improving at being a peds nurse

[somniax0x]

Hello, I am currently working as a peds nurse in a home care setting. Although I feel confident in my skills, I'm looking for ways to improve my knowledge base and just in general become a better peds nurse. I only have one client and I don't really feel I can call myself a true peds nurse because I only have a little bit of knowldge re: her condition. I have researched all of her diagnosis and feel I have a good understanding of them. But I wish to progress towards another position in peds or at least pick up more clients. However, I don't feel quite comfortable about doing this bc i feel like I don't know what I'm doing when it comes to other kids. I can take general care of them (administer meds, gt care, assessments, etc), but when people ask me general questions about disease processes, meds, etc...I kind of blank. I'm currently working on obtaining my RN, but our peds/ob class is still 2 semesters away. Any help on how I could improve would be greatly appreciated. I'm eager to learn, but besides a school book, I feel like there is no where for me to get information.

[nursel56]

It sounds like you are on the right track learning everything you can about your current patient's diagnosis. Having worked in peds both in a hospital setting and home care, I can say that they are very different in that the hospital exposes you to a vast array of diagnoses, treatments, meds etc that is hard to duplicate in the home environment, as is the pace of hospital nursing and the time management skills you gain.

However, I've discovered that the flip side to it is that private duty allows you to get an in depth experience at how a chronic illness affects one person and their family. I have found this to be a priceless learning opportunity. You don't normally have the time in the hospital unit to gain this understanding, but when the parents talk to you about their struggles you will have a unique insight many nurses never acquire.

There is a vast amount of information about the diseases you may encounter in peds private duty all over the internet, but I found the most challenging common issues are those related to trachs and ventilators so many of these kids utilize. This is an area where you can never learn too much and each case is so very unique, and generally why a child needs constant nursing or caregiver coverage.

Usually in the hospital respiratory therapists do the work related to these, but we are pretty much "it" in the home setting, so airway issues and ventilator malfunctions were my biggest fears.

When I start a new case I make sure to get every question I have answered, I take notes, look stuff up ahead of time, and have even gone back for a second orientation where I feel the need to be more prepared. In private duty you will find people who spend two minutes on it, but you and the patient deserve a proper orientation.

My other suggestion would be to post your questions here in the Private Duty Nursing Forum, where lots of us post, along with a parent who is also an excellent resource for us. The good news is I know at least one nurse who's private duty experience helped her get a job on a peds unit! Best wishes!