Pediatric ICU RN

Job Overview

Caring for critically ill children is a specialty that demands both sharp clinical instincts and deep compassion. As a Pediatric ICU RN in San Juan, PR, you'll work in a setting where the stakes are high and the rewards are profound. This isn't just about monitoring vitals; it's about stabilizing fragile lives, supporting terrified families, and coordinating with a multidisciplinary team on the fly. The environment is intense but collaborative; you'll be expected to think fast, act decisively, and communicate clearly under pressure.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Direct patient care. You'll manage complex cases including post surgical recovery, respiratory failure, trauma, and septic shock. Continuous assessment of neurological status, hemodynamics, and pain levels is part of your rhythm.
• Ventilator management. Many kids in this unit need breathing support. You're expected to adjust settings based on ABG results, monitor weaning tolerance, and troubleshoot alarms without hesitation.
• Family communication. Parents are terrified. You break down technical jargon into plain language; updating them on changes in condition or next steps while maintaining empathy and composure.
• Medication administration. Dosing is weight based here; a miscalculation can be disastrous. You'll handle vasoactive drips, sedatives, antibiotics, and parenteral nutrition with precision.
• Charting & collaboration. Bedside rounds with intensivists occur multiple times daily. Your input on trends in vital signs or lab values directly shapes treatment plans.

Requirements

• Licensure: Active RN license in the state where San Juan, PR operates. BLS and PALS certifications are mandatory; you need them before starting.
• Experience: At least one year of pediatric critical care experience preferred but not always required if your background includes solid adult ICU exposure with pediatric rotations during training.
• Cognitive demands: Multitasking is constant; titrating two pumps while answering a family's question while documenting an admission note isn't unusual. Mental stamina matters as much as physical endurance.
• Physical requirements: Lifting patients weighing 30+ pounds repeatedly throughout shifts; standing or walking for up to 12 hours at times; fine motor control for IV starts on tiny veins using ultrasound guidance occasionally needed in some units here locally near San Juan, PR .

What It's Like In This Role