career advice needed from happy-with-their-jobs nurses

I'm very happy here on Telemetry. It's challenging, fast-paced, and interesting. You might like it. My hospital provided plenty of orientation and preceptorship, as well as mentoring after I was on my own, because I too was coming from a Med-Surg background.

Plus, you'll have the edge with the post-surgical patients who develop a cardiac problem. I was surprised to find out that many Tele nurses don't know a lot about Med-Surg.

Take the experience of Med/Surg to another department---like the ER/Trauma. I have been in the ER for all of my 9 years in nursing. Use your experience there and broaden your knowledge in other areas.

I remember starting out in L&D, found out it wasn't my cup of tea. I moved on to med.surg, and voila!!!! found my calling. Expose youself to different areas and see if that will ignite the passion u once had. When my unit dissolved(observation unit, as of date resurrected again) i decided to work in the float pool. I was apprehensive at first but now i know al little bit about orthopedics,post-partum,nursey etc. I even did pediartrics for awhile providing immunizatiion from a mobile unit that went to different schools. Homehealth- did that to. The endless possiblities. Good luck

Hello,
Topic: Float pool- In my opinion if u have have a solid med-surg. backgroung u can start to "test the waters" in the different areas of nursing with little appehension. U either know your stuff or u don't. I think attitdude also has alot to do with it. I tell myself, "I can do this! Of course i never stop asking questions. Furthermore patient-safety issues are always in the forefornt with me. Where I'm employed there is a short orientation to the float pool itself. Otherwise, i learned as i go. I'm fortunate to have approachable charge nurses on the various units. Furthermore we have skills day that updates us on the different devices you'e exposed to. i.e epidural pumps,pca pumps, chest tubes(ugh) cpm(orthopedic device used after total knee surguries)glucometer included. just to name a few. i recently signed up for an EKG refresher course (helps when u float to the telemetry floor), though where i work there is an assigned telemetry technicnain who just sits and interpret those rhythms. Another thought, how abut emergency room nursing? Great exposure to everything! again the endless possibilities.......