Question for Peds RNs

[loriann, BSN, RN]

Hi Everyone:

I'm currently doing my pediatric rotation for my BSN and I never thought I would like it this much. I always saw myself working with adults, I guess because I have a background as a hospital social worker and I always worked with adults then. Now that I'm in Peds, I enjoy my rotation so much that I can't wait for the next day to start (I never felt like that in adult med/surg). I really like working with children and I find that my social work background really helps with all the family dynamics.

My question is, as a new graduate, should I do a year in adult med/surg like everyone always seems to suggest, or should I go straight into pediatrics? Do you recommend pediatric med/surg before ICU or ER experience?

Thanks for any help :)

Lori

[llg, PhD, RN]

Adult med/surg nursing is NOT the basis for everything else ... and it is not at all necessary to get adult experience before beginning your pediatric career. The only people who insist that it is are adult med/surg nurses looking to recruit you for their specialty. (OK, maybe that last sentence is a bit of an exaggeration, but it is pretty close to the truth.)

Adult med/surg is its own specialty. While you would learn some valuable things there, you can learn everything you need to know about peds nursing while you are working peds. You don't have to work with adults first. All the major children's hospitals hire new grads -- and they wouldn't do that if it were not possible to orient those folks to become skilled peds nurses.

Good luck,

llg

[SarasotaRN2b]

I totally agree with llg. Also if you wish to go further with PICU, working in a general peds med/surg would be a good step. Regarding ER, I'm not sure. If you are going to look exclusively for a Peds ER than probably, but if not, adult med/surg is better.

Glad that you like your peds rotation. I'll have mine in August and I'm looking forward to it immensely.

[jsixxerrn]

I like you fell in love with pediatrics during my nsg school rotation. after graduation I went straight to work on a pediatric med surg unit for 1 yr. after 1 yr in med surg i went to picu. I worked their for 6 months then started traveling. I wish I would have stayed in picu for 6 more months b/c you can't get a PICU contract with 6 months exp in PICU and that is where i love to be. I would say you do not have to have adult med surg exp first b/c most adult urses do not do peds and most peds nurses do not adults. I now travel as peds med surg hoping to get a break back into the picu. i wish u luck on your carreer as a peds nurse.

[jillyk*rn]

:rotfl: Hi,

When I started nursing (15 years ago:rotfl: ) you had to do med-surg first. I did that for about 3 years and then went to peds. While I did get a wealth of info from working med-surg, it is not the end all be all. If you are condsidering a large peds unit at a big hospital (that way you can get just as much experience) start in peds. If the peds unit is very small at a small hospital (which is the first peds unit I worked at), your experience won't be as vast. At the small hospital I worked at, it was gastro and asthma. I work at a larger peds facility now, and we have everything, including a renowned oncology program.

My 2cents worth - but I am glad that you are enjoying Peds!!:) :) :)

[loriann, BSN, RN]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I thought about it a lot and at my age, I don't see why I couldn't start in peds med/surg and then consider and PICU or some other peds area, maybe burn unit or something. I live in NYC, so there are some great large hospitals for me to consider.

Thanks again!!