Cross train in PICU?

[aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN]

Our manager sends out a weekly email to keep all of us updated on what is going on in the unit. In this weeks email it said that if we have been in the unit at least a year, we can cross train in PICU to keep from getting CM'ed when our census is low like it is now. We are down 12 babies in a 36 bed unit which means we need 6 less nurses than our normal 20 (18 plus charge and flex).

Has anyone here cross trained into PICU? I have not hit a year yet but I would like to put a bug in my managers ear to let her know I'm interested.

When you go to PICU do they give you kids of any age or do they tend to give you the younger ones since that is our specialty?

How have your experiences been with the staff in PICU?

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

I cross trained in PICU and still will go up to help out or pick up time. I did go to a PALS class and I received like a 3 day orientation to the unit. They do give me younger kids, usually or graduates if they are there. I will take sicker kids on vents and such, but that was after I was a bit more comfortable up there. I will take on the occasional preschooler or school age kiddo, but they never give me traumas or surgicals.

It is a BIG change from NICU, their codes are run completely different, you can't be as anal about your beds, etc as it is a different pace. I learned a lot from going up there and if you are interested I say go for it.

[prmenrs, RN]

I used to do it a lot. You do need a good orientation, and they shouldn't be giving you teenagers on chemo and stuff like that. (In other words, don't dump on the float.) Make sure you have a "buddy" you can rely on; if you get a pt that is beyond your skill set, speak up and refuse, if necessary.

A year is not a lot of time, so unless you're thinking you might like PICU better, don't be too fast to jump over there. Good Luck!

[ittybabyRN, RN]

We had to cross train to PICU and CICU as soon as we got off orientation (6mos). I have to say, I liked the CICU better and hope to try working there someday, and when I floated to PICU they gave me a 14 year old!:uhoh21: I did not speak up and while he was a stable walkie talkie he did have a clotting disorder and was on heparin therapy which is why he was in ICU, I can tell you I have never had a more nervewracking day. Usually they do give us babies or our grads but they had 4 of us from NICU that day and they wanted to give me the most stable kid they had left over...next time I will speak up, I can code a baby but that 14 year old was totally out of my scope