How did you choose the area of nursing

[neeniebean]

that you ended up in?

Did you always know that it was what you wanted to do, did you just have an epiphany in clinical or was it just by chance of what was offered? or, some other reason?

I'm trying to figure out in which area i want to do my Transition, and i feel so torn. i loved L&D/post-partum/nursery and could see wanting to pursue women's health as a nurse practioner... so i had thought that i made up my mind, but part of me feels that eventhough i'd be happy, i'd still feel like i'd be missing out on something- I guess because the initial thing that drew me to nursing was that i wanted to help 'sick' people. I liked peds, so that's a consideration, but i worry that it might affect me harder when i have kids. I just finished up my rounds on a Tele floor, and actually liked it alot more than i thought i would, though it's not something that i could see myself doing for too long (its split b/w med/surg and tele and we were there for our Geri rotation). I Loved the PICU, but wonder if i would like ICU better. i loved being able to really focus in on those few patients, but i know that most people would suggest gaining some experience first before going to the ICU, and that makes sense to me.

So i guess i was just curious how everyone ended up where they are... and how they picked that area... any tips for figuring it out?

I still have a year before graduation, but i'll need to choose where i want to do my transition (90 extra clinical hours in your area of interest) soon, and i want to choose the area that i will most likely be going into, so that i can gain as much experience and make it as valuable as possible.

Thanks :)

[jill48, ASN, RN]

at the moment i am getting ready to start a new job in home health. i chose that because summer is coming and i'm tired of leaving my kids for 12-14 hours a day. i need to be able to work around them, though it will only be for a few more years. one of my sons is going to turn 16 on friday, the other will turn 9 in august. then i will go back to my true love, which is geriatrics. why geriatrics? because i have a gift when it comes to helping my patients (and their families) through the death process. i had no intention of doing this when i was in nursing school. but with the first death, i realized this was my place, i was meant to be here. it's funny because in nursing school i thought i wanted to be an ob nurse. boy was i way off base. i don't know how they do it. the first time i ever saw a sick (or god forbid, deceased) baby, i would lose it. i would take that home with me and it would kill me. i could not handle that. for some reason, in my mind, an older person who has lead a full life is more of a "natural" death to me. i can handle this. and i can help others handle it too. so, that's me.

[me5115]

every nurse needs med/surg experience. you need to learn how to prioritize pt care. time management and the foundation of your nursing skills are really trully learned in a med/surge environment. i lucked out by starting in a small community hospital. our med/surge floor held everything tele, post op, orthos, pallitive etc. it was for the most part a good experience, all though some nights i came home crying....12 pts is just too much!! now im working in a cancer clinic wich is what i went to nursing school for. but the 2 years med/surge are a must to be a well rounded nurse.

[KellNY, RN]

every nurse needs med/surg experience. you need to learn how to prioritize pt care. time management and the foundation of your nursing skills are really trully learned in a med/surge environment. ......

i but the 2 years med/surge are a must to be a well rounded nurse.

don't tell anyone what they need. it's not only terribly rude, but highly inaccurate.

i didn't do med surg and have no time management issues. i am very well rounded as well, thankyouverymuch. the same is true for many of us here, and your above statement is quite out of line.

med/surg background can be very helpful, and many (not all) new grads would benefit from it. but it is in no way necessary or a must.

[neeniebean]

every nurse needs med/surg experience. you need to learn how to prioritize pt care. time management and the foundation of your nursing skills are really trully learned in a med/surge environment. i lucked out by starting in a small community hospital. our med/surge floor held everything tele, post op, orthos, pallitive etc. it was for the most part a good experience, all though some nights i came home crying....12 pts is just too much!! now im working in a cancer clinic wich is what i went to nursing school for. but the 2 years med/surge are a must to be a well rounded nurse.

i can understand med/surg being beneficial as a foundation for most areas of nursing, but in the ones that i was considering, i've heard the opposite. when i rotated in peds, the nurses on that floor said that they went directly into peds b/c working on adults was so different, that kids weren't just 'smaller adults' and that it could be more confusing if you learned on adults first. then i also heard that med/surg wouldnt be all that beneficial for ob/l&d because that, too, was such a different type of nursing. so, i can understand that it can serve as a good foundation for many areas, but i don't think that a blanket statement can really be made here.