branch conversion...yikes

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Specializes in medical.

I'm just about to get my adult nursing qualification, but I really want to work as a child nurse. I'd LOVE to work in PICU. :redbeathe

All the conversion courses i've found (and there are hardly any) are really expensive or need you to be employed already.

Has anyone had any experience in branch conversion that they could share with me, or some advice on what job i could look at to help me get into childrens nursing?

it's really hard to find advise on how to go about doing this. I think i'll need to find a job first and get funded by them, so i'm thinking A&E maybe, or some burns units. But thats all i can think of where'd there be adults and children.

thanks guys :nurse:

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Specializes in Dialysis, Nephrology & Cosmetic Surgery.

I don't know if it is still the same but when I was a Student Nurse not all of the nurses working in the childrens hosp were Registered sick Childrens nurses when they were first employed but they were put through the course by the hosp as they were working there?

I think you are right to go into a speciality either burns, oncology or neurology etc as some regional specialist units treat children as well as adults at these so it maybe possible to gain access to services at one of these.

I hope you are successful in your pursuit - have to say PICU it is not something I could do - I'd be in bits, with some of the things you get to deal with.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

It is harder than it used to be, I agree that you would need to be in an area that deals with both adults and children but I think that you'll find that even when there you won't have a great deal to do with the children. Even in A and E the kids are fast tracked through and put in seperate areas wherever possible, they also have to employ enough childrens nurses to make sure that the kids have a registered childrens nurse to look after them.

Sounds like a difficult process, please keep us posted as to how you get on

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Specializes in ICU.

Don't know if this is helpful, but one of the girls in our ICU has been offered a job at a large children's hospital. She is an adult nurse, band 5, and has been told that all things being equal then she will be seconded to the child qualification.

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Specializes in Advanced Practice, surgery.

Mary did she do traditional training or the adult branch training, I only ask because I worked as an E grade in PICU without a paediatric qualification for 2 years because I was traditionally trained so had some paeds experience our paeds units won't consider you unless you have done the child branch training or RSCN now.

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Specializes in medical.

Thanks for your advice and suggestions guys, I really appriciate it.

Yeh, I've noticed jobs coming up in A&E for children's nurses, darn it!! I'm not sure how obvious to make it in terms of the fact that I'd be taking that job with the hope of doing the Children's branch conversion, should I say it at interviews?

It's really interesting to hear that someone got offered a job in PICU after being in an adult ICU, sonds like another way I could creep my way in, I loved my placement on ICU, it would be awesome to work there. :wink2:

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Specializes in ICU.
Mary did she do traditional training or the adult branch training, I only ask because I worked as an E grade in PICU without a paediatric qualification for 2 years because I was traditionally trained so had some paeds experience our paeds units won't consider you unless you have done the child branch training or RSCN now.

Hi Sharrie

I'm sure she did the adult branch training

Mary

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Hi guys,

I am a reg laerning disability nurse who trained in Ireland and i want to do a conversion course in adult or psyc nursing in England! I am really struggling to find one. There are a few in Scotland but i don't wanna move there! Any help would be appreciated!

Cheers! :)

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Just wondering if you managed to work as a child nurse? I'm a third year student adult nurse and I am now thinking I'd like to work with children as I have a lot of experience with children!

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Specializes in Paediatric Cardic critical care.

Hi,

I am a trained adut nurse and currently work as a band 6 in a peadiatric cardiac critical care... I think it depends on the hospital and previous experience. I would reccommend getting some experience in your adult field and then you will be able to relate it into paeds if this is what you want to do.

I contacted the manager of the unit I am currentlt working in by email and enquired.

:-)

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