what is the best area to start with

AB_NormalRN · Sep 27, 2006

It took me three months and two preceptors to come to the conclusion that Med/Surg is the place to start. I had one preceptor who had 30 years experience who just left me on my own all the damn time, not able to answer questions except "thats just the way it has always been done," almost caused me to perform a med error until I refused, got frustrated when she had to help me out, was on the phone to her husband all the time, etc. I ended up with an outstanding preceptor, but the foundation had already been layed. The intial 6 weeks were a waste. The last 6 weeks in the ER was not gonna be enuff time to be prepared to be on your own. The stage had already been set for me to realize the ER is NOT the place at the moment...so I am transfering up to Med/Surg to get my basic background like 70% of nurses say you should.

Why is it that no one wants to take responsibility for -their- actions? This is NOT high school anymore! But for the life of me it always comes back to 'you' being the one at fault. You didn't ask, you didn't burp right, you didn't curl your tongue the right way....And then everyone looks at you like you are the one screwed up when some place doesn't "fit". Why is it that?

Then everyone wants to tell YOU what they think you wanna hear and then gets upset because you tell the truth? AND slam you for it? Oh and don't stand up for yourself! SO it is Catch-22. If you stand up for yourself and let your NM know they things are not going well you are causing problems and if you don't stand up for yourself you are considered weak?!

Why is it that everyone goes behind your back, thinks they know what is right for you, gets involved into your personal affairs, treats you like garbage, etc.? No wonder places have issues finding people to work and there is a nursing shortage! Nothing in life should be this hard. Hell, Marine Corps bootcamp was not this damn hard! But you know what? I'll be darned if I will not become an outstanding nurse!

Without a schedule and waiting to be transfered to Med/Surg!

AB

PS: Seriously contemplating moving to another hospital, but owe time or money for a scholarship.

traumahawk99 · Sep 28, 2006

It took me three months and two preceptors to come to the conclusion that Med/Surg is the place to start. I had one preceptor who had 30 years experience who just left me on my own all the damn time, not able to answer questions except "thats just the way it has always been done," almost caused me to perform a med error until I refused, got frustrated when she had to help me out, was on the phone to her husband all the time, etc. I ended up with an outstanding preceptor, but the foundation had already been layed. The intial 6 weeks were a waste. The last 6 weeks in the ER was not gonna be enuff time to be prepared to be on your own. The stage had already been set for me to realize the ER is NOT the place at the moment...so I am transfering up to Med/Surg to get my basic background like 70% of nurses say you should.
Why is it that no one wants to take responsibility for -their- actions? This is NOT high school anymore! But for the life of me it always comes back to 'you' being the one at fault. You didn't ask, you didn't burp right, you didn't curl your tongue the right way....And then everyone looks at you like you are the one screwed up when some place doesn't "fit". Why is it that?
Then everyone wants to tell YOU what they think you wanna hear and then gets upset because you tell the truth? AND slam you for it? Oh and don't stand up for yourself! SO it is Catch-22. If you stand up for yourself and let your NM know they things are not going well you are causing problems and if you don't stand up for yourself you are considered weak?!
Why is it that everyone goes behind your back, thinks they know what is right for you, gets involved into your personal affairs, treats you like garbage, etc.? No wonder places have issues finding people to work and there is a nursing shortage! Nothing in life should be this hard. Hell, Marine Corps bootcamp was not this damn hard! But you know what? I'll be darned if I will not become an outstanding nurse!
Without a schedule and waiting to be transfered to Med/Surg!
AB
PS: Seriously contemplating moving to another hospital, but owe time or money for a scholarship.

i hate to say it, but at the risk of sounding sexist, the women in this profession can drive you crazy. the gossip, bickering petty powertrips are nonstop. i've learned not to say much to most of them, lest one thing you whisper gets all over the facility in 10 minutes. not to mention that i'm dating a girl at work.

the best place to start? where there are more males and less females :).

traumahawk99 · Sep 29, 2006

heh. hypocrite that i am, i just accepted a job in med surge. $30 bucks an hour, working for a very cool female supervisor. no benefits, but you can work overtime (if they like you), which comes to $45 an hour. not a bad deal for a new rn grad with 3 months experience in long term care! i'm planning to do 5 shifts, for 60 hours a week... it's also a teaching hospital, so i'm psyched about the great opportunities to learn :).

for a few years, is this a great career or what?

malire · Oct 1, 2006

Im a new grad on a Neuro ICU floor. I am still in orientation but I like it so far. It is very busy but I think that helps me, there is a lot of structure. Also the acuity of the patients really helps me learn. I love the ICU. I didn't like the MS floors in clinical while I was in school so I really had no desire to start there, but everyone is different:) I love working nights too, I would reccoment it for new grads, I feel as though it is more laid back, less people, calmer, gives me more room as a new grad to learn without all the pressure:) Good Luck!

I'm graduating in January and I've heard that night shifts are great for new nurses and most of the jobs available are for nights anyway. I'm just worried about the sleep schedule because I'm the kind of person who needs 7-8 hours of sleep. How do you manage when you're only working 3-4 days/wk? Do you try to keep to the same schedule on your days off?

piper_for_hire · Oct 4, 2006

I would go either MICU or SICU as my first job - that's what I did and it worked out really well. Try to find a Level I trauma center so you can get some really really sick patients. You will learn a lot!

-S