** Pediatric Emergency Medicine? **

Specialties Pediatric

Published

Hello all...

I'm looking into becoming a RN but I only want to work in the children's ER. What steps should I take to make sure I'm a top candidate (besides kicking butt in nursing school! ;))? Would this be a hard job to land as a new graduate?

Thanks...

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist

NotReady4PrimeTime, RN

5 Articles; 7,358 Posts

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

First of all don't put all your eggs in one basket. You may have to work around to a job in the peds ER. Don't close your mind to the possibility. One of the best ways of getting a foot in the door is completing your senior practicum in the peds ER. You should start putting it out there that you really want to do your practicum in peds ER so that the coordinator of practicums can start looking into it and making it happen. Then when you get your practicum, pay close attention to how the nurses who garner the most respect behave on the job. Be avid about finding opportunities for learning new skills and observing new procedures. Ask a lot of questions. BUT... don't insist on being intimately involved in critical situations until you've had a chance to prove yourself. Years ago a nurse I knew from another unit came to work in our PICU. She had some experience but not a lot. On her very first orientation buddy shift, she demanded that she and her preceptor be assigned to our ECMO patient. (ECMO or extra-corporeal life support is essentially ehart-lung bypass in the ICU; the patients are VERY sick and many of them don't survive. Their care is complex and difficult.) Although it was against hospital policy, she made herself so obnoxious that they gave in. People still talk about that and she's been gone form the unit for five years! Don't be like her. Be freindly but not too familiar, because people remember that too. Make yourself a niche and when your practicum is finished they'll make an effort to find you a job.

Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Well, it depends on your area and hospital how easily new grads are hired to a ped ER. In my area, the peds ER will always take new grads, whereas other areas of peds are more limited. Apply early in the year, and shadow/do your senior practicum there if at all possible.

sbyramRN

304 Posts

I graduated a few days ago and just recieved a call from the Children's Hospital for an interview in the ER. All I did was apply. I have to say, I am quite shocked I was called in for an interview! Good luck!

PickyouRN

4 Posts

Specializes in PICU, primary care, Peds ED.

I agree that it does depend on the facility. Most hospitals I find are very receptive to new nurses, in any unit!, and are more than willing to whip you into shape :clown: I started in the PICU as a new grad and loved every minute of it. Besides the training that you recieve on the unit, it was a lot of "self studying" that I had to do on my own time. Now, I have moved on to Peds ED.

I agree with what was previously said, don't commit to just one thing yet. There are so many things that you can do, and if you keep your options open, you might just fall in love with something else? :redbeathe However, it is a great idea to get into the Peds ED for your practicum to get your feet wet.

Ask alot of questions, be open minded, take in everything you see! You'll do great! Good luck new grad! :yeah:

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