Student Nurse seeking career advie

Nurses Career Support

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Hi, I am a current nursing student in an extremely competitive RN to BSN program (a four year program you get admitted to out of high school in which you obtain an RN and then a BSN). Along with many other of these young and naïve nursing students, I am looking for a nursing specialty that provides the most high adrenaline situation. I have a background in search and rescue and seem to thrive as more and more pressure and stress are put on me, especially when dealing with patients. I was looking into flight nurse and ER nursing (both of which I know are highly competitive), but was wondering if there were any other suggestions? I am also wondering if there is anything I can do while still in school, like getting an EMT cert, to better my chances of getting into these areas. Thanks in advance!

EDIT: Sorry if I didn't put this in the right place, I am new to this web site and still not entirely familiar with the layout.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

If I read this right you are in a BSN program? An RN to BSN program is different.

First I would just get through the program & experience clinicals. You might end up liking a floor you didn't know you would. Take it all in. Nursing in a hospital can be high adrenaline or it can be slow. Even in the ER it's not always go go go all the time.

With flight nursing you have to have tons of critical care experience before they will even consider you.

So just make it through school first before you start thinking about specializing.

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The program is called "First year entry RN - BSN". First we obtain our RN, then we continue to obtain our BSN, all through the same program.

Thank you for your response. Flight nurse is an end goal sort of thing to me. Hopefully during clinicals I will find a floor I love, but if I go through clinicals and still end up wanting to become an ER nurse, do you have any advice for things I can do outside of nursing school to better my knowledge and strengthen my resume?

The idea of ER and high adrenaline nursing appeals to me because, in my mind, it enables me to help care for a patient when they physically need it most. Also, again showing my youth, the idea of instant gratification (meaning instantly see the impact I can have on the patient) appeals to me and I feel like a good way to get this instant gratification is emerge

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.
The program is called "First year entry RN - BSN". First we obtain our RN, then we continue to obtain our BSN, all through the same program.

Thank you for your response. Flight nurse is an end goal sort of thing to me. Hopefully during clinicals I will find a floor I love, but if I go through clinicals and still end up wanting to become an ER nurse, do you have any advice for things I can do outside of nursing school to better my knowledge and strengthen my resume?

The idea of ER and high adrenaline nursing appeals to me because, in my mind, it enables me to help care for a patient when they physically need it most. Also, again showing my youth, the idea of instant gratification (meaning instantly see the impact I can have on the patient) appeals to me and I feel like a good way to get this instant gratification is emerge

Honestly, I would just focus on school. I wouldn't try to get a side job or anything unless I had to. School is already so much with classes *and* clinical that adding classes for EMT then working as an EMT just sounds like a lot. What if you plan to do more schooling in the future? You want the best grades possible.

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I agree with OrganizedChaos, focus on school and your clinical experiences before you set your heart on something. We've had folks be dead set on a particular specialty or population, only to change it once they experienced something else. Try to keep an open mind.

Regarding high-adrenaline areas, consider ICUs as well. It may sound boring thinking about watching one or two very sick patients very closely but you have to be on your toes at all times, paying attention to detail so that you will notice when even the slightest change can mean life or death.

Good luck in your program and I hope you find what you want.

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Alright, thank you for the advice!

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