[*Andrea*]

Okay, so I posted this similar question in other forums and got a few answers, but I really would like some more opinions. I tend to be an overly nervous person sometimes and I as I am in my final nursing semester and getting ready to apply for jobs I'm getting a bit lost. I am currently really interested in OB. I also like community health alot and psych too. Now, I want to know, if I graduate in May with a job in OB somewhere, am I going to have a difficult time getting a job in a different area in the future? I really, really like OB, but I feel like I might not like it forever, and I eventually might want to go into another field say like, 10 years down the road. I know I've been told over and over to start in med-surg (which i really sort of dislike) so what is the validity to this? Will starting in med-surg give me a better chance to move around more to different areas throughout the years, or will I be able to move to a new unit easily if I want to if I start on a specialty? You advice would be greatly appreciated.

Andrea

[Cardiac-RN]

It will honestly depend on which specialty you start in.

If you were to start in the ICU for example, you might have little to no problem switching to other specialties such as ER, OR, or the general floors as the practical knowledge you have gained would be invaluable.

If you start in OB, if down the road you decided you wanted to work in MED/SURG or a stepdown unit or critical care, you would probably be treated like a brand new grad. Not that you wouldn't have learned alot in OB as far as practical knowledge, but most of it would not be applicable to the other areas.

Deciding where to start out is a tough decision, but it's not the end all be all either. If you don't like it you can change it, but some jobs may want you to have at least stayed for 6mos-1yr to show you gave it a fair chance.

Good Luck : )

[SteveRN21]

OB is very specialized, such as is NICU/PICU, where I work. So what if you end up not liking it down the road?? You usually don't get paid less when you start in a new unit, and if you don't mind learning regular adult stuff over again, it shouldn't be a big deal. I thought I'd like to try ER, ended up missing NICU too much, and went back to my old job... My philosophy is to go with your gut...if it's telling you that OB is your passion, then do it!

[Anjann]

I went through the same questions after I graduated. I took a job in Med/Surg because I figured that it would be wiser for me to master my skills now while I was still fresh. If I had gone straight to OB or Psych, etc., then tried to change a year later, they will train you all over from the beginning just like a graduate nurse. So I just decided to get it out of the way now. I know I don't prefer MedSurg and am trying to move into something more specialized like PACU, ICU, etc, because at least with that training, you can pretty much go anywhere in the hospital if you feel the need to move.

I kind of think that all new nurses really should do MedSurg first. It's the only way to really get immersed into the full spectrum of skills and learn prioritizing, time mgmt, etc. But I also know that I am the only one of my friends who chose M/S so I guess it's a personal choice with the hospitals being so short staffed in some states.

[MALE*RN*777]

Nursing school is your fundamental learning of all aspects of nursing which you will always hopefully remember or use no matter what specialty you decide to go into. Just like stated before you could go into one thing then change you mind and be trained in another specialty. A cardiac nurse wouldn't be able to come to psych and know the things I do and visa versa. But if I were to go into cardiac from nursing I would review and pass comp evals to ensure my skills and knowledge.