Need Pediatric Nurse Advice

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I graduated in May 2020 with my BSN and passed my boards in June. It is has been extremely hard to find work in NY with covid. I have a passion for pediatrics and I was offered a LTC pediatric position at a skilled nursing facility. I am on the pulmonary floor where all of the children are vented 24/7. These children are very complex and have many rare genetic disorders and disabilities. I have a passion for these kids and I love the job but long term care is not for me. IV's are very rare so we don't give IV meds. We give injections, and feeding tube meds. With this experience will I be able to get into a hospital? I worked as a PCT at a hospital for over a year, I was a home health aid and I will be getting certified in PALS and PEARS. I am anxious because I hope I did not make the wrong decision. Half of my classmates are still waiting for hospital jobs!!

 

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Specializes in Peds ED.

The board doesn’t move so fast that you need to repost your question after no response in an hour. 

Are you in NYC? I know the job market is competitive in good times there so it makes sense that it’s worse now. In general, the peds experience you describe is beneficial to inpatient peds nursing, and you’ll learn to do IVs when it’s a skill you need. I would put solid experience in your current job before looking for an inpatient peds job. 

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7 hours ago, HiddencatBSN said:

The board doesn’t move so fast that you need to repost your question after no response in an hour. 

Are you in NYC? I know the job market is competitive in good times there so it makes sense that it’s worse now. In general, the peds experience you describe is beneficial to inpatient peds nursing, and you’ll learn to do IVs when it’s a skill you need. I would put solid experience in your current job before looking for an inpatient peds job. 

I posted a post about 2 days ago and I received zero replies. I do not know how the forum works and I just thought to switch my topic heading to something different so maybe more people can give their opinion to it. 

 

I am about 2 hours away from NYC. The hospitals upstate are on a freeze as well and things are still a little crazy with the hospitals preparing for a second wave. But thank you for that advice, that really helps. A lot of my friends do not think LTC is good experience and it discourages me. Thank you again. 

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Specializes in retired LTC.

OP - IGNORE the LTC bashers!!!!

You're gaining valuable skills & making social networking contacts (not to mention earning a salary!). And you say you 'love the job' and 'have a passion for the kids'. That ain't bad for anybody anywhere. 

Esp for a new nurse in in these times and in a compromised job avail area (when so many others like you are STILL LOOKING).

I believe things will improve, but it will take time.

Hang in there and good luck to you. 

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

If you found a nursing job you love, keep it! Forget the haters LOL

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Hey, I am a new grad interested in pediatrics as well! I did a nurse externship on a pediatric inpatient floor and my senior capstone on a pediatric rehabilitation unit. As someone who is still job searching in NYC (I'm not even picky about being in pediatrics anymore with the current situation), I think your experience in pediatrics will be very marketable once you apply to inpatient jobs. All I can say is that I wish I was in a position like yours. Keep making a difference in those children's lives! Good luck with everything :)

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12 minutes ago, mango27 said:

Hey, I am a new grad interested in pediatrics as well! I did a nurse externship on a pediatric inpatient floor and my senior capstone on a pediatric rehabilitation unit. As someone who is still job searching in NYC (I'm not even picky about being in pediatrics anymore with the current situation), I think your experience in pediatrics will be very marketable once you apply to inpatient jobs. All I can say is that I wish I was in a position like yours. Keep making a difference in those children's lives! Good luck with everything ?

Hi! This comment means so much to me ❤️.. it has been really hard to find a job, more than half of my class still is jobless. I worked in a hospital previously and they got rid of their new grad residency and were not hiring anyone with less than 1 year experience. I hope things will get better for you! I wish you the best. Thank you again for the kind words. 

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.

I think ANY experience is better than no experience, and someone who has a year of peds experience with vented kids would be desirable in a PICU or step down unit in my opinion.  Even in a regular peds unit you'd be valuable, I'm sure you're way ahead of some of your peers in parental communication.  

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I would love to have your job  really.  The nurse job market changes all the time and it often matters more who is doing the hiring and interviewing than your past experience.

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