Want to get into Pediatric Nursing

[pedsnurseismydream]

Hello, I'm a first year nursing student. For a long time I wanted to become a nurse-midwife. However, I'm thinking that my calling is to be a pediatric nurse. I love children and feel that I would fit better in this setting. I'm enrolled in an associates program for nursing. Will I be able to be a pediatric nurse with this degree? Can I go right from school into pediatric nursing? Detroit Children's Hospital is an hour away from me, which is where I want to work. Most of their job listings say "BSN preferred", so does this mean I won't be qualified enough to apply, or is there a chance they would be willing to hire a ASN? Please help! Thanks!

[ChristineN, BSN, RN]

Hi, Wow, you sound alot like me. When I started nursing school, I had my heart sent on being a nurse-midwife. However, as I made my way through nursing school, I discovered my love was working with children. I found a job as a new diploma (RN) grad working in a major metro Children's hospital. IMO even if they say BSN preferred, it never hurts to apply. It is, at least in my area, hard to get into peds, so I would apply early in your senior year (I applied in Jan to get hired for a job starting in Aug). Good luck!

[pedsnurseismydream]

Thank You! I'm glad there is a chance for me. I will keep your advice in mind and apply early. I came to the decision to be a pediatric nurse one night while watching TV. I have a three year old and a 14 month old. One night, around 10pm, I made myself a hot plate of food in which my mouth was watering for as I had not eaten dinner yet. Just as I was about to sit down and eat, my 14 month old daughter woke up. UHHHH! This always happens! A little annoyed I went into her room and started to rock her to sleep. She was squirming all over, not giving me much hope that this was going to be a quick snuggle then we're done sort of thing. I continued to think about my food getting cold and eventually decided that I would just take her into the living room and nurse her and eat at the same time. As I was trying to eat, I looked down and my daughter was wide awake, obviously, looking up at me. How could anyone sleep like this?? So I though "fine, I'll stop eating. You can sleep now." Just then a commercial for St. Jude's Children's Hospital came on to the television. Even though the volume was off, the images of the children made me realize how blessed I am that all my baby needs is to be rocked back to sleep. Then I started thinking about the nurses:saint: who work in that hospital and how special that job must be. I forgot about my food and let my daughter fall peacefully asleep in my arms, which is where she stayed for the next hour. I know all areas of nursing are special, but something about pediatiric nursing pulled at my heart strings. Since then, I've thought a lot about this specialty area of nursing and have become more and more confident that this is where I want to end up. Thanks for everything, everyone on this site is an inspiration for me to achieve my dream of pediatric nursing!:redbeathe