Advice, tips, knowledge..

[Deanach]

Hi everyone!

My name is Deana, 19 years old, born and raised in the concrete jungle, and striving to become a Pediatric RN. I am currently a first semester sophomore in college but unfortunately, a semester behind. I have decided to become a member of this online nursing community in hopes that I will acquire some much needed guidance and advice on my endeavor to becoming a nurse. I'm particularly interested in pediatrics because I absolutely love children and have been told to have a very motherly and nurturing personality. I love to take care of people and try to do everything to help them. At first, I wanted to be an elementary school teacher but knew that I wouldn't have patience with teaching children (this I learned from tutoring/babysitting children). Although, I consider myself to be a patient person, I can't apply my patience to misbehaving children refusing to comply with direction for such a long period of time. You may think that I would make a horrible nurse especially one who specializes in pediatrics because of these qualities but I disagree. I perceive nursing to have less hands on communication with children than teaching. I must add that I am one big kid as well. I love to make people laugh and smile. I think that these characteristics would make me personable to children. As a future pediatric nurse, I want children look forward to my visit and be able to make them laugh and smile despite the health situations they may be facing. However, first things first, lets not jump the gun here - first I need to get into a nursing program. If there are any tips, advice, or knowledge on what pediatric nursing is like PLEASE share! I would like to be fully informed and educated on my future career.

Hope everyone is having a beautiful day and thanks in advance!

Future Nurse Dee (love the sound of that!) :)

[poppycat, ADN, BSN]

You're very wrong about the hands on aspect. You are there with the children for 8-12 hours every shift. Teaching children & their parents is a huge part of a Peds nurse's role. Most of the time, the parents are much more difficult than the kids.

[laKrugRN]

I second Poppycat. Peds can be fun and rewarding. It also can be awful. I had my first nursing job in Peds. The kids are funny, resilient, and honest. The parents can be great or tey can be your worst nightmare. Sometimes you'll want to smack the parents. Really know your immunizations. Familiarize with ADHD, RSV, asthma, lice, etc (this is what I saw the most of). It never gets easy seeing abuse cases. Kids are a WHOLE different ballgame.

I knew Peds was fun, but it wasn't for me. My heart is in corrections.

Get through school first. You may find something you like better! Stay open minded.

[Nepenthe Sea]

The previous posters are correct in that you will be spending a lot of time with these kids. Obviously, with the infants and very young kids, you will be dealing more with the parents (which can be a whole other issue in itself), but you will be educating the older kids. Sometimes they listen and are compliant, and other times you wonder if they even WANT to ever go home again because they will not do anything they need to do (ambulate, eat, increase their fluid intake, etc.). The parents will often help by "making" their kids do what they need to do, but sometimes they are just as bad as the kids. Sometimes, we get kids with behavioral issues that are all over the place, taking off their oxygen, climbing the furniture, etc (with the parents sitting right there, watching). Sometimes the patients will hit, kick, bite, etc. It can be frustrating at times. I can say, though, after working with adults for two years that many kids are more well-behaved than the grown-ups. You may not consider yourself a patient person, but this may improve with time. I learned a great deal about patience while in nursing school (those old people take their time with EVERYTHING!). I loooooove pediatrics, and don't plan on ever doing anything else.

[mluvsgnc]

Communication and patient/family teaching is huge in peds. Also, you say you can't apply your patience to misbehaving children who aren't complying with direction, but wait 'til you get the kid who keeps pulling out his IV line or climbing out of bed when he/she's not supposed to or keeps throwing their HME every 10 seconds or refuses to take his meds or insert just about anything here....

It's great that you love to make people smile and laugh. However, you also have to be "the bad guy" sometimes to get the job done. You will have to give that injection or do nasal suction or clean that wound or make that phone call as a mandated reporter... none of which the pt. likes and there isn't anything that you can do to make the kid smile or laugh about it.

When choosing a school, look for one that offers an acute pediatric rotation to get a true sense o what you will be working with. Even if you work in a clinic or homecare, you will face a lot of the same issues. Great luck to you and welcome to your journey of becoming a nurse! :)

[mluvsgnc]

"Most of the time, the parents are much more difficult than the kids."

This! Poppycat speaks the truth. I find that the kids are troopers, but the parents are bonkers, I mean, challenging

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

"Most of the time, the parents are much more difficult than the kids."

This! Poppycat speaks the truth. I find that the kids are troopers, but the parents are bonkers, I mean, challenging

As the parent of a medically fragile child, I can attest to that!

[mluvsgnc]

That's funny, Cayenne- you're a good sport

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

That's funny, Cayenne- you're a good sport

I'm the mother of a special needs kid AND I'm an RN- every pedi nurse's WORST nightmare of a parent! Hahahahaha! But really, the majority of my experiences with pedi nurses have been awesome. I would be a terrible pedi nurse. You all have my utmost respect, and I am SO grateful for the work you all do.