New PICU nurse with questions!

Specialties PICU

Published

I just accepted a PICU position; I am currently a med-surg/oncology nurse but have been looking for a switch and it finally happened. I wanted to see if anyone can give me an idea of what kind of procedures I should expect to be a part of at the bedside. What kind of things will I have to help the doctors with? Is it more common for the patients to have central lines rather than peripheral iv's? Do you ever feel like you assignment is too heavy or do you find them fair and you can devote your time to good care? And ultimately can you say you love your job!? Thank you so much in advance for answering my questions!

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist

NotReady4PrimeTime, RN

5 Articles; 7,358 Posts

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Congratulations! Welcome to our little family.

You'll definitely be assisting with line placements - short-term multi-lumen central lines, dialysis lines, peripheral arterial lines, PICCs and the occasional difficult PIV. You'll assist with LPs, chest tube insertions, external ventricular and peritoneal drain insertions, muscle and skin biopsies, intubations, extubations (everything that goes in eventually comes out), bronchoscopies, x-rays, ultrasounds, echos and a myriad selection of other procedures. You'll also become proficient at placing nasojejeunal feeding tubes if your unit is like mine.

There are times when the kids are so sick that there's way too much work for one person. Ask for help.

I love this work. I really love this work and have been doing it for more than 15 years... But I hate my job! That has almost nothing to do with the work and almost everything to do with politics, disenfranchisment and disrespect that are institutional cultural factors. I like to hope that our unit is an anomaly.

shaykdo

8 Posts

Thanks for your honest response! It's a 6 bed PICU with the step down on the other side; Level 1 Trauma Center. I really hope it's a good team of nurses where we can work well together and the management team is normal and doesn't micromanage...hopefully Im not wishful thinking!

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