PICU vs. Adult ICU

[CarVsTree]

Hi guys,

I'm interviewing this month for a Critical Care Internship in the hospital that I currently work at as a tech in Transitional Trauma. I've discovered while working in TTU that I LOVE my kid patients. While taking care of adults has been sort of ho-hum, I feel absolutely passionate about my kids and find I do very well with them as well as supporting their families.

My question is as a new nurse, would I be limiting my job opportunities by going into a pediatric specialty right out of school? Is employment more difficult to find in pediatrics? I'm feeling so much pressure to make the right decision and feel like I want kids, but don't know if it is most practical. Any adice is greatly appreciated.

THanks!

[Elenaster]

I know plenty of nurses that started out in and stayed in peds, later branching out as pediatric NPs, neonatal transport, etc., and they wouldn't do anything else.

I say trust your gut instincts and do what you think will suit you best. If anything, doing the internship in peds will solidify what you already feel.

The only limiting factor I can think of is, if you're interested in anesthesia school, you will pretty much have to work in adult critical care for at least a year. Other than that, there are plenty of job opportunities in peds.

Good luck!

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

If you have The Gift of being able to support parents of critically ill children, we NEED YOU! While some people feel that you would be restricting yourself to pediatrics, I don't agree. There is no average patient in a PICU, unlike in many of the adult ICUs. Our patients are medical, surgical, chronic and palliative, They're neuro, cardiac, GI, renal, respiratory and eveything in between. There's a world of difference beween a two month old and a 16 year old; the scope of practice in PICU is huge! It's a lot easier to transfer knowledge gained in a PICU to the adult patient than it is to do the opposite. Go with your heart. It won't lead you astray.