Is this a sign...??

[PLM311]

Lately I have been drawn to pediatric nursing and feel that it is an area in which I would really enjoy working. I am hopefully starting NS when I finish up my pre-reqs. What concerns me is that while I am pretty sure peds is where I want to be, I'm not too sure that I would enjoy adult care at all. Is this wrong/strange? Is this a sign that I am not cut out for nursing? Anyone else feel similar? Any advice/words of wisdom would be very appreciated...

[marilynmom, LPN, NP]

It's just a sign you want to work with peds! LOL!

I went into nursing school thinking 100% for sure I wanted to work like in a trauma center ER. Well I worked in a level one trauma center ER and HATED it! I also hated med/surg adults and found that adults in the hospital for the most part disgusted me....lol.

When I did my peds clinical I was really surprised that I enjoyed it and had a lot of compassion for ped population and could relate to the parents (I have 2 kids myself) and found my niche when I walked into a PICU and I just knew that was where I wanted to be and I've been there since.

[Dinsey]

It's perfectly fine and wonderful to go into nursing school with an idea of what you want to do.

However, you must be willing to accept that it may not come easily. You will still have to do clinicals with adults (most likely you'll do a LOT more clinicals with adults than with kiddos). And you might not find a peds job right out of school.

My dream throughout school was peds as well. I worked as a PCA for a child in his home and as a CNA in a peds hospital. But when I graduated, none of the peds hospitals were hiring AT ALL. So now I'm working with adults - and I was not surprised to find that I enjoy it immensely. I have 16 months left on this unit (I promised my NM 18 months) before I give another shot at a peds position.

Like most other things in life, it's important to have goals, but also to be flexible.

[Luv2BAnurse]

There's alot in nursing I don't care for: peds and psych to name a couple. Just remember in school you will be taking care of a variety of patients, so do your best at all times and things will be fine.

[DoubleblessedRN, ADN, RN, EMT-B, EMT-P]

It's ok and normal to have your heart set on something, but also be open to other areas. You might find that you like something else better once you try it. It happened to a couple of friends of mine: one thought she wanted to work in psychiatry until she did her peds rotation; another had her heart set on OB until she saw that it entailed more than just assisting with deliveries.