Career Path for PICU?

[Tanny22, BSN]

Hey everyone,

I just graduated with my BSN. My ultimate goal as a nurse is to get into the PICU or even General Peds. I applied at Children's Hospital here in Colorado, but unfortunately didn't get into the new graduate program there. Since then I have applied at several other places and have a few job offers. I am not sure which offer to take and which one will give me the most experience so I can hopefully reapply to children's in the future. I have 2 offers for adult positions on the surgical trauma floor, neuroscience, or ortho/spine floor. I also have an offer for pediatric private duty nursing. I'm not sure what a peds unit is looking for as far as experience. Should I gain experience in the hospital setting or should I gain experience with the population (peds) that I want? Or both and take a hospital position and do peds home health PRN? any insight would be incredibly helpful! Thanks guys!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I work for a different children's hospital -- not the one in Colorado. At my hospital, we would definitely prefer you get the hospital experience, hands down. After you get settled into your role as a staff nurse, you can add some experience with kids through volunteer work or maybe something very PRN. But first, make that successful transition from student to professional nurse in a hospital setting. Pick the unit where you get a good orientation and good ongoing support as a new grad.

[Tanny22, BSN]

Thank you I appreciate your insight! I was leaning more towards surgical trauma, plus I have been working with kids as a gymnastics instructor for the last 8 years so I definitely know kids very well and relate to them easily. Thanks again!