Pediatric Cardiac ICU nurses

[stella2015]

What additional certifications can be obtained while working in a Pedi Cardiac ICU? I've been googling trying to find particular certifications that would be relevant for this unit and haven't had much luck.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

The really sad thing is that most certifications are geared toward nursing adults. If you've already gotten peds critical care, PALS, NRP and ENPC certification, there probably aren't many that will be of value. You might consider IBLCC certification since many PCICU patients are neonates and infants.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I am board certified in Pediatrics (RN-BC) through ANCC and have my Pediatric CCRN through AACN. And yes, it's sad there isn't a Peds CV surgical cert- as challenging an area as it is.

Someone from AACN told me that for every 100 CCRNs, only TWO are pediatric! wowza!

[stella2015]

"Someone from AACN told me that for every 100 CCRNs, only TWO are pediatric! wowza!"

That's insane! No wonder I wasn't having much luck finding any other certifications. Thanks for the information!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I got to thinking about this more and more. I work in a metro area at a large tertiary care hospital. We have nearly 100 adult critical care beds( medical, trauma/neuro, surgical, CV surgical and transplant), 90 NICU beds, but only 15 PICU beds.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I just did a quick survey of all the critical care beds in our city... We have 109 adult beds, 121 Level II and Level III NICU beds spread out over several sites and 26 PICU beds (16 med-surg and 10 CV). At our children's-hospital-within-a-hospital, we have 146 inpatient beds altogether, including our 18 NICU beds and our 26 PICU beds. In fiscal 2014 we've had to cancel over 200 peds surgeries due to capacity issues. Go figure.

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

I just did a quick survey of all the critical care beds in our city... We have 109 adult beds, 121 Level II and Level III NICU beds spread out over several sites and 26 PICU beds (16 med-surg and 10 CV). At our children's-hospital-within-a-hospital, we have 146 inpatient beds altogether, including our 18 NICU beds and our 26 PICU beds. In fiscal 2014 we've had to cancel over 200 peds surgeries due to capacity issues. Go figure.

wow!!!