PICU as a new grad?

[al3x117, RN, EMT-B]

Any nurses or new grads who got a position in the PICU or PEDS floor? Should I apply to a children's hospital? Can you apply to PEDS right out of graduating or do I need to apply to a nurse residency program? Thanks for reading. Just looking into my options because I am really enjoying my pediatric rotation in nursing school and gravitating toward that field.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I started in peds neuro as a new grad. It was the floor I did my pediatric clinical and preceptorship on. I started at the same time as 2 other new grads on my specific floor and about 10 others on other floors throughout the hospital. And that doesn't count the new grads that were hired into the 4 ICUs- they had their own critical care new grad program. The hospital I worked at ran new grad programs in March, July, September and November. Our floor hired 2 new grads in July, 3 in September, 2 in November and 2 in March my year. I have never worked with and have no desire to ever work with adults (other than the young adults who continue to be followed by peds specialists because of their complex needs). I've been a peds nurse for 11 years now and have done peds neuro, per diem school, home health/clinical management, infusion liaison in a peds hospital and now complex care management for children in foster care.

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

I started in PICU. It was not easy and I couldn't have done it without an exceptional supportive staff who were willing to teach me long beyond the end of my orientation. If the unit is committed to taking the time to nurture a new grad, it's definitely feasible.