[MikeyJ]

I am still a nursing student but am taking a nurse apprentice position in the pediatrics department (will rotate through pediatrics, PICU, Peds ER, and Peds Oncology) with the intent to stay there after I graduate. My clinical manager is hoping that I stay there afterward, with the hope that I do their PICU orientation because they have a hard time keeping PICU nurses.

I wonder if any of the Ped's nurses work part-time or Per Diem in an adult unit somewhere else? I love the children and really hope to make a career in the pediatrics unit, but I don't want to lose my knowledge and skills of the adult population in case someday down the road I need them. I also enjoy many of the aspects of the adult population as well.

Any of the nurses here experience those conflicting feelings?

[janfrn]

I know a lot of peds nurses who keep their hand in with adult nursing care as well. There's nothing wrong with a broad base of experience. One nurse I know works PICU and CCU, another works NICU and LTC. You've worked hard to develop your knowledge base and skills, and it's perfectly understandable that you wouldn't want to lose that. You're not a freak... you're pretty normal.