Is Med-Surg really a dead end?

Nurses General Nursing

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I am a new grad that finally landed an interview for a Med-Surg unit :yeah:!!! I am beyond excited because I am finally getting a chance after months of online applications and subsequent rejection e-mails.

So my question is...

Why do nurses hate Med-Surg so much? I understand the things like nurse/patient ratio and lack of CNA/Techs for assistance on the floor. I witnessed this while doing clinicals, but honestly, it seemed as though there were complaints about work conditions on EVERY unit even specialties! I admit, my first love is L&D, but right now with things the way they are with the economy, my first choice is whatever floor gives me a chance at getting ANY kind of RN experience. Will starting in Med-Surg make it difficult to transfer later on to a specialty? Some of the best nurses I've followed in clinicals said that when they started out it was in Med-Surg and they learned so much and wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Then there are those that start out in specialties and do fine.

I want to eventually do L&D and would have jumped at the chance to do it fresh out of school, but a part of me always kinda wanted to do Med-Surg or something more generalized just to get core nursing skills that are applicable everywhere. I guess I just don't understand why nurses and nursing students (that's been my experience) hate Med-Surg so much. My problem with it in school was that the nurse was always so busy they never really had time to stop and teach so I felt like I didn't get a chance to learn anything. On specialty units, the nurses seemed to have more breathing room and were able to explain things a little more and had a little more patience with us to perform skills.

I just know above all else that I am ecstatic to be given a chance to prove that I can be a great nurse! :)

I know it was long but thanks for reading!

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Specializes in ICU-Step Down, Cardiac/CHF, Telemetry, L&D.

Med-Surg is a good place to start out. You will learn a lot there and it will make it easier to transfer to another unit as far as knowledge wise goes. Every hospital is different. I found it hard to transfer to a specialty area once I worked the floor. So, it's hard to say that you will be stuck on a medsurg once getting there. I think that you should take this job and get as much experience as possible. Don't worry about transferring right now. The economy is horrible and hospitals aren't hiring new nor old nurses.

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Specializes in Emergency/Cath Lab.

I recently got approved for a transfer off our Medical floor after almost a year. Much of it had to do with what you said. Poor staffing, little to no aides, little to no support from managers, I could go on. Plus it doesnt allow me to get closer to my career goal so I have to get out of there.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

A dead end??? It is the opposite completely. Do two solid years in M/S and you can transfer to almost anywhere else with that as a good, solid foundation.

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Med/Surg is a fantastic place to start! Dead end?!? ...I'm not sure where you heard that, but it's the exact opposite! In fact, most places require 1-2 years of Med/Surg as a prereq. Good luck in your new job!

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Specializes in ER.

MedSurg is not the dead end, in contrary for me, it was the start of the very beginning of my dream job in ER. I got the full year of medsurg and because of that I got the ER job. Not to say that you have to do medsurg before you can do your specialty of choice, but it sure served as a good stepping stone for me.

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Depends on where you want to go. If you want to work in the PACU, ICU, L&D, or certain other areas ... you'll be in M/S a long time before the change. At least that's been my experience.

At the same time, it does open up pretty much every *other* area/specialty.

PS - Awesome user name.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I haven't been in Med-Surg long but the managers have already discussed how I should get some more experience and can transfer to the ICU in a few months if I want.

Their words were "med-surg will teach you time management, you have the knowledge base, you just need to get some time and experience."

I told them honestly I still feel overwhelmed at the moment, and would like to grow in my current position and learn as much as I can on my current floor before considering any moves.

Long story short, options will present themselves if you apply yourself.

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with the economy how it is i would for sure take the experience i was told once it was dead end, I went right into ICU outta school and didn't like it, i wish i woulda had more m/s experience.

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Specializes in none.

Med/Surg is a beginning. It can be back braking work sometimes. But you learn to think on your feet and switch gears quickly. From GI bleeds to head injuries, abdominal cramps to seizures you treat them all and learn how to be a nurse. You be a link between the doctor and the patient and his family. your scope is broaden. Two years of this type of nursing you will be able to take on anything. Does this sound dead to you?

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Med-Surg definitely isn't a dead end, especially starting off as a new grad. It opens doors to other opportunities in the future.

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