Quitting my 1st RN job

Nurses General Nursing

Published

I current work in the TICU. I really want to work in the PICU; however, they didn't haven't any openings when I was applying. I've always wanted to work Peds!! I don't hate my job. Its ok. The teamwork is great and my coworkers are always there if I have questions. I want some advice on how long I should stay where I'm at before I apply. I will say while I'm here I will learn everything I can (crrt, ecmo, recovering liver, lungs, kidney and pancreas transplants) so that when I do apply I'll at least be marketable! P.S. I might possibly stay PRN whenever I do decide to leave. How long should I wait? TIA for the advice!

Specializes in Med/Surg, LTACH, LTC, Home Health.

Yeah, I thought Trauma ICU as well.

Specializes in TICU.
Disclaimer: I'm speaking as a nurse who started in an adult CVICU, and that's still where I am. Obviously our hospitals' orientation programs and environments differ, as we don't even do transplants at my hospital and I'm guessing y'all don't do open heart surgeries in the transplant ICU :shy: But, I know that even though I didn't die of anxiety going to work after being there for a year, I know SO much more now just 6 months later than I did then. And I am sure in June, when I will have been there for 2 years, I'll look back and realize I've learned even more since then.

However, if you are currently working with adults, but you want to do peds, it's gonna be a big transition regardless if you have 1 year or 2 years of experience, given that the pathophysiologies you'll be dealing with differ so much between the two population types. If PICU is your ultimate goal, and you are not bound by a contract, I don't think you will be doing yourself a big disservice by transferring after a year. If you were wanting to switch from one adult ICU to another, I would definitely recommend staying the 2 years as the skillset you acquire will more than likely transfer without issue. I can't say the same for going from an adult ICU to a pediatric ICU, regardless of the type.

Perhaps someone who has worked both can chime in on the benefits of 1 year vs 2 years.

We have a Cardiothoracic ICU and they take all the heart transplants and LVADs. Thanks. I think everyone is misunderstanding my question which is how long should I stay at my current job before I go to the PICU?

Specializes in TICU.
#1 rule I learned since I got my first job at 19. NEVER, EVER LEAVE A JOB BEFORE GETTING ANOTHER ONE. Trust me on this, because you will be out a job for a while until you find one and that can be MONTHS. Leave a 2 week notice after you find one, then once you start, you will still get paid and not worry about bills.

Thanks; however, I never said I was quilting without securing another job.

You received several answers on time. An internal transfer usually takes six months in a position. If you are changing hospitals a year or you will look like a job hopper. Two years if you want to be considered competent at your current job. (It really doesn't matter if you feel competent before then, perception is everything)

Specializes in TICU.
Apply where? An internal transfer usually requires 6 months in your current position.

To apply to outside facilities , you would need at least one year of experience at your current position. Otherwise, the new facility would view you as a job hopper.

Apply to another hospital. I could talk to the manager at my current hospital but they don't get really sick kids and I want to work in a higher acuity PICU. I've been at my current place more than 6 months.

Also the PICU (whole children's hospital.. I'm not worried that they need nurses. I know Peds is not for everyone but I've done clinicals at this place and have friends and a sibling that works there and I'm sure this is where I want to be)

Since they are down on nurses I figured it may be easier to be hired now vs waiting. That's why I'm thinking hard about applying. I'm already scheduled to talk to a recruiter.

Specializes in TICU.
Disclaimer: I'm speaking as a nurse who started in an adult CVICU, and that's still where I am. Obviously our hospitals' orientation programs and environments differ, as we don't even do transplants at my hospital and I'm guessing y'all don't do open heart surgeries in the transplant ICU :shy: But, I know that even though I didn't die of anxiety going to work after being there for a year, I know SO much more now just 6 months later than I did then. And I am sure in June, when I will have been there for 2 years, I'll look back and realize I've learned even more since then.

However, if you are currently working with adults, but you want to do peds, it's gonna be a big transition regardless if you have 1 year or 2 years of experience, given that the pathophysiologies you'll be dealing with differ so much between the two population types. If PICU is your ultimate goal, and you are not bound by a contract, I don't think you will be doing yourself a big disservice by transferring after a year. If you were wanting to switch from one adult ICU to another, I would definitely recommend staying the 2 years as the skillset you acquire will more than likely transfer without issue. I can't say the same for going from an adult ICU to a pediatric ICU, regardless of the type.

Perhaps someone who has worked both can chime in on the benefits of 1 year vs 2 years.

Thanks! That really what I'm trying to figure out. Is one year enough experience before applying to PICU?

Specializes in TICU.
You received several answers on time. An internal transfer usually takes six months in a position. If you are changing hospitals a year or you will look like a job hopper. Two years if you want to be considered competent at your current job. (It really doesn't matter if you feel competent before then, perception is everything)

Thanks for your reply. Peds is vastly different from Adults and I don't want to spend too much time training my mind to care of adults just to go back and change my thought process for Peds. Also the children's hospital really needs nurses so I'm wondering if I should just go PRN at my current job and work there FT.

PS. I've been at my current job for more than 6 months.

Specializes in Cardiology, School Nursing, General.

That's good to hear. Just making sure you didn't do the same mistakes I did.

Specializes in ER.

It sounds to me that you've already made up your mind. My advice is to do what you want to do, since you seem to have decided already.

Specializes in Geriatrics, Dialysis.

It sounds like you have already decided to try for a position at the Children's Hospital and I can't say that I disagree. If you know that they are hiring now, why wait for another 6 months or a year to apply when you have no idea if a position will even be available then? But don't even consider quitting your current position or going PRN until you have that new job. If you get that new job, make sure to give your current employer at least 2 weeks notice before leaving.

Specializes in CVICU.
Thanks! That really what I'm trying to figure out. Is one year enough experience before applying to PICU?

I'm not sure if you are asking me or if you were just clarifying that that was the question you were trying to figure out, but in case it's the former, I'm not too sure. On one hand, you have ICU experience, but it's not pediatric ICU experience. They may want you to have pediatric med/surg experience just like a lot of adult ICU's require applicants to have adult med/surg or stepdown experience. Just apply and you'll get your answer.

Specializes in Mental Health, Gerontology, Palliative.

Why ask for advice if you have already made up your mind?

The fact that you seem to think you know it all after a year truly concerns me. A safe competent nurse will never stop running out of things to know whether they are one year or twenty years out of nursing.

Also, it concerns me of how well you mind is on your current job when it appears you already have one foot out the door and are concentrating on the next one.

You also need to think about how it looks on your CV. If I had a nurse that had done 2-3 years in one place, as opposed to another nurse who had 10months-1 year in three or four places, with exact same knowledge, I'd hire the first nurse. I would not be prepared to invest time and resources into a nurse who will likely leave within a year

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