Advice for a New Grad working in Peds ED

[kayleigharms]

Hi there! I am a new graduate (YAY!) and I'll be working in the Peds ED starting in February. I was wondering if there are any other Peds ED nurses (or just general ED nurses) that could give me some advice on things I definitely should have upon starting my residency program.

1. Shoes - Tennis shoes v. clogs - I had Danskos all through nursing school and I HATED them with a passion. They were so heavy and my feet got hot because they didn't breathe and they started to smell pretty bad (lol sorry for the TMI). My back always hurt by the end of the day and I was literally dragging my feet by the end of the shift. I work as a CNA and bought some Asics and I LOVE them, light, airy and my feet/back never hurt. The only thing holding me back from buying more Asics is that I'm worried I won't be able to clean them if something spills on them. Does that actually happen a lot or am I just overthinking it? :)

2. Scrubs - What are your favorite brands? Would you recommend lots of pockets or do you find them not really necessary? How many pairs should I get?

3. Anything else that you wish someone told you that you would need/want as a new grad in emergency nursing (books, cool gadgets, etc.) and if your a Peds ED nurse, I would LOVE some encouragement and advice! :)

Thank you all so much :)

[LV3677]

Adult ED nurse here.

I love Danskos. Tennis shoes are good as well, but I would recommend having a spare pair in your locker in case something saturates them, along with a spare set of scrubs, socks, and underwear. I also keep a bottle of shampoo in my bag in case I need to shower.

I have at least 3 sets of scrubs. I would recommend getting at least 3 sets to start. I prefer wearing Koi tops and Cherokee bottoms because they have a ton of pockets. I like having pockets- I carry trauma shears, hemostats, tape, pen light, pens, emergency medication book, and stethoscope in my scrub pockets. I can't stand having my stethoscope around my neck. Some nurses I work with prefer having the stethoscope holder that clips to their scrubs.

I would recommend getting a pocket sized pediatric emergency medication reference book. I would also recommend that you start looking at the top 50 medications used in the pediatric ED, familiarizing yourself with common side effects, dosage/kg, and therapeutic effects. You should also be familiar with vital signs, common diagnoses, and focused assessments.

I would also recommend getting some peppermint oil for those particularly smelly situations.

[AnnieOaklyRN, BSN, RN, EMT-P]

Hi,

Congrats on the job. I used to be an ER nurse, but now doing IV nursing.

I bought sketchers memory foam sneakers (they are slip on type) and they are INCREDIBLE as far as comfort goes. I wasn't used to being on my feet so much because I took a few months off from nursing, so I had sore feet with normal sneakers. I highly recommend these and they are reasonable priced, I think I payed 45.00 for mine.

I am so jealous of you, I would LOVE to get a job in a pediatric only ER, but I live in the northeast and we have a really tough job market, especially in pediatrics! Good luck with the job!

Annie