Which is better to be hired in peds?

[FLNurse2015]

I am a brand new ADN RN wanting to specialize in pediatrics, however the hospitals here are magnet and will only hire BSN nurses. I am starting my BSN classes end of this month, but have to work elsewhere meanwhile. My question is, which would look more appealing when I apply once I have my BSN.. acute adult experience in the hospital, or a pediatric psychiatric position I could obtain now? My mom, who has been an ED RN for 20 years is insisting if I do pediatric pysch, the hospitals will not look at that as real experience. I wanted to get your opinions though as I would much rather stay in pediatrics if possible without hindering my future chances.

Thank you!

[llg, PhD, RN]

I sort-a agree with your mother -- though I would suggest that you try to find some way to work with children in some capacity -- as a volunteer at a church, camp, school, scouts, etc. or some part-time job involving children to get some experience with kids and demonstrate a long-term interest in them.

Acute care hospitals do respect psych nurses -- but they respect them as psych nurses. The experience you get as a psych nurse may not be the type you need to develop the acute med/surg skills you will need to make the transition when the time comes. You won't be eligible for new grad programs and your transition from psych to med/surg (or ICU or ED or whatever) may be exceptionally difficult if you don't solidify them in the first year after graduation.

From a children's hospital perspective, the adult acute care + some additional experience with kids would be the preferred background.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Your mother is correct. The acute care experience will be more valuable.

[PulmNP25, BSN, RN]

If you're in central Florida Orlando Health and Florida Hospital do hire ASN nurses. Especially if you're already set to start a Rn-Bsn program that is a big advantage. Just apply to Florida Hospitals graduate nurse program I believe it starts in October.

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Brittnee, I wrote to you on another thread but maybe you haven't been back there. I had said that you really do need to change your UserID, as you are a pre-nursing student....not an RN. You are not permitted per the terms of service of this site (as well as most States in the US) to use RN, LPN, or "nurse" as an identifier unless you hold one of those licenses.

I also noticed you listed "8 years of Nursing Experience" on your bio....but you are a pre-nursing student. You might mean as a tech....but that is not nursing experience and would be misleading to someone who sees "BrittneeRN" and "8 years experience" together....know what I mean?

[PulmNP25, BSN, RN]

It's been hard to maneuver the website and only found out yesterday how to change my name. Still trying to figure out how to edit my profile 😕

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Hey, no problem. There's only about a hundred links taking you in a hundred directions at any one time

Somewhere there is a tab to a link explaining various site functions. Maybe at the bottom of the page?? No worries, you'll find your way :)

[PulmNP25, BSN, RN]

Hey, no problem. There's only about a hundred links taking you in a hundred directions at any one time

Somewhere there is a tab to a link explaining various site functions. Maybe at the bottom of the page?? No worries, you'll find your way :)

I found it thank you!

[LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN]

Depends on where you want to go in Peds.

In patient med/surg Peds then the adult acute care would work

But children's ED or a unit that has Peds psych overflow then the Peds psych unit would be better

Honestly anything with Peds would be better because you will learn how to deal with their families and working Peds psych you will get exposed to all the dark and terrible side of pediatrics.

Usually children with psych issues are not born with them. Their issues are created through horrible home lives and a failing DHS system, where kids suffer abuse and fall through the cracks and end up with very real psych issues.

So working in Peds psych would defiantly prepare you for the darker side of what is generally considered a happy smiley rainbows and butterflies specialty

[ShantheRN, BSN, RN]

Psych nursing is vastly different from the hospital setting, regardless of the patient population. Peds psych is a foreign world that has nothing to do with my acute care peds experience. Listen to your mother - there are just as many nutty family situations in the adult world as there are in peds. At least in peds kids can be forcibly removed from a bad situation.