Next step on my path from med-surg to SANE?

[vega]

In my 20's, I was a Hospital Advocate and hotline volunteer for a Rape Crisis Center. I loved it then, and now in my 40's and after my first year as a nurse, I feel that it could be a perfect fit for me once I've accumulated the prerequisite two years of experience.

I've just reached my one year anniversary as a night shift, med-surg/tele nurse. I'm active in shared governance, I'm happy with my employer, AND they have a Sexual Assault Treatment Center - even better. I love how much I am learning in med-surg, but the nurse-patient ratio seems to deprive me of one of the things I enjoy most about nursing: getting to know my patients. I have an opportunity to move to either the ICU or ER, but I'm really conflicted as to what my next step should be. My senior internship was spent in the ICU, and I liked the analytical nature of that particular nursing role. I also worked as a nursing assistance in the ER (as well as my Hospital Advocate experience), so that's unfamiliar territory to me either.

Keeping in mind that my ultimate goal is to be a SANE nurse, what should my next move be? Should I wait it out in med-surg, or would having another year or two in ICU or ER be more beneficial? I'd appreciate any input on the subject!

[Guppy]

...talk to the person in charge of the SANE programme at your hospital. I am a SANE nurse at my hospital and I am on call 40hrs every 6 weeks. I work full time on the Oncology floor. Very rewarding.

[my_purpose]

Hello Guppy,

I'm a new grad who is interested in the SANE position at one of the local hospitals. This is a second career for me so I don't want to fall into the trap of just accepting a job to have a job. When I first started to pursue nursing, I wanted to be a woman's health practitioner but throughout nursing school we have always been told that we need at least 2 years in med-surge (which I happen to love) before we branch out to other areas. I have then been told that SANE nurses work in the ER. How does being an oncology nurse fit in with being a SANE nurse?

Thanks in advance :)