Are You Where You Thought You'd Be?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hello,

I'm currently heading into my first semester of nursing school (ADN/BSN). A lot of people have been asking me where I hope to end up working, or if I would pursue further specialization. Honestly, I'm not really sure at this point. I have always had a special place in my heart for elderly people, so a long-term care facility might be the place for me.

My question is, did you have a goal of a specialty in mind when you began your education, or did your goals evolve over time during school and/or over the course of your career?

If you had a specific goal in mind from the beginning, did you end up there?

Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).

I became an EMT-B in 1979 at the age of 22, and an NREMT-A in 1981, working at a couple of jobs, wondering what direction I wanted. A Friend, who was a Hospital Administrator suggested Nursing- specifically LPN- because of more Patient contact and less paperwork. I thought, "what the heck? it's only a year program, I can go for RN if I like it, or do the EMT-P thing if not".

I was hired by the Hospital for a new Psych wing where I did LPN clinicals on the recommendation of the Chief of Security after I dealt with a psychotic medical Patient.

Now, over 30 years later, after working Psych, Surgery, ER, Med/Surg, Home Health, and Administration, I'm where I wanted to be: near the end of my career, working at a job I like with Patients and Staff I love.

It's been a great ride!

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Specializes in Emergency.

Yep. Knew i wanted to be in the ed. And here i is.

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Specializes in kids.

Went off to college with no specific plan, thought about commissioning as an officer in the Navy as a midwife (I was in a Navy town). Life intervened and I took the 5 year plan, came out with a husband and child. Worked med surg, LTC, Home health, clinic. Been in school nursing for 22 years and am absolutely where I am supposed to be!

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.
What does forensic nursing entail and what do you learn with the SAFE certification? That's right up my alley.

I believe it is a SANE certification. Look up the International Association of Forensic Nurses.

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Specializes in Flight Nursing, Emergency, Forensics, SANE, Trauma.
I believe it is a SANE certification. Look up the International Association of Forensic Nurses.

Forensic nursing is the application of law in regards to nursing/medicine. Forensics entails sexual assault nurse examination (SANE), nurse legal consultant work, or nurse coroner. Forensic nurses can consult and develop policy on legal issues in medicine, work in prison systems, or work with the pediatric and geriatric abused.

I'm currently in my masters program with a specialty in forensic nursing. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, Forensics, Addictions.
Forensic nursing is the application of law in regards to nursing/medicine. Forensics entails sexual assault nurse examination (SANE), nurse legal consultant work, or nurse coroner. Forensic nurses can consult and develop policy on legal issues in medicine, work in prison systems, or work with the pediatric and geriatric abused.

I'm currently in my masters program with a specialty in forensic nursing. I'd be happy to answer any questions.

I am a forensic nurse that works with psychiatrically ill offenders.

What does a masters in Forensic Nursing cover? That sounds really handy for my line of work.

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Specializes in Flight Nursing, Emergency, Forensics, SANE, Trauma.
I am a forensic nurse that works with psychiatrically ill offenders.

What does a masters in Forensic Nursing cover? That sounds really handy for my line of work.

Hi there-- this is the program I'm going through. It is online too!

MSN Forensic Nursing | Duquesne University

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Specializes in Flight Nursing, Emergency, Forensics, SANE, Trauma.
I am a forensic nurse that works with psychiatrically ill offenders.

What does a masters in Forensic Nursing cover? That sounds really handy for my line of work.

Hi there-- this is the program I'm going through. It is online too!

MSN Forensic Nursing | Duquesne University

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Specializes in ER/Tele, Med-Surg, Faculty, Urgent Care.

I guess I was clueless when I started my nursing career at 18. So as 19 y. o LPN I worked in labor and delivery so of course I thought that's where I was supposed to be. Finished my associate degree Rn at 21 and moved to Phoenix but couldn't find a job in labor and delivery so I ended up on MedSurg as a new graduate RN. Believe it or not, I still wasn't sure I wanted to be a nurse for the rest of my life so my plan was to work as an RN for a couple years and see if I liked and then go back and get my bachelors in nursing or a degree in something else if I didn't like it. Well almost 40 years later I love my career. I've been a Navy nurse & I taught nursing at The school where I got my LPN and associate degree. Deja vu galore standing in the same classrooms where I was once a student!!! I've worked in the emergency room, became a nurse practitioner and now I'm planning to go back for that DNP. I have exceeded my expectations beyond my wildest dreams.

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The best advice I heard in nursing school, is, "nursing is a dream, not a destination." It will take you awhile to find your "home" in nursing... I haven't found my home yet and it's been 2 years and 3 nursing jobs.

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Specializes in Ambulatory | Management | Informatics.

Not even a teeny tiny bit! I graduated when I was 24 weeks pregnant, took my boards before the baby came and didn't start looking for work until DD was almost 2. DH had decided to go to nursing school and I needed to go back to work. Since I was a stale new grad and happened to start looking when all the fresh new grads were looking too I ended up "settling" for a clinic job. It was perfect and I was very happy there. I had never considered ambulatory care as it had always seemed like something "less than" real nursing. I was very, very wrong! I ended up becoming supervisor and then managing the department and stayed for 8 years.

During that time we were transitioning from one EHR to a different EHR and I became VERY involved in that work. While doing that, I decided that I wanted to go to grad school for Nursing Informatics. My local university just happened to have a program (that is now the #2 program in the country) but they only offered a DNP. I decided to bite the bullet and go for it and a few months later I was enrolled. Two years into my program I transitioned out of direct care/management entirely and joined an administrative team that worked on system level changes. As I was entering my last semester I realized that I was incredibly burned out and needed to take some time off work and finish my final semester. About 3 months into my sabbatical, I received an offer to do independent consulting on a contract basis in informatics. That's what I'm doing today. I never ever thought that I would end up here, but I'm thrilled. Nursing has an incredible amount of opportunities and is an incredibly flexible career. I love it!

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Hi there-- this is the program I'm going through. It is online too!

MSN Forensic Nursing | Duquesne University

Thanks! Just starting my sojourn into nursing, but I'm going to file that away for future reference.

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