Are you nursing where you thought you'd be?

BETSRN · Jan 16, 2005

I'm just wondering how many of the nurses on here are working in an area that they hadn't planned on working in.
I have heard many stories from instructors about students who complained loudly going into certain rotations--esp. nursing home--& then later on ended up taking a job in that area.
I love children & had always thought seriously about being a Peds nurse. I thought I would really like it. In our final semester, we had a rotation in pediatrics and I was miserable. Sure, the instructor's intimidation tactics & the unfriendly staff contributed to my dislike of the clinical, but I also don't like spending half an hour trying to cajole a preschooler into taking her meds. It also made me sad to see the kids who were sick due to parental neglect. It is one thing to treat your own body like crap & end up with a chronic condition, but I saw children in there who had their health ruined by noncompliant parents.
What about you? Are you where you thought you'd be?

I am DEFINITELY where I thought I would be (and I am very happy), although I am beginning to think about trying something new, but related to my field (maternal/child health)

xmaxiex · Jan 16, 2005

I thought an LPN in connecticut had more choices than what is actually available . So no I am LTC while working on my RN . The scariest part of this though is that other jobs I have interviewed for have mentioned that because I have only LTC experience they would not hire me ! So now I am apprehensive that when I get my RN I will be unable to work in L&D/NICU/Peds. I do know that wherever the road takes me I will not last in LTC for long !

dazzle256 · Jan 16, 2005

I thought an LPN in connecticut had more choices than what is actually available . So no I am LTC while working on my RN . The scariest part of this though is that other jobs I have interviewed for have mentioned that because I have only LTC experience they would not hire me ! So now I am apprehensive that when I get my RN I will be unable to work in L&D/NICU/Peds. I do know that wherever the road takes me I will not last in LTC for long !

Just a thought xmaxiex,

I wonder if you could get a job working in NICU or L&D as a tech while your in nursing school. Being and LPN would be a plus to get you in the door and being a tech in the field should be help to get an RN job in the field.

kesneysmom · Jan 16, 2005

I love the elderly so I started in LTC, then started a family and work as a school nurse now but was offered a job at a dermatologist office.Has anyone worked at a dermatology office before? I went under the nurse speciality forum but it wasn't there.

Justmeandmycat · Jan 16, 2005

Just a thought xmaxiex,
I wonder if you could get a job working in NICU or L&D as a tech while your in nursing school. Being and LPN would be a plus to get you in the door and being a tech in the field should be help to get an RN job in the field.

Are you talking about working as a patient care tech in L&D or something like that? I have heard that if you hold your LPN license and then work as a tech, you are held liable as an LPN in the event something happens. It is too great an exposure to your license and a good way to get yourself into a mess. Then, once you have a problem under your LPN license, you can forget sitting for your RN NCLEX. This is just what I have gleened from other threads, conversations. Is this true? Any thoughts?

dazzle256 · Jan 16, 2005

Are you talking about working as a patient care tech in L&D or something like that? I have heard that if you hold your LPN license and then work as a tech, you are held liable as an LPN in the event something happens. It is too great an exposure to your license and a good way to get yourself into a mess. Then, once you have a problem under your LPN license, you can forget sitting for your RN NCLEX. This is just what I have gleened from other threads, conversations. Is this true? Any thoughts?

Sorry I'm not sure about that. Maybe someone else can enlighten us with that. I do know that a lot of hospital techs do a lot that CNAs in LTC can't. You being an LPN may help... doing foleys and things like that. I know when our hospitals did away with LPNs a lot of the LPNs started working as techs at the same hospital.

Trauma Columnist · Jan 16, 2005

I started out in med/surg for a year or so, then went to ICU for a year, now I've been in the ER for almost 9 years. I do love ER nursing very much.

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 16, 2005

in school, i thought i wanted to do peds, and considered teaching later on. started out in home care (last place i wanted to be), then med/surg (still not where i wanted to be, but had no choice at the time), then peds (liked it, general peds not so much, wanted more of a 'challenge'). was looking into picu, got hired for peds onc/bmt. loved it for 3 yrs. now re-considering (emotional stress, on top of poor staffing and poorer morale). now thinking about some kind of critical care (icu, pacu), to round out my experience, before i begin teaching in 1 1/2 yrs!!!

Morguein · Jan 16, 2005

Before getting into nursing school, I thought i'd like to work in PEDs. Did clinicals there and loved the kids, but hated working with the nurses and the residents there. So, after that, I decided that I wanted to get more experience working with adults before I worked on little bodies; so I thought I'd do Med-Surg to get a good foundation. Towards the end of school, a couple classmates convinved me to go on a tour and an interview at a nearby hospital in their ICU. I honestly didn't think I'd even be interested in the ICU, but went anyway. I went on the tour and did the interview and was hooked just like that! The people were really nice; the department was well stocked and organized; and it just looked really interesting to work there. I've been there ever since and it's been over two years and I love it. Of course, there are days when I feel overwhelmed, but I wouldn't trade my experiences for anything.

missionnurse · Jan 16, 2005

I was going to be an L&D nurse until my rotation in school. That cured me. I was going to be a hospice nurse when I graduated but never went down that path. Instead I wound up med/surg/tele for several years then NICU.
I don't regret not going to L&D. I do wish I had worked hospice, inpatient unit or home health style.

Tiffy,

Don't forget that Hospice is ALWAYS needing good caring nurses to volunteer their time. Even if you only have a few hours a month to contirbute, they are more than willing to train you and let you loose! It's never to late to reach for that dream!

SmilingBluEyes · Jan 16, 2005

I am exactly where I set out to be, since before I entered nursing school. So that answer would be "yes". Now I am looking at doing other things...what, I am unsure.

xmaxiex · Jan 17, 2005

Yes here in good old connecticut you cannot work as a tech when you hold an LPN licence. This is what we were taught . It is very frustrating though to not have many options , as this was not represented to us while in school .