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what are you typical days at work?
I want to be a pediatric nurse. My goal is to be done with school by 35 and be on the road to advancement opportunities, making more than $75k a year.Change
#nursing, #money, #txst #medicine
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Suzanne’s Answer
Hello Jenn,
Although I was not a pediatric nurse, I was a clinical nurse for 35 years. I took care of adult cancer patients my entire career. I was highly specialized as a certified oncology nurse, a breast cancer specialist and clinical trials specialist holding national certifications in all three areas. I worked both inpatient and outpatient clinical areas.
My days were wildly varied, interesting and challenging. If it was a "boring" day, it was rare. I examined patients, worked with the physicians in managing their care, kept track of data, worked with major pharmaceuticals in new drug development, gave chemotherapy, managed the side effects of chemotherapy. I managed critical reactions to new medications. I studied new sciences such as personalized medicine and helped my patients to understand their treatments. It was fast paced, exciting, frustrating, and sometimes very scary.
My nursing career was always highly rewarding. I was a salaried professional, so I didn't clock in and out of a hospital ward. I clocked in once when I arrived and left the clinic when the job was done, even if that was 15 hours later the same day.
This list goes on and on.
At the end of the day, I worked will sometimes very well people and sometimes very ill people. We worked together to make their lives liveable and hopeful. Nursing, after all, treats the whole person. Doctors diagnose and treat disease. Nurses diagnose and treat the human response to disease.
There were no "typical" days. But every day was spent in caring. Every day was spent in making sure each patient was safe.
I know my job perhaps was not typical, so I hope you hear from other nurses and they share their clinical experiences!
In order to achieve your goals I suggest: select a bachelor's of nursing program and work on achieving a good GPA. Take your state board and make sure to take a state board prep class. Apply to an academic teaching hospital and work with the nurse recruiter to get started in pediatrics. Once you working, you can then determine how to advance professionally. If you are really motivated now you can work towards earning your nurse practitioner license, but I do recommend doing some clinical work first.
Best,
Sue
Although I was not a pediatric nurse, I was a clinical nurse for 35 years. I took care of adult cancer patients my entire career. I was highly specialized as a certified oncology nurse, a breast cancer specialist and clinical trials specialist holding national certifications in all three areas. I worked both inpatient and outpatient clinical areas.
My days were wildly varied, interesting and challenging. If it was a "boring" day, it was rare. I examined patients, worked with the physicians in managing their care, kept track of data, worked with major pharmaceuticals in new drug development, gave chemotherapy, managed the side effects of chemotherapy. I managed critical reactions to new medications. I studied new sciences such as personalized medicine and helped my patients to understand their treatments. It was fast paced, exciting, frustrating, and sometimes very scary.
My nursing career was always highly rewarding. I was a salaried professional, so I didn't clock in and out of a hospital ward. I clocked in once when I arrived and left the clinic when the job was done, even if that was 15 hours later the same day.
This list goes on and on.
At the end of the day, I worked will sometimes very well people and sometimes very ill people. We worked together to make their lives liveable and hopeful. Nursing, after all, treats the whole person. Doctors diagnose and treat disease. Nurses diagnose and treat the human response to disease.
There were no "typical" days. But every day was spent in caring. Every day was spent in making sure each patient was safe.
I know my job perhaps was not typical, so I hope you hear from other nurses and they share their clinical experiences!
In order to achieve your goals I suggest: select a bachelor's of nursing program and work on achieving a good GPA. Take your state board and make sure to take a state board prep class. Apply to an academic teaching hospital and work with the nurse recruiter to get started in pediatrics. Once you working, you can then determine how to advance professionally. If you are really motivated now you can work towards earning your nurse practitioner license, but I do recommend doing some clinical work first.
Best,
Sue
Updated
Cheryl’s Answer
So I am not currently a pediatric nurse, but I am a medical floor nurse in a hospital and I have been floated to our pediatric and surgical unit many times. I currently work on the medical floor in a rural hospital and we take care of patients in the 70 mile radius. We work twelve hour shifts and as a hospital nurse I start my day with hand off report from the off-coming shift. From this I then move on to assessments of my patients by priority. First starting with my sickest patient those that have symptoms or concerns of getting worse, or lab values moving in the wrong direction. Onto my close to discharge patients. After this is happening you will then go with your medication pass for the morning. Once medication pass is finished a typical day on our unit looks as scheduled:
0715- End of report, start patient assessments .
0815- End of assessments, begin medication pass, breakfast arrives for the patients.
0915- End of medication pass, pick up breakfast trays.
0915-1130- help with toileting patients, bed baths, showers, linen change, call doctors for patient concerns.
1130-1245- lunch trays arrive, and pass trays. confront patient concerns and visitors (when visitors are allowed)
1245-1445- expect doctor rounding and follow in each room with doctors to listen for new orders and address patient concerns.
1445-1645- help with toileting, get new test results, help with blood draws, get patients ready for dinner time.
1730- dinner trays arrive, pass dinner trays, assist with feedings if needed.
1730-1845- finish up charting, follow up with all patients. address concerns prior to end of shift .make sure all patients are clean and dry, all needs are met to the best of your capability and all medications are passed.
Amongst this schedule you find time to pass as requested medications, hang new fluids as needed, call the doctor if orders are needed. you also start IV's monitor for changes in vital signs, and keep an eye on patient condition.
0715- End of report, start patient assessments .
0815- End of assessments, begin medication pass, breakfast arrives for the patients.
0915- End of medication pass, pick up breakfast trays.
0915-1130- help with toileting patients, bed baths, showers, linen change, call doctors for patient concerns.
1130-1245- lunch trays arrive, and pass trays. confront patient concerns and visitors (when visitors are allowed)
1245-1445- expect doctor rounding and follow in each room with doctors to listen for new orders and address patient concerns.
1445-1645- help with toileting, get new test results, help with blood draws, get patients ready for dinner time.
1730- dinner trays arrive, pass dinner trays, assist with feedings if needed.
1730-1845- finish up charting, follow up with all patients. address concerns prior to end of shift .make sure all patients are clean and dry, all needs are met to the best of your capability and all medications are passed.
Amongst this schedule you find time to pass as requested medications, hang new fluids as needed, call the doctor if orders are needed. you also start IV's monitor for changes in vital signs, and keep an eye on patient condition.