did you become the nurse you thought that you wanted to be?

[K+MgSO4]

I always smile when I read about student nurses or those interested in nursing state unequivocally that they want to be an ICU nurse or an ER nurse or a peads nurse.

I myself thought I wanted to be a midwife (L + D) (I am Irish trained). But after my 4 weeks on the maternity unit I realised that it was defiantly was not where I wanted to be. Too much exposure to a section of the population that does not believe in prenatal care and expected the health service to provide everything for them.

However I fell in love with colo-rectal surgery and the care of them post operatively on the wards.

Did you end up where you thought you would be as a bright eyed student?

[prettymica, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN, APRN, NP]

Still trying to figure out.. I was determined to skip LTC.. I spend 2.5 years and hated every minute. Right now doing hospice nursing and I love it. I am also doing home health.. I won't be stayin here. I will have my RN in a year and I want to try ER, OR, cath lab, icu and I want to end doing legal nurse or teaching nursing school :)!

[Kooky Korky, BSN, RN]

Yes and no. I've done several types of Nursing as my interests have changed. I've enjoyed most of the areas in which I've worked.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I wanted to be an L&D nurse in the worst way when I started nursing school. Then I fell in love with the folks at the opposite end of the life cycle, and now I can't even imagine wanting to do OB now.

[PediLove2147, BSN, RN]

I went into nursing school to be a pediatric nurse, literally counted down the days until my peds clinical. When I graduated there were no jobs so even though I was hoping for a peds position I would have taken anything. Well anything ended up being peds private duty. While I got to work with kids it wasn't the way I imagined. After a year I knew I needed to get hospital experience so I took a job on a surgical unit. I actually don't hate adults as much as I thought I would but I am still dying to get on the pedi unit. I figure I will get there eventually.

[royhanosn]

yes! I worked as a psych nurse for 14 years..loved it. Its the family/relatives that ****** me off! We had a highly structured environment that worked well, with the patient, only to discover that a weekend pass destroyed all our work. We had everyone from schizo's, hookers, drug uses, to manic depressives (aka bi-polar).

[J&B-RN, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN, NP]

I knew from the time I wanted to be a nurse, age 14 I think, that I wanted to be a life flight nurse. I wanted to be in the action. I wanted to be in the ER and the ICU. Because of the hiring BS now a days I have yet to obtain my dream. But I can defiantly tell you that is still my dream. Done the LTC thing, hated it, knew I would. Doing the med/surg thing, tolerating it, knew I wouldn't like it there either. I don't like stagnate places, same thing different day. I want to be in the action with the adrenaline rush and all. I hate waiting around to get to where I want to be. Ya, ya, I am learning lots, but who cares!! I am not learn what I really want to be learning. Although I recently decided to get my masters.... Now to decide between CRNA and a CCNP... Money or critical care....? And of course we all know the truth, money does by happiness!!

[MN-Nurse, ASN, RN]

Did you end up where you thought you would be as a bright eyed student?

So far, so good.

[Perpetual Student]

I am very happy in the PACU. It was my favorite area as a student. I honestly didn't even think I had a chance to do it starting out and hoped to start in an ICU, but I'm happier this way. I love the pace, rapid turnover, and making folks comfortable. I love that most patients are going to have a good outcome and that many are there because they want to be (e.g. total joints). Yet there's still enough fun with BP management, airway problems, etc. to keep it interesting. And there's always those crazy emergency cases with very sick patients.

Although I recently decided to get my masters.... Now to decide between CRNA and a CCNP... Money or critical care....? And of course we all know the truth, money does by happiness!!

Before I became a PACU RN I thought being a CRNA would be mostly boring and lame. Now that I see what anesthesia folks really do, and how important their art is to creating a safe and comfortable post-op patient, I'm much more interested in it. Depending upon the setting and acuity they also manage some very sick patients. Granted, it's not for a protracted time, but they're keeping someone stable during one of their most vulnerable periods. There is a reason that they require ICU experience before getting into school.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

yes. I wanted to be a FNP and I am.

[ProgressiveThinking, MSN, CRNA]

I went into nursing with the intent to work in the ER. Got my lvn first and did LTC and med/surg. Then during my RN critical care rotation I became really interested in ICU nursing. I'm now set to to start in the ER in a few weeks, and I really feel like its where I should be. Crazy how things work out. We'll see where this nursing thing takes me. I'm in my mid twenties, so I'm sure ICU is in my future.

[prinsessa]

I started off nursing school with the idea I would go into L&D and eventually become a midwife. I enjoyed that rotation but I wasn't as thrilled about it as I thought I would be. After graduating I couldn't find a job and ended up in LTC. I didn't hate it as much as I thought I would (besides the nurse patient ratios). I really liked geriatrics but I just couldn't handle working there anymore. Now I work in sub-acute rehab and really like it. I don't know if I want to do this forever but I'm enjoying it now.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

In a word, yes. I secured what I considered to be my "dream" job as a new graduate. It was the only job I applied for and I accepted it without hesitation. Now, after nearly 5 years, I dread going there every day and am beginning to think that this ship has sailed and it's time to move on...