Curious...any of you guys considering Peds/PICU/NICU?

I want to thank you for this post. Via some serious schmoozing, I managed tours of two NICUs and a day in the PICU during my peds rotation last semester. It was great, but since there weren't preceptors/mentors in any of them (available to me), I didn't really get to do much hands-on. Your post is a well-appreciated "snippet" of what goes on in the NICU.

I've been developing an interest in NICU/PICU since nursing school began. I entered this semester fostering an enthusiasm for adult med/surg, but as I near the mid-point of this clinical I am really missing my time in peds, and wishing for some time in NICU/PICU (not sure which, yet).

This subject has been much on my mind lately. For the upcoming (final) semester, we will spend ~10 weeks in a critical care preceptorship, 2 12-hour shifts per week. Unfortunately, it seems as if I may be "stuck" doing mine in a hospital without any peds dept, despite a wide variety of such programs in the city. I am planning out a strategy for convincing the power-that-be to let me into one. It's sad, because I have a couple of fellow students in my clinical group who are also disappointed, one wanted L&D and the other peds ER. Wish us luck!

And just to stir things up a bit, how about a discussion about the differences between NICU and PICU, i.e. why does everyone like their dept? I personally am drawn to the very unique nature of the NICU patient population, but I wonder if I'd prefer the larger variety of the PICU? Needless to say, this is all a "neither is better, just personal preference" type of thing, but I find these mock-"debate" threads can be extremely informative when kept friendly.

Thanks again!

I'm considering NICU, I LOVED the babies. I hate to say it but I felt at home being a Vet Tech previously. Dealing with the babies was just like dealing with a puppy/kitten except they don't bite or scratch.

I can remember those days well. One nurse guarded the ETT, one weighed the baby, one watched the lines and one changed the isolette.

Tell that to an adult nurse and they truly wonder why. But those little ones are Henry Houdini's and the tubes can get dislodged so easily. And those tubes do not have any cuffs like you see on larger patients.

I absolutely love pediatrics. I loved my clinicals in peds and am doing my internship at St. Louis Children's Hospital Emergency Department. I am truly drawn to Emergency Peds.. .I may consider NICU or PICU upon burn out...

Does it not also amaze you how freaking STRONG those little babies are. Blew my mind, I was waiting for one of those little babies to beat me up.

Well I am a guy .......cute kitty

I'm still in school....*crosses fingers* waiting on december !!!!

I just finished psych nursing and just started mother/baby today.......

To be honest, I have no idea if this is going to be for me.....I am going to
try and keep an open mind but just don't know.....my first instinct is to say no....but let me try it first.....who knows...

personally, i think my interest lies more with the ER/CCU/Transport Nurse (a.k.a. "flight nurse" )

so to answer your question....am I considering Peds/PICU/NICU.....yes, but I have yet to make my decision....I'll update this in 8 weeks

later

Thats exactly where i want to go if i go Hospital nursing route. I would love to do the NICU. If i end up working in a hoispital i hope to find employment in a childrens hospital.

nw

I am a PICU nurse and proud of it. I career changed into nursing and had the chance to work on a PEDS floor as a nurse assistant during nursing school so I knew that PEDS was for me. Whats great about PICU is that its a type of critical care that allows you to cross over to adult ICU if you like. Kids are just better patients than adults, in my opinion. What I DONT like about peds is some of the reactions I get from people."Wow, how can you be around all of those sick kids, its so sad!". Yes, like I am a freak who likes seeing kids in pain? NOT. I just know that kids need help and I am equipped and qualified to do so. Sad that people are afraid of kids. But hey, more work for me! Gotta love the job security.

If I had to work with kids I think I would, but I would never want to specialize with kids.