Poll for Burn Nurses...as a student nurse, did you rotate in a burn unit?

WineCountryRN · Jan 5, 2009

Hello anyone there?

groovy jeff, RN · Jan 8, 2009

I will not get the opportunity to rotate through our regional burn center during my clinicals. I would love to; however, it ain't going to happen.

As a burn victim, I have thought many times that I would enjoy the work, especially ICU burn unit.

Question for you:

How would you go about requesting spending a few hours job shadowing in a burn unit?

And what would you think about a request like this?

Thanks

Arizona1111 · Aug 27, 2009

Hello there,

When I was in nursing school, we did not get to rotate through the Burn Unit. However, for my preceptorship I chose the Burn ICU which I was able to do.

I picked it because I am very interested in wound care and I must say - I had the best wound care experience in the Burn ICU during my whole nursing school! :)

I'd love to work there but as an RN with not much experience - no chance.

myRNworld · Sep 20, 2009

I just graduated back in may. I am not working in a burn unit but i was able to rotate through a burn unit at UF shands. I LOVED the experience. It wasnt anything like i expected and before it was over i wanted to work a burn unit. however at the time they were not hiring so no chance for me. I hope to eventually end up in a burn unit. It is a dream job for someone interested in wound care and that type of nursing.

yellowfluffball · Dec 31, 2009

As a current nursing student, I only got a tour at the Burn unit in Oregon, I'm doing my practicum at the Burn unit, other than that we don't get Burn unit rotations.

annabeap, MSN, APRN, NP · Mar 19, 2010

So, I'm a new nurse, not working in the Burn Unit, but did a rotation there. I asked one of the nurses, and she said that Burn ICU was her FIRST JOB. She NEVER saw a burn unit before then. She was a pro after 8 yrs, finding the right lines to push her meds into.... while the patient was in his induced-coma, covered head to toe in white gauze.

I met a tech there, she was a burn victim herself- I can only imagine that's why she had such a passion for her job. That unit was on of the National Burn Centers.

My job is now going to be in the same building as another National Burn Center. So potentially, I'll have the experience to rotate through that unit again.

VivaRN · Mar 25, 2010

My first RN job was Burn ICU. I was never drawn to critical care and actually wanted to work in public health, but the recruiter took me to the ICU's and I was so new (and needed a job) I never thought to ask what else was available. In the BICU I took a look at a patient, some of the nurses said "hey! you can look at a burn patient! you can work here!" and that was pretty much it. I sorta thought to myself, when else in my life could I have an opportunity like this?

It was a wonderful learning experience, though of course painful and difficult at times, and helped me find my place in nursing based on what I liked/didn't like about it. This hospital was also known for being the "ground zero" place to work (urban poor population and level 1 trauma center), hence it was a lot easier to get into these specialized areas as a new grad. Talk about some great stories.

elizabethm · Apr 26, 2010

Nursing student about to start a 2 month externship in TBICU at U of M. I'll let you know how it goes but I am VERY excited. :yeah:Other than that I wouldn't get to see a burns unit in my clinicals.

LiveZen · Jan 8, 2011

Currently working as a peds burns nurse....never did a rotation in school (a few of my classmates did Adult Burn ICU during our critical care rotation...I ended up in Adult Trauma ICU, just a luck of the draw kind of thing).

Honestly never seriously considered burn nursing till I was out of school. Did a my first year in nuring in a of Peds ER and was looking for something that was more patient/family focused and nurturing. I did see some minor burns in the ER, but never thought I'd want to do that all the time.

The city I wanted to move to happened to have a peds burns job available. Observed one large dressing change, sat for an interview, and two weeks later started the best job I could ever ask for. So happy I "took the plunge" and gave burn nursing a try! I couldn't imagine being happier anywhere else!

Loreta · Jan 29, 2011

I worked three years oncology unit and now am in psychiatry!!!!!yeah, I know the change seems strange......

I am not currently working or had work the burn unit. However I did rotate acute burn unit during my clinicals, I did a one week rotation as part of my surgical rotation at the trauma center. It was a very tough experience, a true eyeopener!!!!!!!

Only five of us got to be in this rotation............ But in retrospect I do believe it should had been mandatory at least for a coup,e of days........

I did bonded in a very deep way with my assigned patients, to be part of such a painful experience (I mean participating during woundcare) makes you closer in a spiritual way.

I cannot say that I had fun........but I grew emotionally and spiritually through my experiences with my patients, I am a better nurse today almost ten years later.

I hope it helps, although you're interested in current burn unit nurses.!!!

I do have a lot of respect for all of you burn Rn's, I know for a fact it takes a very special person!!!!!!

Best of luck to all of you:redbeathe