Why pediatrics?

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Hello,

I am currently debating whether to specialize in pediatrics or adult care. For those who chose pediatrics, what made you choose it? Is there anything you dislike about it?

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

I have worked both peds and adult critical care.

Peds is amazing because kids do NOT enjoy the 'sick role' the way some adults do. All they want to do is get better. Period.

Ever have to almost call the cops to get a post-op adult out of bed for the first time? NEVER happens in peds. Usually, you have to convince them to stay in the bed.

Do a great job with (some) adults and you're giving them another 2-3 weeks and/ or a trip to ECF to live out their days. Do a great job with kids and you're potentially giving them another 70-80 years.

The downside is the parents and the Disney movies on endless repeat.

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Specializes in NICU.
Do a great job with (some) adults and you're giving them another 2-3 weeks and/ or a trip to ECF to live out their days. Do a great job with kids and you're potentially giving them another 70-80 years.

Nothing is more rewarding than watching 650g 24 weeker on high frequency ventilator progress over the next 2-3 months transitioning to conventional ventilator, to Bubble CPAP, to Nasal cannula, to Room air and then home.

I would much rather clean up a 2 pound patient's butt, than clean up a 300 pound patient's butt. No one has ever developed back problems moving a 2 pound baby in bed.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.
Nothing is more rewarding than watching 650g 24 weeker on high frequency ventilator progress over the next 2-3 months transitioning to conventional ventilator, to Bubble CPAP, to Nasal cannula, to Room air and then home.

I would much rather clean up a 2 pound patient's butt, than clean up a 300 pound patient's butt. No one has ever developed back problems moving a 2 pound baby in bed.

... and unless the parents happen to be there, you don't have to be as careful with what you say in front of the patients.

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Specializes in ED, med-surg, peri op.
The downside is the parents and the Disney movies on endless repeat.

Im about to graduate with my bsn in a couple of weeks and I've been thinking about what area to go in. Still unsure about peds, but if Disney movies are the downside then I think I would love it.

Im the youngest out of 4 sisters and never got to watch Disney as a kid, guessing my parents were sick of them by then. So only recently I have started to watch all the classics and I love them. Wish I got to watch them as a kid!

peds might be for me after all.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
Im about to graduate with my bsn in a couple of weeks and I've been thinking about what area to go in. Still unsure about peds, but if Disney movies are the downside then I think I would love it.

Im the youngest out of 4 sisters and never got to watch Disney as a kid, guessing my parents were sick of them by then. So only recently I have started to watch all the classics and I love them. Wish I got to watch them as a kid!

peds might be for me after all.

I was (involuntarily) at Disneyworld for a conference and almost punched the chick singing Let It Go at me. #TrueStory

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1)Kids do not malinger.

2)They say the darnest things!

3) You get to see cute overload.

4) You get to see them grow up in front of your eyes (primary care peds)

You do make a difference in their lives because they are resilient and they want to do things to get better and their innocence is refreshing.

The downside is sometimes you can see children suffer and die (thats why I am not a peds oncology RN) or can see abused children (Peds ER)

or parents can be too much (eye roll) but you focus on caring for the child and you get through.

When I was in BSN school, I did not think I could be a peds RN but after getting my first RN job in peds, I realized that they bring the kid in me out

and also bring the best of me. I found my niche here.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

1) Kids hate being sick.

2) They never give up (sometimes good, sometimes bad haha)

3) I love family-centered care and sometimes healing the whole family, not just the child.

4) I love the raw emotion that I get from them. Most of the time they don't hide their feelings or thoughts, it's just out there for the world to deal with. Much better than dealing with adults.

5) I just love it. I never thought I'd go into pediatrics because I was the youngest child and never really interacted with children. I thought I'd break them haha. But when I got my pediatric job I truly found my passion and place.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Ever have to almost call the cops to get a post-op adult out of bed for the first time? NEVER happens in peds. Usually, you have to convince them to stay in the bed.

I agree with you that this ALMOST never happens. Very rarely I have encountered a whiny teenager who doesn't want to get out of bed. When I worked inpatient, I had a teenager who was s/p Chiari malformation decompression who tried to refuse to get out of bed and asked for a bedpan. I dragged her butt to the bathroom.

Yesterday I went in to a 7 year old's room to begin teaching his mother how to administer his IV antibiotics at home. The mother didn't speak English so the kid was making conversation with me while I was waiting for the interpreter. When I told him I was going to show his Mom how to do it with my pretend equipment, he exclaimed "you have toys?" then when I showed him my demo elastomeric pump, asked "can I squeeze that ball?" He was hilarious! His roommate was too. A consult service was in there when I was with my patient and they asked him what grade he was in. He happily answered "3rd grade, my principal is Mrs. Campbell" and then shared many many more details about school.

In 10 years, all of my nursing jobs have been in pediatrics. I never want to be an adult nurse. My Young Adult CF patients are as close as I care to get to adults.

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Specializes in peds.

Kids are more fun. Families can be a trip though. One of my previous preceptors said for her it was deciding between big poops vs little poop.

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I have only been a peds nurse for a couple of months (Home Health), but I echo the sentiments above. I didn't think I'd like it as much as I do. The patients do bring out the kid in me, even with the non-verbal medically fragile kids I'm likely to act silly to get them to smile. Families have been mostly ok so far. But I've only worked with a handful of families. I'm planning on staying in peds for sure.

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Specializes in LTC.

I can relate to kids more, and they don't care about my social awkwardness like adults would.

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