Floor vs. ICU nursing

suzanne4, RN · Jan 29, 2006

I made the move laterally from an Adult ICU to the Peds ICU. Never worked on a peds floor unless I got floated there. :specs:

BarbieBAN · Jan 31, 2006

Rayrae,

I started off as a new grad in PICU 13 years ago ... HATED my Peds/PICU rotation during school -- it was sooo depressing. The NM for the PICU got ahold of one of my instructors who called, said the NM was really interested in me, so eh ... I'll interview, nothing to lose!

Well, I decided to take, LOVED it ... was sorry to have to give it up when I moved, but am now at another big teaching hospital as the PICU Unit Educator!

nurse1day · Feb 1, 2006

Hey

I am May 2005 grad and I am on a general peds unit at a large teaching hospital. I wonder about the same thing. I am interested in doing PICU down the road at some point. Actually we can get floated to the PEDS IMC. I have been floated once already. :)

SarasotaRN2b · Feb 2, 2006

I have a question... it's something that would be wayyy in the future for me personally, probably... but did any of you PICU nurses start as pediatric floor nurses and later transition to the unit? How feasible is it, how do nurses usually do with such a transition? Thanks for any insight... if I think of more questions about it later, I'll be back never fear :)

This is actually something that I have been mulling over myself. I'm leaning towards All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg where I'll try to get my foot on the door as a regular Peds nurse, then go to PICU.

Kris

loriann, BSN, RN · Feb 3, 2006

I'm thiniking the same thing. I've done my clinical on a general peds floor and will go into the PICU in a couple of weeks. I liked general peds, but I know I would like to have the chance to do more after 6 months to a year.

BGgirl · Apr 11, 2006

How hard is it to transition from adults to peds? I've worked on a monitored step-down unit for 2 years and am looking for a change. Would it be better to transition to Peds or PICU? How long of an orientation should you expect as a nurse with experience but not in pediatrics?

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Apr 17, 2006

It's really a good idea to spend some time on a general peds floor before making the move to PICU. Kids are not small adults and it's very helpful to know what's normal for a child so that you can recognize the abnormal. It's also helpful to work with kids who are relatively well so you can develop your interacting-with-kids skills. Medication administration is something that is different and a bit of a learning curve is involved. Transitioning from an adult ICU to a PICU isn't so difficult, since a lot of the skills we perform are similar. Again it comes down to knowing kids. These little people will amaze you by how long they will compensate for their illnesses. They compensate so well in fact that they look pretty healthy... until they don't. They literally crump right in front of you with very little warning. For example, unlike with adults, falling BP is a really late sign and VERY BAD! But to tell you the truth, PICU nurses have the broadest scope of practice of anyone. We're definitely a special breed.

NRSNFL · May 16, 2006

This is actually something that I have been mulling over myself. I'm leaning towards All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg where I'll try to get my foot on the door as a regular Peds nurse, then go to PICU.
Kris

Kris-

I'm responding to a thread that is pretty old. Are you going to USF? I actually took a non clinical job at all kids to get my foot in the door because they offer scholarships and what not to the employees as well as tuition reimbursement (which I'm not sure if I'll use that benefit). How is nursing school going for you?

I applied to SPC and hopefully will get in to start this fall, I already have a bachelors with a different major so I'll convert mine later, I just want to start nursing on the job sooner.