BatsonPICURN

Ahhh, forgot to add that important bit of info. yes i did and everyone that took it with me that was from my class did as well on the first try!!!

Personally, i took the Hurst review. It was a wonderful course. It has tons of information but it's not in typical lecture form as some of the others are and you are most certainly not bored out of your mind as i was with another one that our SON paid for. You as the student are a very important part of how the lecture goes and it was fun and Marlene is hilarious. It is well worth the price. You will learn alot and she gives you materal to take home and review. I reviewed her material like crazy, took 75 questions in 45 minutes and went home and waited anxiously by the mailbox for 2 days.

I'm a new grad (May 05) and work in the only PICU and Children's Hospital in the state. I love my job. We have just completed an extensive preceptorship and training. Tons of modules on diseases processes, cont cardiac meds, Vent management, HFOV, CVVH, post op hearts, ECMO etc etc. and 4 test even. I thought tests were done when i got out of nursing school. HA!....but the environment for which you work plays a huge role in your overall job satisfaction. I was a student on the unit for 1.5 years while in school before becoming staff. So i had the advantage of knowing the other staff, docs, and esp. how things are done. I would suggest if you know your interests see if you can get a student nursing position if available. Not only will you gain tons of experience from just being on the unit but it will help your decision making in finding what job is right for you. BONUS i thought it helped tremendiously in nursing school just having some of that knowledge in class and seeing in practice made it much easier to retain.

I m a recent grad and i have been in the PICU as an RN for now 4 months or so. I have a thought to your NICU vs PICU question you posed in your last response. I only respond because in our orientation class we have an experienced (8 years) NICU nurse. I work at a teaching hospital and from what i have been told through my time here. (nursing school and working as a student) it's one of the biggest in the nation. She comes to the PICU for the transition you spoke about. But she was overwhelmed with the difference in the patients and esp. in the medication adminsitration. In our nicu the pharmancy gives all the meds, so medication calcs and administration was a very real problem. I know there is (well at our hosp anyways) some nicu nurses that would defend and say they take more pt (sometimes 8) and can take care of them when the picu nurse (at our hosp) only has two max. But coming from the former NICU nurse of 8 years it is nothing like the nicu and she feels very overwhelmed even more than us who are just starting. I worked in the picu as a student 1.5 years before graduation so i knew how things worked, the staff, and what to expect. But even for my classmates that had never been in the picu except as a student were better suited maybe because they didn't know what to expect and for the experienced nurse she knew what to expect from her NICU time but found it to be much more time consuming than having even 8 NICU pt.'s Time management is a huge issue in the picu. You have two very sick children, where just like the others have said "they can crap out on you in a sec". So i understand your reasoning and would have almost agreed before my orientation experience. But i'm sure that any picu would have an extensive orientation process for a new grad. We have had 4 months of precepted training. Modules on every disease process imaginable, caridac classes, invasive lines, cont cariac infusions, etc etc etc. and yes even test i thought i was done with tests when i was done with nursing school but o was i wrong. so your skills will be excellent by the time you take your first pt on your own. My first pt out of orientation was Saturday night. 6 yo ped vs car...i came into a disaster. Two traumas 30 min apart both TBI's the attending is at my BS trying for a line and neurosurg at the other kids putting in a EVD. if it were not for 4 mo of on the job experience and excellent training for situations just like this provided by the education staff it would have be crazy even for an experienced nurse but as said earlier you will never be alone. as others have stated it is a team environment like i have never seen and are privledged and excited to now be apart of it. the picu is a wonderful place because kids are miracles and they will amaze you when you least expect it. Sure it is sad somedays and sometimes you win and sometimes you lose but the kids and families make each day very special. SO i would say pick PICU but of course i m biased. SO i wish you the best of luck in you decision and upcoming future.