Should I take PALS even though I don't want/plan on working in pediatrics?

caliotter3 · Jan 15, 2015

I would wait to apply for jobs until I passed NCLEX, too many stories about people with job offers who fail NCLEX and then have problems. As far as ACLS and PALS, I took both to bolster my resume, but really, not much advantage. Only one employer ever made mention at all.

zzbxdo · Jan 16, 2015

I applied to jobs and coordinated start dates with nclex exam dates in consideration. I got calls back before graduating. I interviewed and secured a position in writing the week before my planned test date. Of course if your test date is after or during a job start day that's futile. I made spread sheets of what I was able to apply for the semester before graduation.

I didn't have pals or ACLS. Was too stingy and if an employer wants, employer is gonna have to pay me to get them. I just did free CEUs and certificates pertinent to what I was interested in and to help me prepare for interviews in specialty units. For example, I interviewed in a burn ICU. Found certifications and courses in wound and burn staging, skin assessments and whatever. Did they ask anything of it? Don't think so but I made sure they were aware I had it through my cv portfolio etc

Let's just say you fail your nclex.. For starters don't fail, don't even consider it. But if you do, your second round of applications (post nclex) will look more polished. But you won't know til you do it. I always made it a daily goal to revisit and polish my resume.. And everyday I found something to fix or clean up.

_firefly, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 16, 2015

Just get certs related to what you want to do. I picked up certs in every area and nobody cared. I'm a new grad starting med-surge tele (adults), but I have certs in palliative care, trauma, pals, assaultive behavior, etc. Stick with acls, cpr, ekg, and stroke certs. Those are the only ones I was asked about in all my applying and interviewing.

RunnerRN2015, ASN, RN · Jan 17, 2015

I am graduating this May (2015) and will hopefully be taking my NCLEX sometime in June.
Also: Should I apply to jobs BEFORE or AFTER I take/pass the NCLEX?
Thanks!

The new grad RN positions around here close their application acceptance around Oct 1 for December grads so we submitted applications 2.5 months before graduation. I was hired in November pending graduation and NCLEX. I graduated in December and passed NCLEX last week. I start my RN job next month.

SierraBravo · Jan 18, 2015

Do not waste your money on PALS, particularly if you don't want to work in peds. It is not going to give you any kind of measurable edge when looking for jobs (unless of course, you want to work in peds). If you do end up wanting to work in peds, the hospital will likely pay (at least partially) for the class.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2015

1) Newsflash: You don't take ACLS "to put on your resume." You take it to prepare yourself to be a functional member of a rapid-response/code team.

I weary of students thinking that anyone will mistake their ACLS class resume line item for actual competence, or even evidence of interest. No one will, and I hope you don't, either. Yes, I actually do completely know what you meant. Same answer.

You would have been better advised to wait until you had some clinical experience to have something to relate ACLS principles to. And besides, then you could have gotten your employer to pay for it. Now they won't, and you've pretty much wasted your money, though you might be able to talk them into the recerts.

2) In the same vein, so why would you take PALS? In answer to the question posed at the top of the page: No. For the same reason that you're not going to take a SANE course if you're not going to be in forensics, an oncology certification review course if you're not working in oncology, or any of a bazillion other courses that will have no relationship to your practice.

Nienna Celebrindal · Jan 20, 2015

I would. A) Who knows if you will actually work in Tele, what if some other good opportunity shows up? B) Getting a job as a new grad is rough! C) I know our new grad program wanted it because you cycle through ER, if you don't have it you aren't in the program. D) I didn't really want to take PALS, but I actually learned a lot and it turned out to be a big factor in getting me into a new grad program.

MidLifeRN2012 · Jan 20, 2015

I wanted to work med/surg, ED, or ICU as a new grad, but I ended up in psych after 2 years of looking.

You don't know what your first nursing job will be. It could be PEDS if you finally get desperate enough to apply anywhere and everywhere to get in the door of nursing.

Nursing2102 · Jan 20, 2015

GrnTea: I wouldn't say I've wasted money on ACLS, because in fact a few hospitals in my area offer medsurge positions to new grads while requiring both BLS and ACLS in order to apply.

Nursing2102 · Jan 20, 2015

I forgot to mention I have been working in a hospital on a telemetry/medsurge floor for the past 2 years as an aide and I have spoken to the nurse recruiter about applying when I graduate and she said ACLS was not required but I thought it would be helpful anyway and might make me stand out from other applicants: whether this is true/they actually look at it or not I do not know which is why I am asking on here.

OneDuckyRN · Jan 20, 2015

If an employer is going to require that you have ACLS (or PALS, or NRP, etc), they will generally require that you get it within a certain time frame of being hired, AND they will not only pay for the course, but for the time you spend in the course.

It won't hurt you to have already taken ACLS prior to being hired, but honestly, as GrnTea pointed out, without having some clinical experience to apply ACLS to, it isn't going to make a whole lot of sense. Heck, I'm taking my first ACLS course after having finally been placed on a step-down unit, and with almost 1.5 years of experience, some of the textbook learning doesn't make much sense yet. I actually take the course in a little over a week, so I think by the time I get done with it, I will understand much more than I do now.

As for PALS, if you don't have any plans to work in peds/PICU, it probably isn't worth it, especially if you will be paying for it yourself.