How to get hired in Peds

[peds4now, RN]

Hi,

I've been a nurse for a year, all of it in Peds. I'm at a magnet children's hospital, and I actually am not required to have PALS certification. I like where I am, but I want to be marketable in case I want to change jobs sometime in the next couple of years. I want to stay in straight PEDS, or maybe make eventual moves to NICU/L&D/postpartum.

What do I need to be able to get hired in these areas in other hospitals? Do those other areas actually prefer 100% new new-grads over people with experience?

So far I am scheduled to get PALS and ACLS by the end of the year. I have chemo certification, but have never given IV chemo, just the oral drugs as an aside on my floor. Is 1 year experience plus those certs enough to make me "hirable" in Peds in a non-children's hospital?

[tryingtohaveitall]

Your year of experience at a children's hospital is a nice start. More is always better, of course the longer you stay at one place, the happier you may be there. If you're content where you are, you might consider giving it longer and furthering your education through programs as you go, such as the ACLS and PALS that you're doing.

Good luck!