[Pineapple devil]

Ok so I graduate in December with my BSN and I'm torn on what department I want to work in after graduation. Currently I'm a tech in a level 1 ER. I love the ER but the one I work at will not be the one for me after graduation.

So heres my dilemma. I am torn between the ICU or surgery, and here are the reasons why. I'm looking at surgery because becoming a CRNFA interests me greatly. On the other hand, I like the ICU for its knowledge base and the experience I need to possibly go on to grad school for nurse practitioner.

These are two totally different paths and I'm torn on which area I want to go into.


any advice (other than the platitude of shadow someone)

[Stanley-RN2B]

Originally Posted by Pineapple devil

Ok so I graduate in December with my BSN and I'm torn on what department I want to work in after graduation. Currently I'm a tech in a level 1 ER. I love the ER but the one I work at will not be the one for me after graduation.

So heres my dilemma. I am torn between the ICU or surgery, and here are the reasons why. I'm looking at surgery because becoming a CRNFA interests me greatly. On the other hand, I like the ICU for its knowledge base and the experience I need to possibly go on to grad school for nurse practitioner.

These are two totally different paths and I'm torn on which area I want to go into.


any advice (other than the platitude of shadow someone)

Shrug not sure what else to say. I went to all the facilities my school does clinicals at and got admin to let me 'hang around.' Been in ICU, op theatres, er, nicu, picu, med-surg a burn unit and the differant trauma units. I also went to a children's hospital. Just from that experience I am pretty sure that I want to go into some form of trauma icu and work at the children's hospital. I also like oncology and the neonatal units. Except for trauma, the whole of idea working with babies and or children was new and shocking. Never even occurred to me prior to my little visits. Best thing I ever did. I am pretty sure that as it stands now I will try and do trauma at B-More Shock Trauma as they hire new grads and after a couple of years there move myself to a childrens hospital that deals with these kinds of things.

I know you said no 'shadowing' but it was all I could come up with. Sorry.

Going to have to find out what you really like. Or you won't like it at all.

[Pineapple devil]

Originally Posted by StanleyRW

Shrug not sure what else to say. I went to all the facilities my school does clinicals at and got admin to let me 'hang around.' Been in ICU, op theatres, er, nicu, picu, med-surg a burn unit and the differant trauma units. I also went to a children's hospital. Just from that experience I am pretty sure that I want to go into some form of trauma icu and work at the children's hospital. I also like oncology and the neonatal units. Except for trauma, the whole of idea working with babies and or children was new and shocking. Never even occurred to me prior to my little visits. Best thing I ever did. I am pretty sure that as it stands now I will try and do trauma at B-More Shock Trauma as they hire new grads and after a couple of years there move myself to a childrens hospital that deals with these kinds of things.

I know you said no 'shadowing' but it was all I could come up with. Sorry.

Going to have to find out what you really like. Or you won't like it at all.

well i've done 12 hour clinicals in every area so i've got a good idea of what its like. my main problem is I'm interested in both equally.

i've applied for a couple nurse tech positions in the surgical icu and the med/surg icu, and i've talked to the nurse manager over surgery and she is working out her nurse tech openings for me. the surgery department is on a hiring freeze right now but shes trying to work something out.

my decision may come down to who i hear from first

i would love to stay in trauma type stuff. at the hospital i currently work at a trauma nurse works the level 1 stuff that comes in. its a different position than a regular ER nurse. the trauma nurse position is what i really want to do. is that what the situation is like at other level 1 centers?

[Stanley-RN2B]

Originally Posted by Pineapple devil

well i've done 12 hour clinicals in every area so i've got a good idea of what its like. my main problem is I'm interested in both equally.

i've applied for a couple nurse tech positions in the surgical icu and the med/surg icu, and i've talked to the nurse manager over surgery and she is working out her nurse tech openings for me. the surgery department is on a hiring freeze right now but shes trying to work something out.

my decision may come down to who i hear from first

i would love to stay in trauma type stuff. at the hospital i currently work at a trauma nurse works the level 1 stuff that comes in. its a different position than a regular ER nurse. the trauma nurse position is what i really want to do. is that what the situation is like at other level 1 centers?

I am not sure. I was initially interested in the ER between being an ER patient at times and the show (I know that's silly). When I was visiting Baltimore it seemed to me like all the good stuff went to the trauma nurses bypassing the ER nurses. I may have been mistaken and it may not be that way everywhere. They were both busy and the ER was doing trauma. I saw several GSWs and stabbings go to the ER. I saw a burn and a MVA that had to be pried from the vehicle and airlifted go to the trauma nurses. Shrug. The only thing that sold it for me was the ER nurses had the non emergency cases and the silly drunk homeless people and the nursing home drop offs too which do not interest me in the least. The trauma nurses really didn't have time for that stuff.

[Pineapple devil]

thats what i'm thinking. trauma nurses handle the bad stuff b/c the education/training is higher for a trauma nurse (here a trauma nurse must hold at minimum their ccrn).

i guess that kind of answers my question a little more. +1 for icu