Possible Pedi NP path - where to work?

rockermom · Jan 8, 2008

bump.

TiBette · Mar 7, 2008

Hi! I only have an adult nursing background but am thinking alot about peds. Possibly to be a Pedi NP at some point in the future. What sort of peds dept should I work in to be on that path? A med/surg floor? Any specialties in particular? Peds ER?

I think it depends on where you would like to work as a PNP. There are acute care and primary care tracks for PNP's. I'm a PNP in a specialty clinic now and I've never worked in an ER. A pediatric primary care clinic might be something to consider if you are interested in primary care. Good luck whichever way you go!

TX_ICU_RN · Mar 17, 2008

If I had it to do all over again, I would start in a Pedi Fast Track/Urgent care as a RN. I did a lot of my PNP clinicals there and learned a vast amount of information. My pedi med/surg experience did not do much good and most of my fellow PNPs who worked in Fast Track with some shifts in the main ED (to get the idea of what a really sick kid looks like) had the best experience. As a RN in a pedi clinic, you are most likely going to mainly do telephone triage. You will not get well child exams in the Fast Track/ED, but they go over and over and over that in school. I LOVED being a PNP, but never became immune to all the kid bugs...so I had to make a career change. I miss my kids that I used to see in clinic!