Pediatric Clinic Job

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Hello All,

I am a new grad (Fall 2010) on the hunt for a job. I had an interview recently at a pediatric clinic. Im really excited at the prospect of working there and was wondering if there are other people who have started out in a pediatric clinic for their first job. What did you like/dislike about it? Was it a good transition into the field from school? Tips/thoughts in general?

Thanks! :yeah:

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Hi Melissa,

I am a new graduate and just finished my first week at a pediatric clinic. Sorry you haven't had any responses yet, and I'm assuming you have either started already or moved on to something else, but here's my input! :nurse:

As a new graduate, and someone who doesn't thrive in extreme stress like some of my peers (e.g. ER) ... this is a great job for me as a "beginner". In comparing my clinic job to my rotations in the hospital, the clinic is a little more "relaxed" ... still busy, don't get me wrong. In general, there's a lot of repetition - lots of sick visits involving fevers, rashes, sore throats, etc. and lots of physicals / well child exams. So for me, the repetition is helping me learn quicker. Also, I really wanted to work in postpartum with newborns, but since it's so hard to get a job in a hospital, and in LDRP nonetheless, this was a great compromise because I get to see newborns around age 5 or 6 days of life and then I will get to watch them grow up as they come to visit their doctor each time!

The other thing you can't beat about a clinic is the hours ... no night shifts, no weekends, no holidays (except my clinic doesn't give paid holidays, which is a bummer :crying2:). Also, pediatric doctors are a little different then other doctors, they don't seem to think of themselves as the "higher" power like some docs do. In our clinic there is a nurse for each physician (which I assume it's the same way at other clinics, but I don't know for sure) ... they all say their nurse is like their partner, not someone "below" them, if you know what I mean.

Anyway, I'm curious to what you decided to do! Hope everything worked out the way you hoped!:)

:tinkbll:

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I wish there were more replies as well. This seems like it could be a very informative thread for beginning pediatric nurses.

Tinkerbell, I am still deciding whether I would like to take a nursing track to become a pediatrics nurse. So I have yet to take the science prereq. courses starting this fall. I'm wondering, what type of work experiences did you have to land you the job at the clinic? In the past, I worked for a co. that had me working at several group homes dealing with the mentally disabled/ill, sick, and elderly and I did not enjoy-- :p

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

Oh my goodness, I'm SO sorry for the delay in my response :(

This is my first job as a nurse ever. My previous career was an Executive Assistant, and actually I do believe this may have given me a little bit of an advantage, because there is a lot of administrative work behind the scenes for this clinic job. I don't know if it's the same way at other clinics, although I would imagine it would be similar. I know that's not a lot of help but any experience in health care is better than none!!

Good luck to you! :tinkbll:

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This is an old thread...but better late than never!

IMO the downfall to going straight into a clinic is that the first year or two out of nursing school are precious- and the mind is fresh and like a sponge. There is so much to learn! Clinic nursing has many great things about it, but you miss out on your 'impressionable years' if you will...doing assessments, time management, getting socialized to nursing in general.

That is JMO...take what you want, leave the rest.

I work in a pediatric specialty clinic and love it...it's my third nursing job. I love the hours, the work environment, and it's 100x's less stressful than what I was doing in the hospital previously. I still get to use my brain and exercise my nursing muscles, and use quite a bit of the knowledge that I gained as a bedside nurse on a daily basis.

I hope you're doing well!

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i started in a clinic too. honestly at this point i dont care much about skills or bedside. i dont want to kill myself or my back for doing nightshifts.. no offense to anyone but my body is a lot weaker so i wouldnt be able to take it if i did bedside. i guess the down side for me is my bedside skills arent the greatest like iv but im also not in my early 20s so im not thinking about learning all the time. im at the age where im ready to get married settle down and start a family so bedside is not really an option for me.

if youre worried about your iv skills then working in a clinic youre not gonna do much but i agree with others its more relaxed and routine. you get to know the docs better than on a unit doing bedside.

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I started in a clinic full time loved it no night shift no weekends clinic closed at some point unlike nursing homes

tons of sick visits involving fevers, skin/diaper rashes, sore throats, urine problems, and well child exams

some skill you will do are blood draw/capillary sticks/EKG/immunization tons of immunizations TONS learn that schedule urine bag/caths

throat swab, ear irrigation, education parents

will write lots of letter for school and parent work massive amount of phone triages/walk in triages

referral to other providers

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