I'm entering my last year of nursing and have started thinking about my future. I currently reside in Toronto and go to Ryerson. After my placement in SickKids last year, I have decided I want to be a paediatric nurse.
With all that being said, I don't think I want to settle down in Toronto. I've been thinking of moving out west and wanted to know what advice you all may have for me. I am not in any rush and am simply in the researching stage.
Would you recommend to work for a while in Toronto? Try to get into SickKids? Apply for the new grad initiative in BC?
Oh no! I did not think it would be seen that way. I thought it would be a great opportunity to get experience working with children. Uh-oh.
SickKids actually has a clinical extern program however the interviews were in March. It is very competitive: 300 people apply and there are only 15 spots. I was lucky enough to get an interview at the NICU (for that is my dream in the future), however I was told that the position went to someone who had previous NICU experience from a school placement. I felt very discouraged at the time as my school does not help me get such wonderful placements, however I am feeling motivated once again and that is why I am looking for alternative ways to get this experience.
I know quite a few health care professionals who have participated in international placements, either while they were students or while they were already working. Ontario health care managers, educators and colleagues do not consider international and intranational student placements gimmicks, they consider them valuable learning experiences that can be shared with others. It is possible to have a placement that focuses on providing a service or education to children in an underserviced area.
Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
MEDLIFE trips aren't the same as elective international placements. The trips are only for one week. The actual "mission" part of it is only 5 days, 4 working in the clinic and 1 day working on a development program such as building stairs followed by 2 days of cultural tourism. There's a charge for paricipants, unlike with some other programs such as the International Children's Heart Foundation and Mercy Ships where costs are covered by the program. That's why I'm afraid some hiring managers might view them as a gimmick. Also, there's no guarantee of any pediatric contact with MEDLIFE, except for when volunteering in the schools.
OP, NICU isn't exactly pediatrics. Neonatology is a very narrow, specialized field, unlike peds, which can mean anything from A to Z and any age from hours old to adult.
Thank you both for such detailed responses. You have no idea how much this helps me.
Yes, I understand that neonatology isn't exactly paediatrics, but I hope to do paeds first and eventually go into the NICU. My preceptor at SickKids actually started off in the NICU and would always show me around the unit teaching me about various things. I fell in love but I did not think I would be able to get in right away as a new grad. For now, I would love to get experience in both fields!
I will think more about MEDLIFE because it is quite costly and I was under the impression that I would be working with children.
Nstudent99
10 Posts
Oh no! I did not think it would be seen that way. I thought it would be a great opportunity to get experience working with children. Uh-oh.
SickKids actually has a clinical extern program however the interviews were in March. It is very competitive: 300 people apply and there are only 15 spots. I was lucky enough to get an interview at the NICU (for that is my dream in the future), however I was told that the position went to someone who had previous NICU experience from a school placement. I felt very discouraged at the time as my school does not help me get such wonderful placements, however I am feeling motivated once again and that is why I am looking for alternative ways to get this experience.