Deciding on whether to start with med/surg

jesswill · Mar 20, 2009

Hi Lisa-

You may find more direction after you finish your clinicals and last two years. I never regretted starting in med-surg. I think it's essential to build the foundation of your knowledge- many years later, it isn't want I want to do anymore, but I'm still glad I did it. I had two friends when we graduated that KNEW what they wanted to do (one peds psychiatry, one peds ICU.) They both went straight for it, did it for 10 years a piece, and loved it. Now that their interests have changed, they are doing a lot of re-certifying and skill training to work in other areas... I can't speak for the nsg. admin.- I don't know what the background specifications are.. but I would think if you are interested in admin, you should have a good working idea of what the nurses on the floor are doing....

Good luck!

LisaWantsBSN · Mar 20, 2009

Hi Lisa-
You may find more direction after you finish your clinicals and last two years. I never regretted starting in med-surg. I think it's essential to build the foundation of your knowledge- many years later, it isn't want I want to do anymore, but I'm still glad I did it. I had two friends when we graduated that KNEW what they wanted to do (one peds psychiatry, one peds ICU.) They both went straight for it, did it for 10 years a piece, and loved it. Now that their interests have changed, they are doing a lot of re-certifying and skill training to work in other areas... I can't speak for the nsg. admin.- I don't know what the background specifications are.. but I would think if you are interested in admin, you should have a good working idea of what the nurses on the floor are doing....
Good luck!

thanks so much for answering my post. I am actually interested in a few different specialties. I am glad you told me about your friends who KNEW what they wanted and then it changed in 10 years. Now scrambling to get re-certified is my fear. If I have a background with at least one year in med/surg and then decide to go elsewhere and then also want to change down the road, will I have an easier time because of the year in med/surg. I do agree that you learn the most there because you could have anybody with anything there. SO much education. I also think having that extra year might also make sure I pick the right specialty if I decide to pick one. I picked the wrong degree (BA) and wrong career and did it for years. I didn't think I would have a second chance and because I do now, I want to make sure I don't make any mistakes.

By the way, what did you end up doing? I am interested in maybe getting my MSN and getting into education. I am really intersted in diabetes education but seems very hard to get into. I am interested in surgery and was going to go to a surgical technician program but I found that to be a very limiting idea. As an OR nurse, you aren't really able to do what a surgical tech does so it doesn't sound as interesting to me. I am interested in burn units and ER, although after reading here, it sounds a bit daunting. I do have to say that my mom was in the hospital for a heart valve reconstruction with septicemia, pancrietitis, and 2 strokes at 61. The RN seemed to have too many patients to give her care. I am a little afraid to be on that type of floor without being able to do the things I say I am going to but can't ever get to. That is why the med/surg floor never seemed like an option to me but now it seems like I almost have to do it unless I am so certain on what I want to do. And really, how can you be?? I thought I was as a worker's comp claims adjuster. I did it for years with no satisfaction. Thanks so much for your time. i am new to this site and find that it has so much great information from nurses who have all the answers. You just can't look up this valuable info anywhere.

Lisa

jesswill · Mar 20, 2009

Hi Lisa-

I'll try to answer some of your questions- and I'm sure others with different experiences will chime in too. I hear your concerns about re-certifying or having to get additional training to switch specialities... it isn't always fun to be a student again, but getting more training is always a good thing... and if a completely different area has become your passion, you'll want that extra training/preceptoring to give you the best possible start (and make you a safe nurse!)

It sounds like your interests are really varied.. mine were too, for many years. Of everything you mentioned (ER, burns, OR, diabetes educator,) med-surg is a good starting place for all of them. As a new grad, I was hired onto the floor I did my final preceptorship on. It was a medical ward in an old hospital with several concentrated palliative care beds. My patient load was 12 (that's right-12!) with one assistant or days and one assistant fo rthe entire floor (36 beds) on nights. It was more than a little overwhelming and nurses are not always nice to new grads, so I didn't get a lot of help... but I will say this- I learned to be extremely organized, and now consider time management one of my best skills.... when my patient assignments included the palliative beds- I discovered that I really had a passion for end-of-life care. At the same time, I worked casual on a psychiatry ward... not because I was remotely interested in psych, but I wanted the experience (and there are psychiatric considerations in every single specialty you can think of!) After a year or so, I worked on a busy surgical ward for 8 months or so- another place to practice my time management skills, learn a lot about lab values, blood transfusions, etc. Then I worked more on a medical palliative ward. I spent two years after that as a travelling nurse... took assignments on surgery, different types of medical wards (gynecologic, diabetes), more surgery and even some time at Moss-Rehab in PA- which really enhanced my knowledge of strokes and rehab (which you see everywhere...) None of these were the "perfect job" or what I wanted to do forever, but they gave me a good foundation (this spanned over four years.) Now many years later, I am going into Infusion Therapy, which I really love and am really excited about- (and it is requiring a LOT of education and re-training.) I don't think I'll do it forever, but for now it's just right.

You'll find your place... and until you know what that is... med-surg is an okay place to start. (and it might help you figure out what you DON'T want to do...)

Jessamy

LisaWantsBSN · Mar 20, 2009

Jessamy,

Sounds like you have done so much. I think you might be right starting out in med/surg. I think I might find out what i DON'T want to be as much as what I WANT to be. Thank you for your help.

Lisa

olderwiser · Apr 14, 2009

I, Like you, started out in nursing, as a second career. Not knowing where I wanted to be, chose medical-surgical floor. We handle most surgeries, colorectal, thyroid, gyn, urology, vascular, bariatric, and handle orthopedic overflow pts. I figured I would do this for a year or two, and then know where I would like to specialize. Well, I've been here for 15 years.....and I love it here. Wouldn't go anywhere else. I am always intellectually stimulated, always more to learn, can be the floor Diabetic Specialty Nurse on this floor if I liked...just so happens I'm the SuperUser for my unit in that I'm the computer software go-to person for computer issues, for staff as well as physicians. I also teach BCLS CPR, precept the new nurses on my floor, help with the student nurses (I love student nurses!!). It was a perfect fit for me.

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Apr 23, 2009

I believe this is a personal decision that you will make in time. However, I want to point out that Med-Surg can be as challenging as other units and is, in fact, a speciality of it's own accord. There are a variety of patients with a variety of issues. I promise you will not be bored!