CaliRN29

I made the transition from adult ICU to PICU a year ago and love it! The kids are so much happier and tougher than any whiny adult! Patience is the key! Blood pressures on a 3 year old can take a few minutes b/c you have to earn their trust first where as adults, you can just walk in there and slap a cuff on and walk out. Also getting used to different vital signs. You will have to know vitals from everyone to a neonate to adult for your teenagers. "Manual of Pediatric Critical Care" is a great PICU book as a resource. The other big thing that is very different from adult ICU is that the kids all have random problems. With adults they all have HTN, DM, obesity, etc but with kids they are usually a clean slate. Of course you will have your broncholitis/RSV kids and others that you become familiar with but there is always one that will throw you off your game :) You will LOVE PICU! Good luck!

I was offered a flight nurse position but would like to be pregnant soon and wanted to get everyones feedback on how well (or not so well) that might work?

Until last weekend I had never witnessed a patient having a seizure. And then a little 4 year old change my career in one 12 hour shift. I watched and supported him as he seized every hour and sometimes two or three times an hour. I held him, I attempted to soothe him, I tucked him, turned out the lights and hoped he would be granted a few moments of peace in between the chaos that was firing in his brain. Now, a week later, he remains unconscious on medications to suppress the seizures, support his blood pressure and help with any pain he may be having. His parents stand watch and sleep on folding chairs every night, praying and hoping for his recovery. Why am I a Pediatric Intensive Care nurse. Because of the difference I made for this little boy. While I might not have "saved him", I supported him the best I could and advocated for the things his parents didn't know he needed. And throughout all they have been through, his incredible mother and father remember my name. That is how I know I did the best I could do.

Our PACU is the same as everyone stated. We can call the Rapid Response Team in the off hours when we are on call and anesthesia is left the hospital. At our hospital, if the 2 doctors are arguing, I put them on the phone with each other and let them hash it out!

There are a lot of nurses that say you need ICU experience prior to starting PACU however, I think an intelligent nurse with a strong drive to learn can do it. I did ICU a little over a year and when I came to PACU, there was a big learning curve. Not every patient is critical like they are in ICU so you need to learn which ones are and which ones aren't. Although I have had outpatient surgery patients semi-code so you need to always be on your feet. You will do great. You have access to doctors within a few minutes if you need them and your co-workers are in the same room so they can't run and hide from helping like in ICU and M/S. Be prepared for some high stress for awhile but you will be great! Good luck!

Our PACU is only quiet and peaceful once and awhile! Our manager requires that our nurses have ICU or ED experience. I think ED experience is good because you get used to moving patients in and out quickly and ICU is great because you get used to drips, vents, etc. It is fun at times and very stressful at times ... go for it!

I think it is possible to sleep through the pain but the patient is your patient, not your managers! Our anesthesiologist will "reorient" people to the pain scale and describe pain 10/10 as someone ripping your arm off! I find that the younger people don't have a good grasp on the pain scale ... :)

:yeah:Hi PICU nurses ... I am an adult ICU/PACU nurse applying for PICU ... I have read some of the great advice on this forum and I wanted to ask the PICU nurses what should I highlight on my cover letter to express my peds interest? I have PALS and recover very few peds patients but I love them and I want that to stand out on my application. Thanks!

Re: UCD PICU - I did clinical rotations there and one of my friends is an attending there .... they are a great hospital in general and the PICU nurses are some of the smartest nurses I have ever known! They get some very sick kids so they have the chance to keep their skills sharp. Re: Kaiser PICU - Kaiser is opening a new Women's and Children's hospital, schedule to open in Jan. 09. They have a PICU but it is less acute than UCD or Sutter's. I used to work in the adult section of that ICU and some of the PICU nurses we catty ... they might be better when they aren't forced to share an ICU with adults. The doctors seemed good ... but since the patient's aren't that sick, your skills might not be so sharp. Good luck!

In my opinion, SMC grads are just as well prepared for a new grad RN program as an associates or traditional BSN program (possibly more prepared because this is not your first degree and you have more "life experience"). Nursing school is truely just a "basics" and you will learn most everything in your first job.

I went to SMC in Oakland when the economy was better and went to work as a new grad in Sacramento (my choice). My friend just graduated from the SMC Oakland program and is having a tough time finding a job in the East Bay because of the hiring freeze. (she was initially accepted to the San Mateo program but was offered a spot in Oakland before the program started which was better for her b/c she lives in Concord, just FYI). The SMC program is very fast pace. Typically classroom stuff 2-3 days a week (sometimes 8-5 other times 1-9 etc.) and then 2-3 days of clinicals (sometimes on weekends). It depends on if you want to get done in 1 year or 2 years. I don't know anything about CSU EB though ... good luck!!

Sharann, Thank you so much for your input! I am more confident now! I see you are from California. What hospital do you work at?

You will defintely get a variety of patients even in Neuro ... rarely do you get a pure neuro patient (and when you do you are thankful!). We almost always use pressors, vents, A-lines, etc. However if you want a more overall experience M/S ICU might be for you ... but as far as I know they get "typical" patients too (MI, Septic, PNA, etc) good luck in whatever you decide!!!

I love this!

Hi PACU nurses, I am a ICU nurse interviewing for a PACU position in a new hospital. Most of my experience is with NeuroSurg ICU so I am not familiar with cardiac issues and I am a little nervous. The hospital that I will be interviewing at is a non-trauma hospital that does open hearts, AAA, etc. Can you give me an idea of what you typically do for these patients?! Thanks!!! (and advice, info, suggestions are appreciated :):uhoh21: