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 ICU, PACU, Cath Lab.

I have an interview with the VA in about a week also. I was called today from the ICU to set up a time. I was suprised!!! I am not sure where I will ultimately end up, but I am keeping all my options open. As a new nurse I am going to need to learn ALOT..and I will go where it seems that will happen...if that is med/surg, or ICU I am not sure yet!!!

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I think there will be a lot to learn with a variety of clients, skills, etc. on a medsurg floor. One that I'm applying for (crossing my fingers that this one works out), has med-surg, tele, and oncology--can you imagine going bored on a floor like that? Not me. You could have just about anyone on a floor like that.

You're right :) My floor is like that. My last shift I had fresh ortho post-ops, CA pts who were post-op, continuing care for a couple of really interesting medical issues, transfer from ICU who was still considerable (and varied) care. My patients ranged from age 16 to age 94. One on tely. A couple were getting ready to go home, one was getting ready to die. And in between were pain management, wound care, you name it.

I say if you manage to get bored doing med-surg, you're not looking closely enough at your patients ;)

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wow...i've gotten some great advice from y'all!!! i have the same problem with just comparing myself to others. i am getting better! it doesnt help that the school i go to is uber-competitive and everyone acts like if you don't do such and such then you suck. lol anyway, i know what is best for ME and i think med-surg is where i'm headed.

i have a job interview with the va next week...and am asking for the medical oncology floor. wish me luck!!!!:monkeydance:

Good for you! You're not limiting yourself by doing m/s, you're expanding your horizons, increasing your skills and becoming a well-rounded nurse.

As for those who give the attitude that "if you don't do such and such then you suck", well....med-surg means you do it ALL! Former classmates of mine who floated to my unit from their own 'specialty' units (I'm using the term ONLY to denote those who think one specialty means better nurses than another) often get the shock of their lives. They suddenly find out about how much THEY don't know, lol...and are impressed with how varied the skills of the nurses on this unit are. We "do" everything they might do and then some (exception is we don't do vents on our unit). Being a jack-of-all-trades is impressive, don't let anyone tell you otherwise :)

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I am a new grad who just started in med-surg. My greatest motivation came from most of my nursing instructors, who told me "before going into any 'specialty', you should get at least a year of med-surg experience." The Nursing Manager of my department has confirmed this: she stated that she had been told by many nurses who evacuated for Katrina, that they were less able to get jobs elsewhere if they did not have med-surg experience. I hear it is an arguable subject, however, my instructors are great teachers, nurses, and just great people...and I believe them. It is very busy on my unit and so far, I look forward to each challenge each day.

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Hmm..I've slowly come to the realization that ICUs have it easier..lol...patients may be sicker (but if you think about it these days, NOT MUCH) but at least you have time to sit down. My classmates and I discussed that really it seems these days med-surg is the harder specialty! It's all about that slow-changing image....!! I just interviewed for a medical oncology spot at the VA even though I'm doing my preceptorship in heart transplant....it just gets monotonous and..well BORING!

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I am just preparing to begin nursing school, and have penciled out my plans to be ADN > RN to BSN --hopefully while working in ICU (need two years in ICU before CRNA school I have my sights set on will look at you) > CRNA.

I am working as a nurse assistant on a Med-Surg unit, and it makes sense to me that a nurse would become very well rounded there. If my long-term goal is the CRNA (albeit via the path of the ICU), am I trying to move too fast? --Will the Med-Surg experience be a critical factor in my success as an ICU nurse? --Thank you.

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After 5 months working as a nurse in med/surg, I want to work where the patient's don't give you a hard time.

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Hmm..I've slowly come to the realization that ICUs have it easier..lol...patients may be sicker (but if you think about it these days, NOT MUCH) but at least you have time to sit down. My classmates and I discussed that really it seems these days med-surg is the harder specialty! It's all about that slow-changing image....!! I just interviewed for a medical oncology spot at the VA even though I'm doing my preceptorship in heart transplant....it just gets monotonous and..well BORING!

ICU is not alway slow and easier than med/surg. It all depends on if you are working in a mixed service ICU or if it's a highly specialized ICU...such as CVICU or a CardioPulmonary Transplant ICU. Hearts and Lungs are very routine and can be boring until a pt has a MI, needs their chest cracked at the bedside, or IABP isertion at bedside. Trauma ICU and SICU aren't as routine and you have a wider variety of multi-organ system failure. You don't have time to sit when you're doing fluid resus on one patient and the other one next door decides to to spike a temp, have a MI, a seizure, etc.

Just my $.02

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