How to switch from MICU to PICU???

Pediatric Critical Care Columnist · Sep 14, 2008

If there's a tight nursing market where you live and PICU positions are being reposted regularly, I think it safe to ignore that "PICU experience required" rider. Where I work, we have the same 9 full time positions reposted every month and not only is the hiring squad looking past the no PICU experience part, but also looking past the NO NURSING EXPERIENCE PERIOD part. The number of new grads we've absorbed in the last two years outnumbers the nurses who came with any sort of nursing experience at all by about 5 to 1. But then we have a severe labour shortage in all areas of our economy so we have to take what we can get. But that may not be the situation where you are, and you'll need some things to make you more attractive than the other candidates.

Make your applications no matter what the posting says. In your cover letter, include a statement about your current position with a short list of the skills you aleady have practiced. Then reveal your desire to broaden your nursing knowledge base and develop new skills as they relate to the pediatric population.

Read the posts in the stickies:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f95/applying-picu-job-203342.html

https://allnurses.com/forums/f95/advice-requested-track-picu-168464.html

Brush up on pediatric physiologic norms and pediatric anatomy. Review basic growth and development. Be ready for some tough nursing care questions on the interview. BIG thing to remember is that hypotension is a late and ominous sign of decompensation in kids. It will come up, I can almost guarantee.

Reheorifice what you're going to say when they ask about why you want to move over to peds. And ditch the old, "I love kids" thing because they hear that all the time. Put yourself in the interviewer's shoes and listen to what you want to say using their ears. Avoid referring tothe reasons why you want to leave your current position and focus on why you want to work there. If you can throw out the term "family-centered care" you'll get their attention. Have a definition of that ready too!

If you want to practice an interview, let me know and we can do one by PM. I'm on vacation for the next three weeks so I've got time. It's not as big a leap as you think it will be!