what areas of nursing do you recommend??

Gail-Anne · Jan 31, 2005

As has been said by others in other posts... remember that this is a site where nurses can vent. Check out the threads about the good parts of nursing.

As to what area to work, that's different for everyone. When you do clinicals you get a chance to see what different areas are like and where you are interested in working. Don't forget too, that many of us have changed areas over the years. Sure, sometimes a change is because of a poor work enviornment, but often it is for a personnal change, Maybe a need to learn something new, maybe a change in schedules to accommodate personal life, etc. You just have to be willing to give it a try and realize that every job in nursing won't be a great one, like any job or any week in anyones life. Hopefully most of the nursing jobs will be great ones though.

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jan 31, 2005

My vote would be to start on Orthopaedics. The patients are in good health when the come in for their totals, they usually do great and leave in about 5 days, The code cart grows dust bunnies. You work with the same grouping of doctors. There's a consultant every now and then, but usually they ask your help understanding ortho stuff. When I couldn't return to work I was very sad. That's been my identity. Superman Scrubs and all. Now I read and try to keep up one the new stuff, hoping I can go to school but who knows......

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 31, 2005

Dito the above nurse that this is where we come to share and vent our concerns and frustrations. So this site may be a little jaded towards the frustrating part of nursing. But those moments, at least for me, are not the majority of my day. Make no bones about it, nursing is a frustrating profression. But keep it in perspective, because it's not 100% that way.

We all have differing strengths, talents, skills, communicating abilities, etc. and there is no "one size" fits all for nursing.

I like working in a large hospital in an urban area. This way, I've been able to move around when I've found myself in a situation I'm unhappy with, and get to keep my seniority. I've 14 years at the same facility and have transferred four times. Iroinically I'm back on the med-surg trauma unit I started on 14 years ago. :)

Good luck. Don't let us scare you away. :)

Blackcat99 · Jan 31, 2005

My favorite job was working as a correctional nurse. My least favorite job is LTC nurse. However, we are all different and so everyone has to find out which area is best for themselves. Good luck

PJMommy · Jan 31, 2005

It also depends on the culture of the unit and/or facility where you work. I've been in the same type of unit in different hospitals and see a vast difference in the way nurses, docs, management, etc. treat one another. So you might love working ortho or peds or med/surg at hospital A but be miserable in these same units at hospital B.

USA987, MSN, RN, NP · Jan 31, 2005

I agree with the above posters. As an LPN I worked in LTC and Psych...I enjoyed Psych to an extent, but strongly disliked LTC. As a RN I have worked in the ICU and L&D...I didn't dislike ICU, but I was completely unhappy with my coworkers and work environment, so I took a leap of faith and went into L&D. Now, I enjoy my job 97.99% of the time and actually look forward to going to work each day.

It's truly an individual thing. You really can't lump dissatisfaction by specialty area. That's the beauty of nursing!

All the best to you.

shodobe · Feb 1, 2005

I have worked in the ED and on a Med/Surg floor and liked them both but my heart lies in the OR. I have been doing it for 28 years and can't seem to find a real good reason to give it up. There are days I want to flush it down the toilet, but after awhile it gets better. The OR can be a tough, challenging place that takes alot of perserverance and a strong disposition. We have had a problem with getting new people through their orietation period because they seem to freak out, lose confidence and generally haven't a clue. This is an area you really want to go to and have the backbone to stand up to anything and anyone. The one good thing about nursing is you can take each specialty out for a "spin" and when you find something that floats your boat then you can jump feet first into it. Good luck and don't pay attention to the "crabby" ones on the site, we all have our bad days. Mike

Quickbeam, BSN, RN · Feb 1, 2005

Definitely beware of anyone offering you a one-size-fits-all prescription to the perfect nursing job!

I'm a community health nurse but before that I oversaw RN case management services at a major insurance company. People thought they wanted to get away from the hospital setting but just as many hated case management and left within a year.

Some of my best nursing memories are from my hospital years. I loved the work. I couldn't physically hack it now but it was great at the time. You'll need to look within yourself to see what your strengths are. If you know yourself well, you'll have a much better shot at getting a good fit in the RN work world.