HayBug

Hi everyone! I am getting ready to cross train to the PICU at my new job and the closer it gets the more nervous I am. I've heard people say "They're just not PICU material" about other nurses. Not being "good enough" is my worst nightmare so I was wondering: What do you guys think makes a good PICU nurse? What kinds of things should I avoid so I'm not deemed "Not PICU Material"

You are not being petty. Home Health is such an intimate job. If you are uncomfortable your uncomfortable. And it's fair to say you are uncomfortable whether it's because there house is dirty, their family dynamic, what part of town they live in, or a miriad of other things. Your allowed to stand up for yourself and have boundaries. Also I would never work in a home where the bathroom has no door!

Joe Kirby are you happy?

Thank you so much for responding! Your response really means a lot to me. It's nice to know I'm not alone out here.

Hi all! Just wanted to ask for those of you that chose PDN as your career path. Do you regret it?

Hey everyone! I've always been a silent browser on this website but finally decided to make a profile. I don't know how to start this, so I'm just going to dive right in. I've been a nurse for about 5 years. Even before graduating nursing school I knew I wanted to work in pediatrics preferably NICU. At the time when I did graduate I found that was not a possibility since it seemed no one was hiring. Getting a job in pediatrics in highly competitive in my area (Colorado) and at the time you either had to already be working within pediatrics some how or know someone. I didn't know anyone and hadn't had the opportunity to work in pediatrics so I was SOL. I needed a job so I settled for a job on an adult step down floor. I went in positive thinking "Oh I'm going to learn so much and Ill have a great nursing foundation!" I HATED it! I cried a lot, had a lot of panic attacks, and almost quit nursing. Did learn a lot though if nothing else. Luckily before I quit nursing I found a job in pediatric home health care. I loved it! Spent two years with the company but left to return to the hospital setting on an acute pediatric floor because I had this nagging underling feeling I wasn't a real nurse. Spent two years on the hospital floor, loved my patients hated the environment. The constant beeping, the long shifts, the fact I had to flip back and forth between nights and day, never enough time to give my patients adequate care they deserved. I stuck it out two years hoping it'd get better with time. Spoiler alert! It never did. By the end I was crying a lot, dreading going to work, felt incompetent, and felt like an outsider on my own unit. I was considering quitting nursing again as well. I returned back to my original pediatric home health agency and its exactly how I remember it and I'm enjoying it. I figured I could always give the hospital a try again later if I wanted. At this point I don't know if I ever want to return to that horrible place of nightmares. Then I got the call. A job offer out of the blue just like that! It was for another pediatric floor in another hospital. I wasn't expecting to leave my current agency this soon. Id only been back for two months, so I turned it down. Was I wrong to do this? Should I return to the hospital setting? I have this nagging feeling I made the wrong choice. This may also just be my anxiety but here I am 5 years into nursing, tried two different units in two different hospitals not enjoying either, and still haven't made it to what was once the dream of working in the NICU. Lately I've come to terms with the fact I may not be critical care material so have let go of that dream for now. I've never enjoyed my time in the hospital setting even when I enjoyed my patient population. I felt constantly overwhelmed, inadequate, just like I didn't belong, and often wondered if I was ever meant to be a nurse. I don't feel that way in the home health setting but also wonder am I making a difference? Does what I do matter? It doesn't help that it doesn't seem anyone within this setting is even remotely close to my age, everyone I meet is a lot older and at the end of their nursing career. I don't know why that bothers me but it does. Makes me feel like I'm blowing up my career some how. Am I making a mistake to stay where I'm at? Should I get my butt back in the hospital setting ASAP? Would it be wrong to stay in pediatric home healthcare forever? Phew! Sorry that was a whole novel. Thank you if you even read through all this.

In my state, and have worked at a few major hospitals in my state, it was always the same a call out is a call out. It may be a state by state thing. This is not a thing in my state. It almost feels like you are expected to come to work sick or not. It's almost encouraged and your rewarded to come in sick with all the compliments and wow you must be so dedicated

Hey everyone! I've always been a silent browser on this website but finally decided to make a profile. I don't know how to start this, so I'm just going to dive right in. I've been a nurse for about 5 years. Even before graduating nursing school I knew I wanted to work in pediatrics preferably NICU. At the time when I did graduate I found that was not a possibility since it seemed no one was hiring. Getting a job in pediatrics in highly competitive in my area (Colorado) and at the time you either had to already be working within pediatrics some how or know someone. I didn't know anyone and hadn't had the opportunity to work in pediatrics so I was SOL. I needed a job so I settled for a job on an adult step down floor. I went in positive thinking "Oh I'm going to learn so much and Ill have a great nursing foundation!" I HATED it! I cried a lot, had a lot of panic attacks, and almost quit nursing. Did learn a lot though if nothing else. Luckily before I quit nursing I found a job in pediatric home health care. I loved it! Spent two years with the company but left to return to the hospital setting on an acute pediatric floor because I had this nagging underling feeling I wasn't a real nurse. Spent two years on the hospital floor, loved my patients hated the environment. The constant beeping, the long shifts, the fact I had to flip back and forth between nights and day, never enough time to give my patients adequate care they deserved. I stuck it out two years hoping it'd get better with time. Spoiler alert! It never did. By the end I was crying a lot, dreading going to work, felt incompetent, and felt like an outsider on my own unit. I was considering quitting nursing again as well. I returned back to my original pediatric home health agency and its exactly how I remember it and I'm enjoying it. I figured I could always give the hospital a try again later if I wanted. At this point I don't know if I ever want to return to that horrible place of nightmares. Then I got the call. A job offer out of the blue just like that! It was for another pediatric floor in another hospital. I wasn't expecting to leave my current agency this soon. Id only been back for two months, so I turned it down. Was I wrong to do this? Should I return to the hospital setting? I have this nagging feeling I made the wrong choice. This may also just be my anxiety but here I am 5 years into nursing, tried two different units in two different hospitals not enjoying either, and still haven't made it to what was once the dream of working in the NICU. Lately I've come to terms with the fact I may not be critical care material so have let go of that dream for now. I've never enjoyed my time in the hospital setting even when I enjoyed my patient population. I felt constantly overwhelmed, inadequate, just like I didn't belong, and often wondered if I was ever meant to be a nurse. I don't feel that way in the home health setting but also wonder am I making a difference? Does what I do matter? It doesn't help that it doesn't seem anyone within this setting is even remotely close to my age, everyone I meet is a lot older and at the end of their nursing career. I don't know why that bothers me but it does. Makes me feel like I'm blowing up my career some how. Am I making a mistake to stay where I'm at? Should I get my butt back in the hospital setting ASAP? Would it be wrong to stay in pediatric home healthcare forever? Phew! Sorry that was a whole novel. Thank you if you even read through all this.

Hi! I started in the hospital on an adult step down unit. Only lasted 8 months before I almost quit nursing. Luckily I found a home health PDN job which I fell in love with. This job saved my nursing career. After being there for 2 years I went back into the hospital setting on a pediatric med/surg floor. And now 2ish years later I've returned to that same home health job. I guess thats a long was of saying yes can leave your hospital setting and then go back later even without a full year of nursing experience