From PEDs private duty to PEDs in the hospital?

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I recently accepted a job in Peds private duty home health. I am very excited about this position! I am a new grad that is having a very hard time breaking into the hospital scene. I have a BSN but moved 1000 miles away and have no inside contacts. I know I am lucky to be starting this position in peds home health but I can't help but wish that I had a job in the hospital. My question is how many of you started off in home health and where able to later find positions on the Pediatrics floor at a hospital? I am hoping that after I get more experience with trachs, vents, and feeding tubes I will be more valuable to hospitals than I am right now. Even if I end up LOVING peds home care I can't stay forever because I need health insurance and they are not offering me that. Thanks for any input you may have :)

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Specializes in Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetes.

I moved from Peds PD to Peds in a hospital. Had to have a lot of patience, it took 2.5 years, but I got there. A friend of mine was able to land a job in a children's hospital in a much shorter amount of time but it required them to move 5 hours away. I think it really depends on your location, but it is possible. Good luck :)

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Thank you so much for your input! :) I really appreciate it!

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Specializes in pediatrics, orthopedics.

I work in peds private duty now and I know several people from my agency who, after about a year, have been hired onto peds units at hospitals. It definitely happens. If you're working with a good agency, the hopsital HR will recognize the name and judge your competency accordingly. My kiddos all have vents, trachs, gtubes, or implanted ports so I already feel very comfortable with those things--more comfortable than many of my friends who are currently working in hospitals! I deal with them all the time and it's just me, so I have to know everything about them!

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Great to hear that it can happen! :)

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.

I hope it can! I was in your situation, I took a PDN job since nothing else was available. I wasn't able to get a peds hospital job right away but I did get into the hospital. I work on an adult surgical floor but I hope to eventually transfer to the peds floor!

Little advice, don't let managers say your work in PDN isn't experience. Play up your skills, you will gain some!

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Update! I landed a job in the children's hospital in my town!!!! I am so excited :geek: Thank you everyone for giving me hope. I just never thought it would happen this fast!

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Specializes in Pediatric Cardiology.

Oh wow! That happened very fast. Did you ever even start PDN?

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I have only done 2 weeks of private duty. So far I do like it. My preceptors have been amazing! I have a full schedule for private duty all of November and then I start working at the hospital December 3rd (general orientation). I think I would still like to do a private duty shift here and there when other nurses have to call off or whatever but I don't really know how the agency will handle that. Pure luck that I even got the position because I don't know a single person at the hospital. They called me so fast I didn't even have time to call and "check" on my resume! I'm sure that sort of thing is very rare for a new grad and I am so thankful that everything fell into place!

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