Confused

augigi, CNS · Nov 15, 2006

Depends on your personality and interest. Is there a certain body system that interests you more than others (eg. heart)? Do you like fast or slower pace? Do you want to settle in somewhere, or keep learning on the job? Your BSN should expose you to some different clinical areas.

4tnerzwife · Nov 16, 2006

I am in my third year of a BSN program (YES!!) and I just had to choose where I wanted to do my role transition next semester. Since we were told that our role transition usually results in a job, I was basically told to choose my future in five minutes. YIKES!! I freaked. I asked a professor sitting nearby how I should choose my fate. I love NICU but should I do med/surg, everyone says to do med/surg for the experience, etc. etc. She told me that my gut would tell me what to do and that I would find where I was supposed to be. Wise advice, not helpful at the time. I chose critical care, so we will see. Just go with your gut...By the way, I have a job interview at the NICU that I had dreamed of working in next week!

SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

Am I freaking out for no reason? I'm the type of person that needs structure.....

Yes, you are stressing out for no reason. No one is the same at 33/43/53 as he/she was at 23. Life does not work that way. You may not even be the same person at 26 as you are today. So, it does not matter what you pick now. Pick something that you have some interest in so you can get through your studies and graduate.

After you have years of work experience under your belt, you may have a better sense of what you wish to do with your life and within this profession. At that point you can continue to plan and grow in that area of expertise or find something else to pursue. Good luck. :)

OzzyRN · Nov 16, 2006

Heyho confused.

So you dont like gery thats fine, work on a med/surg ward for your first rotation it gives you good sound backing when your a novice. heres a plan first year out, goal No1 get through the year, goal N2 learn the reality of nursing, its so different than uni,Goal N3 get you TIME MANAGMENT sorted. You wont know until youve tried different things whats crap and what you will enjoy. A great idea is variation if you can get different roations first year out like we do here in OZZY great, We got to work in at least three different areas. I suggested a med/surg ward not becuase im a med/surg nurse rather thats where i got my start. It was busy, heaps of stuff to learn, like TIME MANAGEMENT,antibiotic protocols, assessment, etc. First time out these type of wards are really valuable learning zones. They are not like hotel california your not going to be stuck there forever. Working med/surg I found out that i hate ward nursing. i never thought when i was a student that id end up working with indiginous Australians in the out back, or travaling the country as an agency nurse but here i am doing it and loving it. It was a chore getting to this piont and i didnt love all the areas i worked in but the thing is i learnt, I gained experience. Do the Gary ground work first year out med/surg then the worlds your oyster.

Regards OZZYRN

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Nov 16, 2006

Put the names of all the other specialties you can work in at a hospital on pieces of paper, put them in a bag and draw one out and look for a job in that area of nursing.

Otherwise, I recommend that you look for job fairs in your area or even close to the area where you live and start planning on attending them. Talk with the various recruiters and other students who are there to look for jobs. Besides trying to land jobs, there is a lot to learn about starting positions that are good for new grads at these job fairs.

btown annie · Nov 19, 2006

Thanks for all the advice.....I just feel really pressured right now. We just met our new head of the nursing program and he has really stressed all of us out. The first thing he said to us upon meeting was, "So who has a job lined up?" We were like, "huh??" We still have this semester and another semester to go. He said that we should already be applying to hospitals. I just don't understand how that would be beneficial at this point. I don't see why a hospital would really take us seriously until next semester at least. Should I have a job lined up?? Also, I want to start back pretty soon to get my BSN. Should I go ahead and look at schools for the fall or maybe get my feet wet and start back next spring? Thanks again for the advice.....I just feel a little crazy right now!