Is starting as a new grad in the PICU a good idea? It is my dream specialty but a lot of people have been discouraging about it. Thanks!

I used to work in NICU after being an ER nurse for years. I found that the best NICU nurses were the ones who started there as new grads! It’s highly specialized, just like PICU! If you are going through a good orientation program for new PICU nurses you will be fine. Don’t get discouraged! I started in the ER in 1984 and did just fine. Good luck 😊

The other user said new grads don't belong in PICU but I disagree. I have a friend who is a new grad working in PICU at a very large hospital. She works alongside other nurses who started there as nurse residents like she did. She loves it and they have loved their jobs as well. She did her preceptorship in PICU though and knew it was for her. If you don't have experience in PICU, I wouldn't recommend it because nursing school doesn't prepare you for PICU/ICU/Other specialties, but if you did have a preceptorship in pick you and you liked it, do it. You can move into peds acute care with that as well, as a nurse I precepted with did. You can heed people's warnings and advice, but you don't have to let it dictate your future. Just my two cents.

New grads do not belong in PICU. You need to get a firm knowledge base, med/surg is best place to start. If you feel people are discouraging you, then you are not listening. PICU is very challenging.