Which field of nursing is the most technically hard?

Nurses General Nursing

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I'm thinking either ER or ICU since both fields require continuing education. What, in your experience, is the hardest nursing field?

Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Telemetry RN.
The hardest type of nursing will be the one you hate every minute of. Can't stand crying kids? Peds is the hardest one. Hate dealing with people who are not cognitively intact? LTC, memory care or psych. Hate standing in the same spot doing the same thing all gowned and masked? OR or other procedures. Fear of flying? Flight nursing. Can't stand foul odours? The world's your oyster with that one.

You get where I'm going with this? Hard is different for different people. If you want a challenge for the sake of challenge, take up mountain climbing or cliff diving. The challenge in nursing is giving great care despite poor staffing, lack of resources, lack of support, etc. So pick something that suits your temperament and concentrate on providing the absolute best care for each patient and family member.

Spot On! Love the way you stated this! This is 100% True!

I'm thinking either ER or ICU since both fields require continuing education. What, in your experience, is the hardest nursing field?

Technically hard would be something like transplant ICU nursing. Or maybe open heart. areas with lots of machines, dialysis, and etc. When you have to watch 6 drips, 4 monitors, and physically assess the patient every hour that is pretty technically demanding. Those types of things require the ability to integrate technology and advanced pathophysiology into your practice.

Anyplace in nursing that requires flexibility, creativity, problem solving skills, and critical thinking can be demanding and challenging.

I think, technically, the hardest would be whatever requires someone to continually be on their toes and those that have to deal with different machines or more invasive procedures (Critical care/trauma areas IMO), but honestly, the hardest thing I have ever had to do was be the only nurse in an ALF over the weekend while we were short staffed. I had multiple residents either fall, develop severe symptoms of CHF, dementia residents getting violent, family members wanting to talk to me, CNA's who needed my help getting residents up because there was no one else to help, etc all at the same time and I felt like I was going to lose my mind. I quit that job a month later.

Specializes in Medical/Surgical/Telemetry RN.

I know exactly how you feel! Same thing happened to me! Pulled a double too with no help what so ever! that was grueling!

I don't know what you mean. Just because some certifications aren't required by your facility doesn't mean they aren't necessary to become more competent in your craft. ACLS, Wound Care, and IV infusion would all be of benefit in the LTC but that kind of depends on your facility.

Job difficultly is more a measure of the individual than the specialty. If we're talking Pt to Nurse workload, LTC wins hands down because most states allow 40-50 Pts per Nurse. Some facilities might try to offset these numbers with Aids or Medtechs but they can't perform assessments and LTCs are become more sub-acute than stable.

That being said, I've never heard a nurse say we have an overstaffing problem. The trend is doing more with less. So every area has some type of difficulty, unless your a Medicaid nurse on a state inspection team.

This made me smile...you have no clue.

Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care, Pre-Hospital,.

Darn skippy!

Specializes in Emergency, Critical Care, Pre-Hospital,.

Darn skippy! Keeping up with flight certifications, especially if you work strattling state lines, can feel like a full time job in itself.

I know which hours are the hardest:

8 hour nights, 5 nights a week

A true ICU has similar requirements. And what I mean when I say true ICU, is based on acuity. CVICU is probably the field where RN's can practice most autonomously. Multiple drips, lines, etc. But usually these patients are admitted as outpatients having elective procedure and they come to the unit already lined from the OR (Swan, a line, central line, meds tubes etc). So trauma ICU might be the most action packed.

Autonomously*

Specializes in Med-Tele; ED; ICU.

Well here's the thing, even if there was some objective scale to apply, it would really depend on the specific department or unit.

For example, the ED are the large urban trauma center for which I've worked would probably rank higher than the mixed ICU at the smaller community trauma center for which I've also worked. Both, along with the ED at the smaller facility, would rank higher than the ED or the ICU at some of the even smaller facilities.

At the large hospital, the cardiothoracic unit is generally considered to have the "sickest patients" and the "coolest toys" and is probably the toughest unit to walk into and be productive... although the burn unit is soooo specialized... and of course the PICU sees some super sick kids and it's the unit whose docs do ECMO evaluations. Then again, it's tough to envision a patient more fragile than a 520g 23-weeker.

If I had to pick one "hardest" nursing field, I'd go with nurse anesthesia.

Specializes in ICU, ER, NURSING EDUCATION.

Let me just start by saying that Nursing in general is not an easy profession...

It is hard mentally, emotionally and physically whether you work ICU or ER. They are two entirely different entities with overlapping skills.

I believe that once you find the area that you like and you're good at; you'll have many horrible days but you'll still love it anyway!

The main thing is to find the right fit for yourself, work in a specialty that feels interesting and fulfilling to you.

There is nothing worse than working on a unit that you hate and dreading going to work every day whether it's ER or ICU, etc.

I have found that oftentimes, the best area to work may not be the most prestigious or the highest paying, but has great coworkers who support one another like a family and provide great care to their patients working together.

Continuing education is really our individual responsibility as professionals. You can have as much or as little as you want whether you work critical care, med surg, peds, OB, psyche, etc.

There's my two cents.

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