PICU nurses..give me advice please :)

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I'm going for a interview in a picu! I am so excited qand nervous its a big change for me ...any advice or can you tell me if you love your job??? Thanks !

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Specializes in MICU for 4 years, now PICU for 3 years!.

I'm a new PICU nurse, so I don't really think I can offer any advice, but I can say I absolutely LOVE my job! Believe it or not, it really is a happy unit to work in. Most of the kiddo's go home healthy and back to their baseline where they were before they came to us. Such a change from the adult ICU I came from.

Good luck!

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Good luck to you! I also am a new PICU nurse and the best advice I can give is to be yourself, show interest and enthusiasm in the interview. Don't rush through the answers and don't be afraid to say you need a moment to think the question through. They also want to see that you are willing to learn and become educated because they know you are not going to know everything. Have some questions prepared to ask them.

If you are a new grad like me they asked me behavioral questions and not clinical questions. Good luck and please let me know how it goes :) you are going to do great!!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

All of you would gain from reading the stickies for this forum. Go back to PICU

and start at the top. The pushpin icon signifies a sticky - information that can be referred to often and represents FAQ-type replies. Welcome, I hope you stay awhile!

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reading the stickies here helped me in my interview. I actually got some of the exact questions in my interview that people here had shared :up: I was beyond thrilled to get the interview so soon after graduation, so I went in really wanting the job, but also happy to even get an interview. Its my dream job. Good luck to you!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Emsmom1, that's terrific! When will you hear if you've been hired? Crossing fingers and toes for you. (It's nice to know that the stickies are doing what they were intended to do too.)

thekellyone, I would guess that yourinterview has either happened or is coming soon. Best of luck, please let us know how it goes!

WSU_Ally_RN and SocalRN3, I hope you're finding your PICUs to be supportive and welcoming. Thanks for your input.

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I had an interview at Riley PICU yesterday. I was asked back for a peer interview. She said she would call me to set up the interview. I interviewed 2 weeks ago for a surgical unit at another hospital, and was offered the job. I accepted that job, then the next day the Riley PICU called me wanting an interview. PICU is my dream job. Problem is: I am supposed to start my new job on the surgical unit on monday. I have already gave my 2 weeks notice at my current employer. I really want this PICU job. But my delima is I am supposed to start this other job and do not know when they will be calling me for the peer interview. I do not know what to do!! Picu sounds very promising, but what to do about the new job starting monday? I really need a job, I don't want to pass that job up if PICU does not hire me. Help!!!

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sorry, i wasn't very clear: I got the job about 6mo ago, but I came here first and read the stickies and found them very helpful!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
sorry, i wasn't very clear: I got the job about 6mo ago, but I came here first and read the stickies and found them very helpful!

So then you may have some good advice to pass on to the posters who are just getting started, things that you wish you'd known, or things that you wish you'd done, or things you wish had been provided for you... Feel free to share.

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Specializes in PICU.

I too have been working in the PICU on my own for about 6 months, and can't say how much I enjoy it! It was (and is) definitely scary some days (most days) but overall I love taking care of the sick kids and their families....and especially seeing them get better.

I think the best advice someone gave me when I started, was that whenever a patient codes, crashes, gets intubated or a sick admission comes in to volunteer and do the documentation--that way you can watch what everyone does and know what to expect in that situation. It was definitely helpful the first time my patient crashed while on my own and I knew what to expect---and then didn't feel bad asking other people to help since I realized EVERYONE needs lots of help when things go bad.

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what state was your termination reported to with the renewal?

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