Anything else I can do as a BSN out of school besides working in a hospital?

Jolie, BSN · Jul 31, 2008

I'm curious what exactly you find so overwhelmingly stressful about the hospital setting.

While it is not impossible to find an out-of-hospital position as a new grad, it does severely limit your options, both as a new grad and for future positions.

If you were able to identify these barriers and overcome them, I think you would find nursing to be a much more varied and rewarding career.

When I graduated from school, I vowed that I would never take care of a sick adult. I didn't dislike nursing, just sick adults :) I have found a very rewarding career in maternal-child health. If I had to do med-surg or ER, I would probably agree with you that nursing is just too stressful. But working with a patient population that fascinates me makes my work very rewarding. I hope you will find a similar niche.

Rainbowbright77 · Jul 31, 2008

I had clinicals on a Med. Surg. unit and we only had two patients. I cannot imagine having up to seven! Humans make errors and as a nurse, we cannot make errors. It just scares me like crazy. Too much info. going in, not enough time, new orders, so much busyness--it almost sets you up for error. I know I can't have this attitude, but I am just really frightened to be honest.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 31, 2008

I had clinicals on a Med. Surg. unit and we only had two patients. I cannot imagine having up to seven! Humans make errors and as a nurse, we cannot make errors. It just scares me like crazy. Too much info. going in, not enough time, new orders, so much busyness--it almost sets you up for error. I know I can't have this attitude, but I am just really frightened to be honest.

When I did my psych rotation one of the male nurses there said that he worked there for some of the same reasons that you listed....unless someone hangs themself, not many people die on the psych unit...your dealing with mental disease not pathology. There is also school nursing, public health. If you have only been to med/surg I am guessing you are only in your first year, my second semester I got to spend two days in the ICU...1 patient 2 max (at least in california), as well as short stay; which is more life office work, you mostly get the patient in, start an I.V. and monitor them when the come back from surgery--which isnt hard because they don't bring them out until they are awake.

Jolie, BSN · Jul 31, 2008

This may sound counter-intuitive, but what about ICU?

Caring for 1-2 patients, both of whom are in eye-shot at all times may suit your abilities, interests and personality better than med-surg.

My first job was in the NICU. I much preferred to have total responsibility for 1 or 2 critical patients, than for 6-8 out on a floor, in different rooms, who could not easily be seen or checked upon.

And no, a year or two of med-surg is neither necessary nor desirable, unless you want to work med-surg.

NurseJR08 · Aug 3, 2008

I graduated in Dec and I was just like you! didn't like any of my clinicals in the hospital and swore i would never work there. I think its all about finding a place that works for you. I am in the PACU (IN the hospital) and I love it! Its a totally different environment then floor nursing. We have 1-2 patients at a time and there is lots of support if anyone needs help. Also, you could think about working in some kind of clinic. I did that during school and really liked it because I was busy but it wasn't stressful. I liked the hours, I liked that people weren't super sick, AND nobody poops, pees, or throws up on you! :) There are lots of options you just have to look around and find something that works for you!