Thank you Peds Nurses

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I just want to say thank you to all the Peds nurses. My 5 week old son was just admitted to our local pediatric hospital & I have to say it was a stressful time for my husband & I.

It started Tuesday night. I first took my son's temperature axillary & his temperature was 99F, he was spitting up everything he was drinking & not creating many wet diapers. Eventually he started having diarrhea as well.

After getting blood, stool, nasal swab & CSF samples they decided to admit him due to his age. I have to say that was the scariest moment of my life. I never went through that with my first child so going through this with my second was so terrifying. I'm glad my husband was able to leave work to come be with me. I kept it together for my son but on the inside I was breaking down. Especially with how many times they had to poke him to get an IV.

So far all the tests have come back negative & he is keeping his feedings down, urinating & no more diarrhea.

So long story short I just want to say thank you for everything you guys do. I don't know how you do it. I wanted to run screaming & crying out of here a countless number of times. Thank you thank you thank you.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

You're welcome for the support and the calming influence we peds nurses try to provide our parents. We know it's a terrifying time for moms and dads - even those with health care backgrounds, perhaps even MORE terrifying for you because you KNOW what can go wrong.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend, someone I had met when our 3 year olds were both receiving chemotherapy. At the time we were both just young moms with sick boys, but eventually we each became nurses. She was 2 years ahead of me and was in the middle of her peds rotation at school while i had not yet started. She was brutally honest when talking about how she could never be a peds nurse when describing her experience with the family of a child with appendicitis. To quote her, "His mother was a blubbering mess, carrying on hysterically and in my mind I was screaming at her - it's just an appy, for heaven's sake. It could be so much worse. It could be cancer." I saw her point, but I also saw things from her patient's mom's side. For people with no prior experience, it's the worst thing that has ever happened in their lives, even if it might seem relatively trivial to a health care professional. To downplay their fears is to add insult to injury. I can clearly remember the day my second child was admitted for dehydration when she was 4 months old. She had been vomiting, had diarrhea and a temp, not keeping anything down - I can relate! When the doctor told me she was going to admit her I burst into tears, only to hear the doctor ask me in a rather impatient tone why I was crying. That experience has stayed with me for ooh, about 36 years! My friend went on to work with the elderly and I am a peds nurse; we're both where we belong.

I'm hoping your little man is now recovering and that you're feeling a lot stronger. You're a good mom.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

You're welcome for the support and the calming influence we peds nurses try to provide our parents. We know it's a terrifying time for moms and dads - even those with health care backgrounds, perhaps even MORE terrifying for you because you KNOW what can go wrong.

I remember a conversation I had with a friend, someone I had met when our 3 year olds were both receiving chemotherapy. At the time we were both just young moms with sick boys, but eventually we each became nurses. She was 2 years ahead of me and was in the middle of her peds rotation at school while i had not yet started. She was brutally honest when talking about how she could never be a peds nurse when describing her experience with the family of a child with appendicitis. To quote her, "His mother was a blubbering mess, carrying on hysterically and in my mind I was screaming at her - it's just an appy, for heaven's sake. It could be so much worse. It could be cancer." I saw her point, but I also saw things from her patient's mom's side. For people with no prior experience, it's the worst thing that has ever happened in their lives, even if it might seem relatively trivial to a health care professional. To downplay their fears is to add insult to injury. I can clearly remember the day my second child was admitted for dehydration when she was 4 months old. She had been vomiting, had diarrhea and a temp, not keeping anything down - I can relate! When the doctor told me she was going to admit her I burst into tears, only to hear the doctor ask me in a rather impatient tone why I was crying. That experience has stayed with me for ooh, about 36 years! My friend went on to work with the elderly and I am a peds nurse; we're both where we belong.

I'm hoping your little man is now recovering and that you're feeling a lot stronger. You're a good mom.

I'm sorry your children had to go through chemo & you had to go through all of what comes with it.

Yes, we were discharged today. We are all glad to be home. My older son is happy we are home, he really missed us (my husband & I). I'm glad it was nothing serious but it was still scary since my first child was never admitted to the hospital. He had surgery (tubes put in his ears) but in was just day surgery. I hope nothing else happens (to either son)!

Thank you & so are you!

[NurseLife88, ADN, RN]

I recently became a peds nurse myself and am so grateful for all the other nurses I work with. Each day i see how they take such great care of their patients and the moms, dads, and families behind them. Peds is a specialty just like any other in that it takes a special person to do each kind of specialty in the nursing field. That's one thing that makes nursing so great! Im glad your fellow nurses took such good care of your lil guy!

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

I recently became a peds nurse myself and am so grateful for all the other nurses I work with. Each day i see how they take such great care of their patients and the moms, dads, and families behind them. Peds is a specialty just like any other in that it takes a special person to do each kind of specialty in the nursing field. That's one thing that makes nursing so great! Im glad your fellow nurses took such good care of your lil guy!

Thank you for taking such great care of the little ones (& not so little ones). It takes a big heart.

[RNNPICU, BSN, RN]

So glad to hear that your little one is better. I work in all ICUS (PICU, NICU, Peds CICU, and Peds acute care) for all of the families that I see, it is always scary for our families. I have worked with families that are health care and although they have all said they understand the medical speak, they always want to be recognized as a family, parent.etc.

It must have been so scary to see tour child that sick. Glad to know that your child is better. Give your son an extra hug and kiss. Kids are priceless.

[OrganizedChaos, LVN]

So glad to hear that your little one is better. I work in all ICUS (PICU, NICU, Peds CICU, and Peds acute care) for all of the families that I see, it is always scary for our families. I have worked with families that are health care and although they have all said they understand the medical speak, they always want to be recognized as a family, parent.etc.

It must have been so scary to see tour child that sick. Glad to know that your child is better. Give your son an extra hug and kiss. Kids are priceless.

Thank you. I could probably work with Peds but not acute care. I did PDN but obviously they were well enough to be at home so I would rather be looked at as just a parent.

It was so scary for me. I could handle my husband going to the hospital but my infant? I wanted to lose it. I have definitely been giving him extra hugs & kisses, my older son as well.