New to the PICU

[jamonit]

hi! i just wanted to introduce myself. i'm starting a new grad program in february at phoenix children's hospital in the PICU. they have the 2nd largest PICU in the country--3 pods, hemeonc, cardiac, and general PICU. i'm really nervous but extremely excited to be a part of the PICU team. i wouldn't want to work anywhere else and i think the experience and expertise will prove to be invaluable. anyway, it's nice to meet you all and if you have any words of wisdom/advice, i'd love if you would share.

yay PICU nursing!!!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

i take PALS this week. it's not that bad, right?

Well, if you overlook the change in passing the exam part! Used to be that the instructors could "remediate" you if you had problems with parts of the exam, but not any more. If you don't know the stuff cold, you don't pass. But it's really good stuff to know anyway so I'd suggest finding a way to memorize drug dosages and algorhithms. You'll have a lot of time to practice the hands-on part (the fun part!) during the course, but if you can't recall that the dose for epi is 0.01 mg of 1:10,000 per kg or that the dose for cardioversion is 0.5 to 1 joule per kg for the first shock then you're toast. In a real, hospital-based code, you'll have all sorts of resources, like your code drugs sheet, but for the exam you're on your own, baby! Study, study, study and you'll be fine.

[climberrn]

i take PALS this week. it's not that bad, right?

It's intimidating as hell at first but in every class I've taken, the instructors are way helpful and go over the scenarios as many times as you need to 'get it'. Like Jan said, know your didatic stuff cold and your algorhythms (sp?) and you'll be fine.

[PEDSVA]

I will most likely be returning to the PICU soon. Although I was in PICU for 1 1/2 I am very nervous about returning b/c I feel like I have forgotten the little bits I had learned. Essentially, I feel like a new grad all over again. Any words of advice, suggestions for what to review (we do cardiacs and ECMO)? Oh, I recently took PALS again under the new guidelines. It wasn't too bad. The instructors were very helpful esp. during practice scenerios. The scenerios and mega code stressed me out!!!The written part was the least stressful part, as long as you review meds, dosages, and alogrithms (brady, VF, PEA) then you'll be fine.