[ACRN06]

I started Med/Surg out of school even though I too always said "I'll never do Med/Surg!!"

Well... Its been the best decision I ever made! I now, 2 years later, feel totally competent in my skills, you'll never learn time management and efficiancy like you will on "the floors", and I'll know a lot more about the "big picture" of things now that I've cared for patients on the acute level, not just the emergent or critical level as is the ER and ICU.

I recommend starting in M/S... but plenty of nurses don't and get by okay as well...

I'll tell you this much though... I know tons of ER nurses that can't stand new grads coming into the ER w/o a clue as to some of the BASIC knowledge one would expect a nurse to have...

I think working M/S does just that... it lays a solid foundation on which to build.

[ACRN06]

Originally Posted by Achoo!

I have been on my own for 3 weeks now on med surg. Here we call it the " trenches". It's alot. Alot of patients, alot of new orders, alot of tests, labs, surgeries, hanging blood, and most people have many health problems, nit just what they are in for- just alot. Everyone is in for something different. My hospital aims for a 5 to 1 ratio, but I had 6 with an admission my last shift and no LPN to help pass meds. It's extremely busy but I do have to agree that I am learning tons. I do however doubt that I will stray in med/surg, just not my niche.

Hehe... yes... The M/S floor I work on is affectionately called the "dump floor".. "the pit".. "the ghetto".. where you are responsible for everything, and in control of nothing! Typical patient load is 7 patients on nights.. You're lucky to have a PCT to do your vitals, I&O's, and baths, and yes, as is typical for M/S floors, you've got a lot of patients w/a lot of CHRONIC disease... Its not like some floors where they come in w/one problem, you treat it, they go home... You're talking about someone who you WONT cure of their COPD, CHF, DM, Arthritis, Depression, and Glaucoma... you treat the pneumonia they came in with...or the fluid volume overload... or whatever hundreds of Dx's they might present with...and you send them back home.
It sort of is a downer after awhile... you feel like you're never really "making it better"... you're never really "healing"... you're just managing symptoms..
Lots of patients w/LOTS of co-morbidities... top it off w/some soft wrist restraints, a couple bags of TPN, and an isolation gown and you've got a Med/Surg floor!

[angel75]

Originally Posted by Ultra Violet

I feel the same way as the above poster although I have only been off orientation 2 1/2 weeks. I haven't done a bit of critical thinking. Even w/5 pts, admissions and discharges, I barely have time to look up labs after giving all meds. My preceptor gave me a nice schedule to try to follow, but for me, sometimes it doesn't work. I do feel my time management skills are improving, but I don't feel like I have a good idea of what is going on with the patient. It is rush, rush, rush for the most part. Then I want to look things up on my off time, but I am so tired...

Hello! I am a new grad and will be coming off of med-surg orientation next week. I feel so overwhelmed most of the time. Not sure if this is something that I want to stick with or not. I find med-surg VERY frustrating and I have considered going into another area. You were saying that your preceptor gave you a schedule to follow. If you don't mind, I would love to have a copy of it. Thanks!!!

[jessi1106]

I guess we all differ.

I love med/surge. Actually, I work on an acute care medicine unit (occasional surgery pt). I get 3-4 patients.

I have learned SO much! Hanging blood, insulin drips, dopamine drips, heparin drips, PCA's, G-tubes, J-tubes, NG tubes, dhts, chest tubes, nephrostomis, colostomies, TPN, decub dressing changes, trachs, nt suctioning, restraints, communication, so much more.

I am now fairly comforable with such a wide range of nursing skills. I do not know where else I would have gained such experience....I also feel that I have gained a lot in my critical thinking....I learn something new each day. Yes, most days are hectic. But each day is new and unpredicable - I like that.

Best of all I feel that I am gaining the experience, knowledge, communication/prioritization/organization skills & critical thinking abilities,to go nearly anywhere from my current job.

[mkalizmoore]

Originally Posted by jessi1106

I guess we all differ.

I love med/surge. Actually, I work on an acute care medicine unit (occasional surgery pt). I get 3-4 patients.

I have learned SO much! Hanging blood, insulin drips, dopamine drips, heparin drips, PCA's, G-tubes, J-tubes, NG tubes, dhts, chest tubes, nephrostomis, colostomies, TPN, decub dressing changes, trachs, nt suctioning, restraints, communication, so much more.

I am now fairly comforable with such a wide range of nursing skills. I do not know where else I would have gained such experience....I also feel that I have gained a lot in my critical thinking....I learn something new each day. Yes, most days are hectic. But each day is new and unpredicable - I like that.

Best of all I feel that I am gaining the experience, knowledge, communication/prioritization/organization skills & critical thinking abilities,to go nearly anywhere from my current job.

So to me it seems like the experience you will have just depends on the hospital you work at. The people with smaller patient loads seem to enjoy their experience a lot more than those with 6 or 7 patients at a time. That many patients seems like it would even be a bit much for an experienced nurse. No one seems to be upset about the type of work being done, just the amount of people they are having to handle.

[angel75]

Originally Posted by mkalizmoore

So to me it seems like the experience you will have just depends on the hospital you work at. The people with smaller patient loads seem to enjoy their experience a lot more than those with 6 or 7 patients at a time. That many patients seems like it would even be a bit much for an experienced nurse. No one seems to be upset about the type of work being done, just the amount of people they are having to handle.

You are SO right!! I have almost finished up my orientation, and today I started off with 5, discharged 1, and admitted 2. So I had 6 pretty much the whole day. Having 6 is tough especially if they have a lot going on. For some reason patient load is divided up by room number not by the needs of the patient. For the first time, I left so upset. I really think that the care my patients received today was not the best that I could have gave them. That is why I think I need to go into a whole new area. I am so dissapointed with the health care system.

Gee................ 3-4 patients, no sweat