kaewing2003

Thanks so much for the feedback!

Thank you so much! I am thinking of going to a transfer center and just wanted to see how other nurses liked it. I love patient care but, want to do something different and still help patients. Thanks again!

Thank you so much for posting this and thank you to all that replied. I have recently returned to the bedside after a 5 year hiatus and only 1 yr in the PCICU prior to that. I am new to the NICU and with only one year of clinical experience 5 years ago, I feel like a new grad. I am passionate about patient care but I have been feeling like maybe I am too old (37) or maybe I have just forgotten how to be a bedside nurse. I have only been on the floor for 1 1/2 shifts now. But, I can barely sleep for worrying about not being able to care for my patients. I am glad that I am not the only one feeling discouraged. I hope that you are feeling more confident now.

Thank you for your response. I actually ended up interviewing for PICU and NICU and was offered the NICU position. I accepted and I am so excited about returning to patient care. I am brushing up on all my clinical skills and the equipment that I will be using. Thanks again for all your advise.

That is awesome! PICU is definately not boring! Always something new to learn í ½í¸€

Hello all! I am returning to the PICU very soon (hopefully...my interview is Friday). I am so nervous after being away from the bedside for almost 5 years and only one year of experience in PCICU prior to that. The only clinical experience I have had over the last 4+ years has been a brief stent in med/surg PRN and PRN hospice for a year. Any words of wisdom from the experienced PICU nurses out there? I have been cramming my brain with as much as I can so I will be more prepared. Has a lot changed over the last few years? What would you say are some of the most important clinical skills to brush up on? Any help would be most appreciated. I know I will take a pay cut, but, my passion is people and just want to get back to patient care and feel like I am making a difference again.

Thank you for this information. I am returning to the PICU (hopefully, interview Friday) after being a PCICU nurse for one year and then a 5 year hiatus to do utilization management with only a couple years of PRN med/surg and hospice nursing during that time. I feel like I am a new grad again. I have been cramming my brain full of all the things that I can remember were important in the PCICU. After reading this post I realize that there was a lot that I had forgotten. I am scared but hopeful that I will still make a great bedside nurse and be able to pick up on all the new skills and recall the old ones. Thanks again!

Just to follow up...how is your experience with Peds ICU going? I came from the PCICU and am now trying to return to the PICU. I have an interview Friday. I feel like a new nursing student again since I have been away from the bedside for about 4.5 years now. Please let me know how it's going and maybe you can enlighten me to any changes in practice while I was away :)

Thanks so much for your advise. I am excited to get back to patient care but, I do understand that the paperwork has gotten out of hand in all specialties. Errr... Thanks again and good luck with your new adventures!!

Yes, unfortunately, I make more working from home doing UM review than I did caring for critically ill pediatric patients at Vandy. Most of the nurses there stay for the experience and education benefits.

I am going back into the clinical setting as a Hospice nurse after being a UM review nurse for 3 years. I was a PCICU nurse for a year before that. I have definitely been in some stressful situations, but, I am still basically a new nurse and I am afraid that I will have forgotten how to be a clinical nurse. Any thoughts from experienced hospice nurses, on what I should do to brush up. I will likely be doing mostly admissions. Thanks in advance!

Definately time for a new line of work bellabellabijou...no one should be that miserable at work. And in the long run everyone suffers.

I am a utilization management nurse and I work from home and the pay is wonderful. I make more working from home with almost no liability then I did working as a bedside nurse in Cardiac Pediatric Critical Care. I do miss patient care though, so I am perusing a position with Hospice as an admissions nurse. I will work PRN for Hospice for now, but, at least I will be able to keep my clinical skills sharp good luck finding what you love!