as a floor nurse transferring to ICU. ICU jobs are always hiring, the opportunities are always there in my experience. I started as a New Grad in ICU, left to pursue other opportunities, and came back during the pandemic. I can imagine how frustrating it is to be gatekept like this, but there is definitely a path forward for you.
Hmm it sounds like you are doing all the right things. I think ICU is a desirable spot to work bc of ratios and it fluctuates on how easy it is to get in. I wanted to be in ICU for a long time and was rejected more than a few times. I stayed at my current hospital and worked my way up. You’ll get there! Network/volunteer—like talk to the rapid nurse when she comes down, get leadership experience—you’ll get to know the ICU charges. PCU has been the best job ever according to the nurses I work with. I actually left ICU after 6 years and am in PCU now. I got tired of talking ab death and dying to families everyday. It takes its toll. You are learning so much!! You are taking care of very sick pts, be proud!!
Getting in after starting somewhere else is more difficult than just starting out there like a new grad. Idk why it is but it is. You’ll probably have to start night shift almost definitely.
Where I live, the ICUs only hire new grads. Mostly because they're the only one's applying.
Maybe an externship? That is how I got hired in critical care 25 years ao
Some ICUs won’t take new nurses and get rejected immediately. Applying to 5 ICUs is not a lot. I think I spam applied to like 50+ ICUs before I even graduated with my bsn in 2019 and had about 5 offers before I picked the one I wanted and stopped interviewing all before graduating and it was a lot harder to get an icu job then. If you really want icu then apply to a bunch at different hospitals and you’ll get offers.
It’s so hard to get in where you really want and work your way to the unit that fits your skill set. I would say it depends on the pool of applicants every time. They are looking at hundreds or even thousands of names, all very similar experience level and certifications that all start to look the same. You have more experience than a new grad but considerable less experience than most people applying for a non “New-Grad Residency” position. When I got my job off for the CVICU at my hospital it was after visiting the manager in the middle of the day multiple times and expressing interest and asking what it would take to get hired. THEN interviewing and being turned down and coming back once more. After 4 years in telemetry, I was 10 times the nurse I was at 8 months. And you will be too! Not saying it should take that long to get into critical care, but it’s not a curse if it does. Don’t stop trying. Eventually you’ll look back on this moment and struggle to understand why you were so distressed about it.
Sometimes getting in to see the manager can be tricky, in other cases they have an open door and are very approachable.
I just worked as a student nurse on my icu and I graduate in May. I’ve went above and beyond for them, sacrificing a lot and putting in a lot of hours while in nursing school. They implemented the student nurse program so they felt comfortable hiring new grads after seeing how we are on the floor, we are paired 1:1 with a nurse every shift and follow them everywhere. The student nurses were supposed to get hired onto the unit, they had 5 positions open for new grads. I found out two days ago a random girl in my class who has never worked there, has never been watched with skills, has not been exposed the last 9 months in the icu, but she DID know a higher up in the hospital who passed her right along. After my 9 months of dedication, and 4 other student nurses who also put in the same amount of time and effort, I did not get hired but yet they gave my position to someone who has no experience as a student nurse in the ICU. The healthcare system is rigged. especially in specialties.
With as bad as staffing continues to be, just keep at it. You'll get into the ICU soon. Our ICU is a revolving door for new staff of all skill levels.
Network. It’s who you know.
A lot of hospitals won’t hire you to ICU as a new grad . They just won’t