scared to do peds rotation

loriann, BSN, RN · Feb 14, 2006

I highly doubt a majority of the children you treat will be in the hospital for abuse-related injuries. If, however, you do have a child where there is suspected child abuse, it won't do any good to be antagonistic or rude to the parents. Focus on the child and provide a safe environment. Social work will undoubtedly be involved in these cases, so keep in contact with them.

In other situations where you have an ill child and family is around, I find this to be a blessing. Family members generally love to help with things like bathing, changing sheets, convincing the child to take medications, keep them occupied, etc., so it will make your life easier in that regard. Sometimes the family members ask tons of questions, which can be time consuming, but they just want to know how their child is, any changes, what can they do, etc. I would probably do the same if the situation was reveresed.

I'm sure you'll be fine and hope this helps.

Lori

kittylvr · Feb 15, 2006

I can totally relate with you. I start my rotation in 3/06 and also I just got a job on the Peds/Mother/Baby floor at the hospital. I have never worked in this field and I am nervous but also excited! Good luck with your rotation and the thing I am going to do is ask questions if I don't know what to do.

tencat · Feb 15, 2006

I suppose it depends on what kind of hospital you are in. I was in a rehab hospital for my peds clinical, and I could not WAIT until that horrid rotation was over, not because I don't like kids, but because of the sad, sad stories behind their illnesses. I was a weepy wreck every day after clinical. But....I saw a lot of abuse there. The other students who had more mainstream peds rotations were pretty shocked by our stories, so I gather that on a general peds floor there is not as much of the abuse.

I love kids, and I have a good rapport with them, but I can't do peds. I'd be burned out by the end of a year because I don't know how to leave it at work when I go home. I can do that with adults, but not with kids....weird, huh? :uhoh3:

kelly2006 · Feb 15, 2006

Thanks so much for the insight! I love hearing the different points of view. I feel a little bit better about things. :) And good luck to kittylvr on the job!

GrnHonu99, RN · Feb 18, 2006

Thanks so much for the insight! I love hearing the different points of view. I feel a little bit better about things. :) And good luck to kittylvr on the job!

I am about to finished with my peds rotation a nd I loved it! You are right though, it can be sad but even thought its sad the whole atmosphere is filled with hope and family centered care just feels so suppportive, something you dont see as much of at an adult hospital. YOu will have awesome teaching opportunities and quite a bit of psychosocial stuff to deal with too. I guess i just felt I could do so much more psychosocially there than anywhere else and I enjoyed that.

I was nervous before my peds rounds too, i was worried that the parents would be uncomfortable with me but suprisingly i havent had one of those experiences yet! Ive also learned sooooo much....good luck!

kids · Feb 19, 2006

When I did my Peds rotation students were not allowed to take any kids with known or suspected abuse. It was both a hospital and college policy and had a lot to do with the potential to be called to testify. As I recall they also made every attempt to assign the same staff as much as possible.

Beyond hearing about the kids in report we had no contact.

kelly2006 · Feb 20, 2006

I am about to finished with my peds rotation a nd I loved it! You are right though, it can be sad but even thought its sad the whole atmosphere is filled with hope and family centered care just feels so suppportive, something you dont see as much of at an adult hospital. YOu will have awesome teaching opportunities and quite a bit of psychosocial stuff to deal with too. I guess i just felt I could do so much more psychosocially there than anywhere else and I enjoyed that.
I was nervous before my peds rounds too, i was worried that the parents would be uncomfortable with me but suprisingly i havent had one of those experiences yet! Ive also learned sooooo much....good luck!

I hope your right! I do love kids, so hopefully I can make this a positive experience! The abuse stories I heard came from my fellow classmates, so I might have to deal with that as well. I hope not, though.

Who knows, I may be freaking for nothing. I just may like it. I appreciate the encouragement so much, I'll be going in there with a lot more confidence! :)

soontobe_RN · Feb 23, 2006

I agree! It is the policy of the hospital, as well as, our instructors preferance that we do not get any children where abuse is suspected.Our instructors choose our patients ahead of time according to what they want us to experiance. We learn in the classroom setting on what to do in that situation, but not in the clinical setting. We also are not allowed by hospital policy to administer ANY medication to children. The reason is because med errors are much easier to make with pediatrics since you have to calculate more so than with adults. It doesn't matter what college you go to or how far along you are to your degree, if you administer a med to a child, that's the end of your clinical rotation there. I think the scariest aspect of pediatric nursing is that they have until they turn 21y.o. to sue for something that happened when they were a child. At least that is the law in my state. I can understand your anxiety about this area of nursing. For myself, this is where I have dreamed of working since I decided to be a nurse, however, it still can be scary when you are caring for a child. Good luck, I'm sure you will find that after about 2 days into this rotation the fear will be gone.

When I did my Peds rotation students were not allowed to take any kids with known or suspected abuse. It was both a hospital and college policy and had a lot to do with the potential to be called to testify. As I recall they also made every attempt to assign the same staff as much as possible.
Beyond hearing about the kids in report we had no contact.

student_girl · Mar 5, 2006

That's weird...in my school, we're allowed to give meds in our peds rotation (mine's comming up next week!), but are taught the proper technique, along with the teacher behind us; but we don't start I.V. (teacher said it was too hard, and beside, RNs don't do it much either, mostly techs). And we can get pts that were abused.

TexasPediRN · Mar 5, 2006

That's weird...in my school, we're allowed to give meds in our peds rotation (mine's comming up next week!), but are taught the proper technique, along with the teacher behind us; but we don't start I.V. (teacher said it was too hard, and beside, RNs don't do it much either, mostly techs). And we can get pts that were abused.

There shouldnt be any problem giving peds meds, just make sure you double check your dosages!!

I did want to add a thought though about the starting IV's and dont take this the wrong way, but no person is going to let a nursing student start an IV on a peds patient. If you would be allowed to start IV's, it would only be on adults. I have never seen a clinical group that has even asked to start an IV on a peds patient, its the responsibility of the nurse, or IV team. All parents want someone experienced to start IV's on their child, not someone learning..

I think thats the reason your teacher should have told you. Its not that its hard, its that its a child, and with starting their IV's, experience matters.

Just kinda wanted to throw that out there for you to think about as an alternate reason instead of it being "too hard"...

Good luck to everyone starting their peds rotation :)