chickidee717

Best of luck to you!

Yes! Thank you so much:o

I always knew I wanted to do children's critical care. So, when I got an offer in a peds cardiac ICU, I was thrilled but terrified. In nursing school, I absolutely hated the heart. How ironic! I have only been in the unit for 5 months but I love love love it. PCICU will definately keep you on your toes. Even though you are focused on the heart, your kids still have all sorts of other problems. You will see many of the same things you would see on a med-surg floor or PICU. I did a rotation in PICU for two weeks for our job and while I did like it, I prefer cardiac. Many people say that cardiac ICU limits your practice, but there is still so much to learn and it is very challenging. Your post-op patients are unstable and require alot of interventions that keep you running all day. They are the ones I enjoy taking while I am with my preceptor, I learn so much. That being said, it all depends on what you are most passionate about. However, look at me, I hated hearts and now love it! If you end up somewhere you don't enjoy, you can always switch it up!

I am a new grad working in a peds cardiac ICU. I have been there for a few months and am about half way through orientation. Some days, I am confindent and feel accomplished about the care I have provided. But, as soon as something semi-emergent happens, I feel like a complete idiot and have no clue what I would do without the nurses around me helping out. I know I am 10x better then when I first started, but does it get easier? I know I will never know it all, but I just want to feel more confident in certain situtations. Sometimes I feel totally hopeless. There are days I just get into my car and cry even though I didnt do anything wrong. Whats the worst is my fear of what will happen when I am off orientation, which is not long at all. I love my job with all my heart but I am scared of missing something when I am without a preceptor. Also, some days I rock at report and other days I am so scatterbrained and just wonder why I cant seem to put it together. My preceptors have both told me I am where I should be...but sometimes I just wonder. Please share and stories, thoughts, or advice about being a new nurse. I could use some encouragement and just wonder if this happens to everyone. Also, I have some general questions that I wonder about...probably silly but oh well...respond to all of this or even one of the questions. Thanks in advance. 1) Even though its been explained to me a million times, I don't understand what kinds ventilation/pressure supports you do and do not want to use in patient's with HLHS after Norwood, Glenn, and Fontan? 2) If I have a ventilated patient that codes, do I start chest compressions or bag them first? I know its airway, breathing, circulation. So does the fact that they are already intubated count as airway? Once help arrives, is the pt bagged while chest compressions are going on? Or is it seperate? 3) A post op heart transplant pt that was next to my pt was intubated and only 1day post op. He has periodic runs of v-tach. Everyone just sits there and watches the monitor. Why would we not perform CPR in this situation? 4) I know Milrinone helps the heart pump...but the exact action of it has never been explained to me. What is the difference between that and epi drips? 5) Is there a general rule about how long you should give a fluid bolus over? Keep in mind that I work with heart kids, many of them are single ventricles. 6) What is 'overdrive pacing' (setting the rate high) and what is it suposed to help? 7) Any advice for pedal pulses? I can feel the normal ones, but cardiac kids still take me forever...some of them anyways 8) What does Mg, Ca, and Potassium do on a cellular level that make them so important for us to monitor? 9) How much chest tube output is too much for a fresh post-op? Im sure theres tons more...but this is what I can think of for now. Thanks everyone.

Hello all, I am a new graduate that landed my dream job in a Peds Cardiac ICU at an amazing hospital. I have experience as a CNA in peds ICU, but I am extremely anxious about starting in the PCICU. We do not get many heart kids, so it is not something I have learned much about over the years. I don't start until August, but I wanted to go ahead and learn as much of the basics I could. So here are some of my questions to help me with my studies... 1) What are the most common heart defects that I should learn? 2) What are the most common medications I will see? (I know some...dig, lasix, milrione...sp?) 3) Are there any specific procedures I should look up? 4) What is the best way to study ECGs? (Im not a fan of these...even though I know I will have to learn them) 5) Are there any lab values...besides the normals....that I should learn that are specific to cardiac kids? 6) ANY info/advice/areas to study would be GREATLY appriciated!!! I am lost as to where to begin Thanks in advance for your time!

I have a BSN. My references were both the highest scores...my teachers let me see them before they sealed them! I will graduate this may...

Well, the only one I selected was peds so i'm guessing peds is even harder to get into then the adult tracks. I mean...I honestly don't know what more I could of done. I have a 3.6, worked in peds as a tech for almost 2 years, took my elective in peds (precepting), and precepted in peds my senior semester. Just makes me feel bad, ya know? But congrats to all who got selected for interviews! How exciting:yeah:

I did not get selected for an interview and am so bummed!! Thought I would at least get an interview. Just out of curiosity...what was every ones GPA and previous work experience,that got selected for interviews?

Hey! Where did you get the job at, if you don't mind me asking? I am looking for hospitals that hire new grads into peds ICU =]

Hello all! I was wanting some advice from all of you about where to start my first job at. I live in the south but I am willing to relocate anywhere. I am wondering if anyone out there knows of any good pediatric RN residencies and some general info on them. I would love to work at a children's hospital...but a regular hospital w/ a good pediatric unit would be fine too. I am willing to relocate anywhere!! And am specifically interested in peds ICU. Any recent graduates...where did you do your residency? Was it good? Any info will help me! thanks so much.

So, I don't graduate until May but alot of hospitls are taking applications now. My question is, how far back should I go with my work history. I worked at a fast food type place when I was 16, then a department store when I moved, then a teaching supply store, and how at the hospital. This has been over the past five years. Part of me says include it because I learned how to deal with customers, responsibility, etc. At the same time, I feel like it is irrevelant or looks bad. What do yall think? Also, how in depth should my objective be for my resume. Is a couple of sentences good? More, less? Any other tips while applying. Thanks for any responses!

I was just wondering how all the PICU nurses out there deal with the death of a child? I am a CNA and we recently lost a 3 year old boy. He had abdominal pain and threw up once. He was brought to the ER and coded in the parents car. By the time he arrived on our unit, he was already gone. He looked worse than any child I have yet to see, so pale and cold. Sadly, he was pronouced brain dead and the parents agreed to take him off of life support. Needless to say it was a rough day. Parents in and out all day. Friends, family, etc. It is the first time I have dealt with a death and I took it pretty hard. It took all my strength not to burst into tears in front of the family. It was so sudden, they arent even sure what killed him yet. I was in the room with mom and dad when we took his tubes and all out and was pronounced. Then we had to clean him up so that his older brother (only 5years old) could come see him and do other little things for memories. I about lost it when the brother came in. Of course, he does not understand that he will never see his brother again. But the thought of how strong the parents were to hold it together in front of him. They handled it so well. And now I keep thinking about what they are about to go though, with holidays and all coming up . I just don't understand why this happens to children, I know it is not right for me to question but I do. People say thing happen for a reason, I just wish sometime we knew the reason because sometimes it seems like no good comes out of these situations. After everyone left, we were about to take him away but the grandmothers came back in and cried/screamed on his bed for about an hour. I will admit to going to the bathroom to let it all out. And in my car at the end of the shift. I know I will never get used to a child dying, but is it weird that I cared so much? I have cried periodically thoughout today when I am somehow reminded of her. I know it is important to keep work at work but the death of a child is so tough. I know that working in the PICU I will see it more than most (this is where I plan to work when I graduate) Just looking for advice, encouragement, your stories, etc. Don't know who else to talk to outside of work. Thanks in advance.

Thank you guys so much for helping! I still have a year to graduate but I am planning in advance so its not all one big rush! I am keeping a list so I will be ready when its time to apply. Thanks again :)

I am currently a nursing student and will graduate in a year. My heart is set on working in the picu. I love it. However, i know that many hospitals dont hire new grads into picu. I am scared that if i dont start in picu i will never have the opportunity to make the transition. My question is what specific hospitals will hire new grads into picu? I have googled this with no luck. I live in the south but am willing to move anywhere in the u.s. After graduating. Any hospitals that you guys work at or know of that are willing to have new grads in picu? Thanks for the help!

Hello all! I am for sure doing pediatrics when I graduate (a year). I was always drawn to NICU and thought that was what I wanted to do. But, after clinicals I feel in love with the pediatric ICU. There is just something about it that I was drawn to more than the NICU. I got into a clinical elective this summer for the PICU. I will have a preceptor for 90 hours over the course of 3 months. I was wondering if there was a PICU nursing book that would help me out before I start? I know that there is so much to learn about the PICU. I am looking for a book that discusses common diseases/injuries, what to do, and procedures. For example...this is what a PICC line is, this is how you draw blood from it, stuff like that. And for the diseases/injuries...for instance with increased ICP what kind of care should you follow? I.e-keeping the head of the bead elevated. Obviously more complex but is there a book like this that exists that will give me an edge? So that when I walk in there I will be more confident. I have tried bookstores but they all have to be ordered online. So, any advice will be great. (I dont want to spend $60 on a book I wont use) Thank you guys for all your help :)