Help! ! I need input! !

[David Offenbaker, BSN, RN]

Hi Everyone!

My name is Dave and I have just recently graduate from nursing school. Before becoming a nurse I worked with children (newborns to teenages), at a local after school program. When I started nursing school I wasn't sure where I eventually wanted to specialize.

During school we did rotations in L&D, which aside from being slow (small hospital) was very fulfilling. I also did numerous rotations at a pediatric clinic.

Before I graduated I was told by numerous people that if I wanted to be 'marketable' to work a year in med/surg. Well... fast forward and I'm working med/surg, working like a dog, and not really enjoying it. It's great for learning, but not very fulfilling.

The thing is, I enjoy being around children, I'm good with children, I somehow am able to communicate with children, help them understand things that others couldn't show them. I want to be a pediatric nurse--. . . . :caduceus:

Here's where things get sticky and I need some advice. I recently got a job offer working for a pediatric home health agency (yay!). Do you think in the future that when I apply for pediatric positions with hospitals that it would look better to have medical/surgical experience vs. peds home health?

Any suggestions welcome

Thanks!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

My foot in the door was peds home health. I have not one whit of adult med-surg expereince outside of nursing school but I'm a darned good PICU nurse. Over to you, Bob.

[David Offenbaker, BSN, RN]

That is really good to hear. I just don't want to make a hasty decision and get out of med/surg. I am hoping this is my foot in the door for peds :)

Thanks :)

[vamedic4, EMT-P]

You said you had experience as a med surg nurse, and that's great. I'm certain that will help you in your quest to become a peds nurse, just as the home health experience will.

Go for it. Peds is so incredibly rewarding.

vamedic4

[AdobeRN]

My pediatric home health experience helped me get a job on the pediatric unit. I was an LVN for 2 years - I had worked one year with a pediatric home health agency. I graduated from RN program this past May, and was hired because I had the pediatric experience. I think you would have a little bit of an advantage because of the Med-Surg experience.