Are any new grads going to med-surg

Nurses New Nurse

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I'm a new grad and decided to go to a pediatric med-surg unit. Everyone that I've talked to from my school is pretty much going to a specialty unit. I'm being to think that maybe I should have picked a specialty. And how do you decide what area would be a great place to start as a new nurse without any prior medical experience.:chair:

Specializes in Psych, substance abuse, MR-DD.

I'm also going into Med-Surg this June for the above mentioned reasons :D

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thanx for the reply, and congrats. I take boards on March 9.

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Hey, there! I am SO glad you posted this, b/c I too am seriously thinking about going to a med-surge floor at the local VA here in Birmingham. I was DEADSET just 2 semesters ago, knowing I wanted to be in an ICU and am doing my preceptorship right now in Heart Transplant and I feel totally B O R E D with just cardiopulmonary stuff which is weird cuz I didn't think I would! BUT I do feel like other peers look down on you if you actually CHOOSE med-surge. I used to feel that way too. I honestly don't know exactly what area I'd like to specialize in, but reading from what others wrote, it sounds like med-surge may be a good place to start out to utillize a broader range of clinical skills....and then I'll move on.

Does anyone else think this is a good idea?? I still get qualms...lol...like I HAVE to specialize in something.....

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Specializes in Med/Surg..

Unless I'm mistaken - Med/Surg Nursing is a Specialty. When I graduated last Spring, our Instructors suggested we all get at least 1 year Med/Surg. for the experience. Some of us listened to them - I'm glad I did, you'd be amazed how many skills you'll learn on a Med/Surg floor. You'll never have 2 pt's the same, guaranteed to learn something new on every shift.

My last shift I had 7 pt's with a little bit of everything - CHF, COPD Exac., Hypokalemia, Dehydration, uncontrolled diabetes, renal failure, several with a combo of Pneumonia and Stomach Virus going around and a terminal cancer pt in for hospice type care. You name it, we get it - so if you like a challenge, med/surg is the way to go.

I didn't want to do it at first, really didn't like it in clinicals because M/S floors are usually incredibly busy. I started out planning to just do this for a year and get out. I'm starting to really enjoy it (as much as you can enjoy being on your feet 12 hours a night). One of my Mgr's told me - if you can survive a year on a Med/Surg floor dealing with such a variety of diseases, you shouldn't have any problem going anywhere you want to in Nursing afterwards.

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Hey, there! I am SO glad you posted this, b/c I too am seriously thinking about going to a med-surge floor at the local VA here in Birmingham. I was DEADSET just 2 semesters ago, knowing I wanted to be in an ICU and am doing my preceptorship right now in Heart Transplant and I feel totally B O R E D with just cardiopulmonary stuff which is weird cuz I didn't think I would! BUT I do feel like other peers look down on you if you actually CHOOSE med-surge. I used to feel that way too. I honestly don't know exactly what area I'd like to specialize in, but reading from what others wrote, it sounds like med-surge may be a good place to start out to utillize a broader range of clinical skills....and then I'll move on.

Does anyone else think this is a good idea?? I still get qualms...lol...like I HAVE to specialize in something.....

Well....I sure am glad I don't work around the peers you're describing; I never feel "looked down on" in med-surg! In fact, I was recently complimented for "knowing so much about so many things, instead of only one area" (funny thing is, I'm a new nurse and I often feel like I don't know anything!).

Something to think about, too, is that med-surg isn't always a "place to start before moving on"...sometimes, it's a great place to be, period. This is coming from someone who was quite sure she didn't WANT to be in med-surg, and when fate intervened it turned out to be the best thing. At this point, I can't imagine wanting a different specialty (and a specialty it is, being a good m/s nurse). Someone with poor assessment or time management skills isn't going to make it in m/s; it isn't the place only for newbies to learn their trade and "move on".

I am awed by the knowledge that some of our more experienced nurses have on our unit. Humbling to see what they know about SO MANY things!

So, if you feel you have to "specialize in something", lol....how about striving to be an excellent m/s nurse? :D

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I've noticed at my hospital when we transfer patients to the ICU floor. The nurses there seem to be rather snobbish and unapproachable with the med/surg nurses. I've heard interesting things about them if they happen to float on our floor. The med/surg nurses on our floor have said that these same nurses who snubbed us, can't seem to handle a 6 or 7 patient load.

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I am having the same problem. I just passed my boards and have interviewed for both med/surg and ob. I have an interview in a few days for an ICU position. I am terrified that I may not be ready to work in a speciality fresh out of RN school. I have worked in a nursing home for over 6 months now and i'm afraid I didnt get any experience I needed as an LPN to help with my RN career. I need all the advice I can get.

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Specializes in M/S/Ortho/Bari/ED.

I went straight into M/S and I like it. I didn't want to go straight into a specialty and not get the general experience. Plus, I like the broader variety of patients! :)

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Specializes in nicu.

I was one who chose a specialty after graduating in December (NICU) but about half of my class went into med-surg and seem to be very happy with it. For those of you who are waiting to take NCLEX...good luck. I just recently passed mine and know what you are feeling.

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I have thought about it alot and would prefer to work on a medsurg floor first I think but I am overly anxious to get hired in a hospital and if the ICU job pans out I will take it. I have student loans getting ready to have to be paid and I really need the money. I will let you all know what I choose. Thanks again!

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I'm a new grad and just resigned from a specialty position at a large well known cardiac facility . Eventually I was to be trained for the OR. I had great grades and was part of the honor society, Great recommendations, the works. They put me on days on a busy tele unit. They ate me alive. The facility was not meetng my learning needs. No one even showed me where the supplies were kept or how to use the phone, (it was a no brainer I figured it out but that is besides the point) I hit the gound running on the first day. I too think I tried to get a specialty area because of was afraid of med/surg and I let my ego get in the way of choosing the best program for me. I thought if I landed a residency for the OR, and I hated med surg, my stay would be short and I would begin my OR training after 3-4 months on med/surg. There is that whole debate about 1 year med/surg or pursuing your specialty right out of school. For me, I know now that I need the med/surg, and it will make me stonger at the right facility. :trout:

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You will not be missing out on anything by going into med-surg. In fact, its just as good a place as any to begin your career. I know some people don't have too many good things to say about working on a med-surg floor (I used to be one of them), but the experience will be good for you, and you can always move on to another type of nursing later on.

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