AHHHH! So many choices!

JadedCPN, BSN, RN · Aug 4, 2008

Anyone have an opinion about doing floor nursing first vs. NICU/PICU/ CICU???? I know I want to be in Ped's and I prefer younger ped's vs adolecents, but I can't decide on floor or ICU!
Thanks for any input!

You can't really go wrong - either way you will learn a great amount of things. What you really need to figure out is where do you see yourself longterm? If you think you'll do ICU in the future but are not sure whether to "get floor experience" first, then I say go straight to the ICU. However, if you're not sure if ICU is something you actually want to do, I say get comfortable being a floor nurse and then you can go to the ICU with some experience under your belt.

I started as a brand new grad in the PICU, not really because I wanted to do PICU but because I wanted the job at this hospital, and I transferred to a floor after about 6 months because PICU wasn't for me. I learned an AMAZING amount of knowledge that puts me on a higher standard and level than coworkers are the same years of experience as myself, and I'm grateful for that. I just realized I liked working with kids that were healthier, more stable, able to talk and laugh with me versus kids that were intubated for most of the time.

It's a personal choice and I think either way you can't go wrong. Just remember nursing has so many options, never feel stuck in one position

HappyPediRN · Aug 7, 2008

They are all very different, but the NICU is in a class by itself. It's not just "younger peds" it's 800 gram preemies who sometimes who are sometimes born so early they still have translucent skin. You will be taking care of 23 weekers and up, newborns whose illnesses are not compatible with life but you try to save them anyway, mothers who are riddled with guilt and pain because they feel like their body failed their child - like they have failed their child. You will be educating parents on how to be human and a parent at the same time. It is very, very different. Newborns don't talk, they can't always be held (this is in fact sometimes the worst thing you can do for them), and they are very fragile. I feel the NICU is a truly specific calling. If you like peds you may want to stick with peds because a two-year-old and a 23-weeker are two very different specialty types. Good luck with whatever you decide, you're very lucky to have a choice like this! Where I live new grads are scrounging for anything they can get from med surg to nursing homes because there is such a huge glut.

NotQuiteAnRN · Aug 7, 2008

I realize the difference between a 2year old and a 23 weeker. In fact my floor often transitions the babies from the NICU to home and I have had the ability to go shadow NICU nurses. And in cases where these beautiful babies will never get home they are often tranferred to our floor in a private space, to allow these families to say goodbye in peace. While I am not sure that the NICU will end up being my home, I do know that nothing ventured is nothing gained. And if nothing else, the experience could do nothing but help me to become that much better of a nurse. Thank you for your response, but I realize that peds isn't always playing with kiddos...