Is Med/Surg attracting new grads?

peaceful2100, BSN, RN · May 26, 2003

Itsnowbegun from one new grad to another I would say we need to be patient. I read a study some where that 50% of new grads do not start in the areas they really wanted to start in so we are in a great majority. Sure it is always nice to start where we want but here is the way I look at it starting in med-surg will give us some wonderful organization skills and we will be able to go where ever we want with solid med-surg experience. I have a cousin-in-law who start out as a L&D nurse and 3 years later she decided that she did not want to do it because she did not enjoy it. So she decided that she wanted to work with cancer patients but she could not find one single oncology unit in her area that would hire without a year or two in med-surg. So she had to go to med-surg and she did that for a year and started in oncology and she has been there for 6 years has become certified in oncology and she LOVES every minute of what she does. She wants to go back to school for a doctorates and do various cancer research. She strongly recommended to me that I start in Med-Surg that way I could go anywhere I want. I am a little pessimestic about starting in med-surg BUT I see it is a wonderful learning experience and think working 3 days a week It is only 144 days in a year.

I understand totally how you feel though.

funnygirl_rn · May 26, 2003

Originally posted by maia1212
Not stepping foot on a med/surg unit unless conditions improve or hell freezes over and it seems the latter is when I'll do it.

I agree with Maia. Med/surg units in my area & other specialities as well seem to be understaffed with high patient ratios. Ancillary staff is nil. Right to work state..no union. Nothing changes...only gets worse. New grads are not staying very long. However, I do believe you obtain great experience & good organizational skills. But..I think there is a lot of frustration trying to achieve these said skills while dealing with a heavy patient load, being understaffed & getting no help from management. Not to mention...the dispositions of the experienced nurses that work on these units...they are so stressed & over-worked...they simply cannot give the care they would like to...let alone be a mentor for a new grad.

TinyNurse, RN · Jul 12, 2003

As a new grad, most of the students I graduated with are accpting positions elsewhere. We did the majority of our clinicals on med-surg and nothing in ICU or elsewhere. I myself got hired in an ER, although the skills I got in med-surge will live forever!!

xo

Jenni

iluvsnoopy · Aug 6, 2003

I graduated in May with my BScN. Out of my class of 28, approximately 5 are doing Surgery nursing and I am the only one on a Medical unit. I was petrified to go there because I had heard so many bad things about Medical from the nurses I worked with on Surgery during my final clinical rotation, plus all my classmates decided they would never ste foot on a medical floor. I kept an open mind when I was "forced" to go to Medical. Although I have acquired a part time permanent on Surgery (where I thought I wanted to be) as well as a temporary full time, I have applied for two full time permanent medical jobs and I can truly say I want to work on Medical. It is hard work (harder than I ever anticipated), but my days fly, and I feel I have found where I fit.

agent · Aug 20, 2003

If no one else in my class goes med/surg i probably will.

whydidibother? · Mar 15, 2004

I am currently an LPN, I had to take medical leave w/ 2 semesters left for my RN degree. I would LOVE to work Med-Surg. I enjoyed it during clinicals and have applied alot of hospitals in my area for a position. Problem is: the hospitals don't need anymore LPNs, they need RNs. :angryfire It annoys the crap out of me when I see the ad in the paper for a RN/LPN and when I apply they tell me they were just wanting to get as many nursing apps as possible but are really looking for RNs, OR I'm told I need more experience. . . uh. . . how can I get experience if I'm not going to be hired??? Thanks for letting me vent. My plan is to work Med-Surg when I get my RN(hopefully by May 05). Its a great place for learning!

J Lynn · Apr 20, 2004

As a new LPN grad, i'm not very marketable unless I start off in Med/Surg. I don't know very many units that will hire new grads without that experience first, especially LPNs. I'm thinking about starting off on Med/Surg in a large teaching hospital in New Orleans. After a year there, hopefully I can work anywhere, maybe I might even feel confident to go on for my RN.

JuliaR · May 1, 2004

Hi everyone!

as i was reading ur posts, i don't know if i feel excitement or fear.

I graduated BSN last 1997 from the Philippines and since then, I didn't have a nursing work-related experience. Recently, I passed NCLEX-RN and i just had my first interview with a hospital and i think i'll be hired as a Medical/Surgical nurse. DUring my first interview, i was briefly oriented to the unit and to the staff as well. I'm just waiting for them to call me and offer me the job.

The nsg manager I spoke with told me that I will have a preceptor for 2 months with me as part of the orientation/training but really, i feel terrified because not being in practice for a while (more than 5 years) shakes up my confidence level (even passing the NCLEX-RN, can't help me to be confident now). I know med/surg is a very good training ground for nurses like me but i hope that everything will turn out good for me..do u have any tips for "coming back to the work force" nurses like me? thanks!!

JuliaRN

RN-PA, RN · May 1, 2004

The nsg manager I spoke with told me that I will have a preceptor for 2 months with me as part of the orientation/training but really, i feel terrified because not being in practice for a while (more than 5 years) shakes up my confidence level (even passing the NCLEX-RN, can't help me to be confident now). I know med/surg is a very good training ground for nurses like me but i hope that everything will turn out good for me..do u have any tips for "coming back to the work force" nurses like me? thanks!!

Passing the NCLEX-RN should help some because you've just recently spent a lot of time studying and refreshing your memory about many nursing concepts and critical thinking skills. If there's a "Refresher Course" offered in your area for nurses in a similar position, I'd recommend it. Also, on your own, spend more time re-reading your nursing fundamentals books. Re-read your med-surg textbook and when certain concepts or procedures seem fuzzy to you, research on the internet or in other books to help you feel more knowledgeable and confident. Get yourself a current reference book on medications and as you orient, you can find out the most regularly ordered meds on your unit and read up on them. There are also great little handbooks-- reference guides-- you can keep with you and study at home. I have two: "Nurse's Problem Solver" (Springhouse Corporation, Springhouse, PA, 1995) and "The Nurse's Survival Guide" (Brenda Goodner & Linda Skidmore-Roth, Skidmore-Roth Publishing, Inc., 1992). There are more out there that are more current, but these have been helpful.

There's a new RN on our med-surg unit who grduated from nursing school and then went to work in her parents' business-- medical supplies or something similar-- for 8 years. I can't remember when she took the NCLEX-RN, but she didn't take a refresher course. It's been sort of rough for her, but most of my co-workers are supportive and helpful, and she had a good, long orientation. If you're working full-time, have some decent preceptors, and also learn on your own time, a 2-month orientation sounds pretty good. Most facilities will extend the orientation period if you're having trouble keeping up, and there are nurse educators who will spend time with you to help you get more comfortable with certain procedures.

Try to think positively, and try to find a co-worker you feel comfortable with who won't mind you coming to them for questions or help once your orientation is over. I love helping new nurses because I had lousy orientations and am an extremely "late bloomer" as a med-surg nurse, and never had anyone to help me or be a mentor. So I'm extremely sensitive to the struggles and feelings of new nurses and enjoy helping them.

JuliaR · May 1, 2004

Hi RN-PA,

Thank you so much for your words of encouragement!

I just hope that my preceptor will be someone just like you...it must be difficult for you to didn't have a mentor or a supportive preceptor while you were on your orientation. I bet you are a tough but very caring nurse :)

Muchas Gracias!

JuliaRN

Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN · May 1, 2004

Quite honestly, my home floor, the avarage ratio is one nurse for 7 patients, typically it's one nurse for every 6-8 patients. The acuity doesn't matter, according to corporate, and lately we've had a lot of ruptured appys and such. That's why this new grad changed her mind about med-surg.

RN-PA, RN · May 2, 2004

Hi RN-PA,
Thank you so much for your words of encouragement!
I just hope that my preceptor will be someone just like you...it must be difficult for you to didn't have a mentor or a supportive preceptor while you were on your orientation. I bet you are a tough but very caring nurse :)
Muchas Gracias!
JuliaRN

You're very welcome, Julia! I sometimes think I'd give anything to do my early nursing years over with a decent orientation and foundation. (I wish I'd known to ask for a longer orientation and/or better preceptors.) It was painful but it makes the pain somewhat worthwhile if I can help others, and it's increased my compassion for new nurses. My experiences have made me tougher-- But in a good way. Believe me-- I needed toughening! :)

I wish you all the best and feel free to pm me if I can help in the future!