How to Get Started

candiam · Apr 17, 2009

I'm graduating next month and start my pedi job June 8th!!! I'm so excited! I got a part time job in pedi after I felt as though I had school under control. Maybe you could be a tech at the local children's hospital, or doctor's office? As far as classes, I asked nurse recruiters if PALS would better my chances of being hired and I was basically told no. They told me experience would help with that class and the hospital would pay for it. If you really want pedi get to know the nurse managers and other staff at the hospital you want to work at and never give up!

stelarRN · Apr 17, 2009

i would try to get an internship or tech job on a peds unit. or you can look into peds clinics. i started that way as an LPN and loved it. i learned so much.

LiveZen · May 28, 2009

Try to get a tech job, but those can be hard to come by, esp if you haven't finished the peds part of your nursing clinicals.

My best advice is to pick up a volunteer position. Child Life is a dept in many hospitals that provides emotional support and recreational/educational activites for kids. I volunteered with them for 18 months and loved it. I played video games with bored teens, fed and rocked babies to sleep, played with the cancer kids who are in isolation, escorted Santa Claus around the inpatient units, helped with homework. A wide variety as you can see!

Basically get involved with the hospital as much as you can. I volunteered, then did a summer externship (around here only for BSN students, but may be different in other areas), stayed on after the summer as a tech, then did my preceptorship (final term of nursing school-all clinicals), and was finally offered an RN job for after I graduate in June!

In the process, I discovered that I'm not made for Hem-Onc and that I love ER! I also met nurse managers, security guys (awesome to know these guys, just in case!), housekeepers and dietary staff (also wonderful to have on your side) and lots of other people that helped me get where I am today.

Fultzrl · Jun 23, 2009

I am in the same position as you. I know where I want to be but not quite sure how to get there. Just know that getting a PCA position often requires that you have your med-surg clinical completed ( at least here in Ohio) before you will be considered for such a position at a Children's Hospital. Unless you are a STNA, and if that the case you shouldn't have any problem.

GOOD LUCK!!

rachelgeorgina · Jun 23, 2009

I'm an RN student in Australia and I just started working as a tech in a children's hospice facility. It was certainly a lucky chance that I came by the job, though!

I'd go with the others and suggest looking in to volunteering at children's hospitals or children's medical facilities. It's the perfect way to get your foot in the door now & once you have more experience the same facility is more likely to hire you as a tech and in the future, a nurse.