What is life like on Infectious Disease Unit???

[peds4now, RN]

I really want to get into pediatric nursing (I'm a new grad i June) and have a chance to interview in and infectious disease unit (pediatric). I didn't pick it at first, because it kind of scared me.

BUT-I love actually knowing the science and patho behind things

BUT-I loved microbiology

AND-I want to be a good nurse

I've often thought I'd love to be an infection control nurse some day (although maybe that would not make me so popular?????)

People who really know their stuff inside out about infection control strike me as the really cool, tough-tuchus nurses that I'd like to use as role models.

Is it dangerous to work on an infectious disease unit? (more than other units?) Or is it actually safer because the right precautions are taken?

What is your life like there?

What does it take to be successful there?

[VivaRN]

Hi and welcome,

I don't know a lot about peds ID, but recently changed areas to work with adult HIV patients. Knowing science and patho will help you in any area of nursing. Micro is not specific to ID, there are a lot of drug-resistant bugs everywhere - found them a lot in the ICU! Though with HIV, I see a lot of rarer pathogens and how they manifest in immunocompromised people.

If you want to do infection control working on an ID floor is a great place to start. In the future, you can go on to get your Masters in Public Health in epidemiology to learn how to track outbreaks in the hospital setting. I don't think the infection control nurses are unpopular. They are trying to keep us, the patient and the population safe. Just look at how MRSA has spread.

Because of standard or contact precautions, working with ID is no more dangerous than anything else. I wear gloves with an HIV patient just like I do with any other patient. As long as you get in the habit of protecting yourself when necessary (gown, gloves, mask for TB, wash your hands) there is nothing to fear.

I enjoy it. The management of HIV is fascinating and I am continually amazed at how people live (and eventually die) with this disease. It is joyful, poignant, sad and a continuing social crusade for better care - especially for the homeless with HIV.

Nothing especially different about being successful. Listen to your patients, get to know them (some are frequent fliers!), learn the new meds. I'm curious to hear about peds ID. What kinds of things do they have there?

~ VivaRN