Top tips for first peds clinical as a student

guiltysins · Feb 26, 2010

A lot of people in my school actually disliked peds for the fact that they had to see sick children. LOL foaming at the mouth, that's how it usually is. People are itching to get in but once they have been doing it for a few weeks their excitement begins to fade.

LoveThisNurse · Feb 27, 2010

Hi, I have my first peds clinical tomorrow, and am wondering what are the most important areas to focus on in your opinion. Obviously, ABCs, but also, how to not freak out the kids, what mistakes can be easily avoided, what are key points I should be looking for? My peds semester has thus far been a zero in the physical assessment area, and I don't have the kids vitals down cold as I do for adults.
I have a toddler, and babysat my whole life, but for some reason am NOT looking forward to taking care of kids this semester. Actually cried about it. I am not a crier. Haven't shared this with any of my fellow students, as most are foaming at the mouth over peds. Maybe now that I have a child of my own, seeing children who arent' well is going to be tough to handle. Any ideas on how to make it through the semester without crying in a closet somewhere?

I've realized that kids are going to freak out anyways! Kids just don't like being in the hospital being poked at. There are a few in the bunch that take hospitalization very well even if it is there first time which has surprised me on many occasions. Use the parents as much as you can. If you have a medication to give like Tylenol po, than have mom or dad give them the medication in front of you. SOMETIMES the kids take medication better from mom or dad. And then there's sometimes you have to hold a 7 yr down just to put in an IV. Kids are very smart so don't be afraid to tell kids start up about what you're going to do. I've had many times moms/dads say, "Oh, don't move or else the needle in your arm is going to poke you." Oh course i'm talking about IVs and no it's not a needle! I've taken out IVs on kids and let them touch the catheter to show them it's not a needle... it just gets them a little bit more comfortable about what we are doing to help them get better.

As far as vitals, I still have to look at my little cheat sheet on my badge to make sure I've got my ranges correct. What I do is take there respirations first. Nothing worst then trying to listen and take respirations on a crying baby. So in the morning if there sleeping, do a general assessment... meaning look at there appearance (they're work of breathing, their positioning, etc) Then visually take there respirations. Then take there BP, HR, T etc. If the child is on a continuous pulse ox, it makes it a lot easier to get accurate VS. Then do a full head to toe. When I was in school it was so hard for me to do my assessments! My babies would be crying and I didn't realize that there's a method to it which I've since developed to get good baseline vitals.

Don't be afraid to get in there! BELIEVE me, I was scared of peds too. But now, I love it :redbeathe. I'm still learning. In school, I didn't like peds TOO much but I knew it was what I wanted to do. Your experience has so much to do with the patients you take care of but most importantly the nurses you work with. I've had instructors just ruin for me the areas I thought I'd be great in. And it's a misconception that people who have kids have it easier in peds.. NO! Those with children at home can be just as nervous taking care of someone else's child.

Anyways.. getting too long, I hope you have a great experience and take this qtr to really open yourself up to the experiences that are coming your way. Have fun :yeah: