Best Preceptor area???

[dbarnes2]

Hi Guys. I am a RN student that is having to decide on where to study 75 hours of preceptorship. I want to learn more than just be in the most interesting place for right now. I am torn between Emergency, ICU, PACU, and med-surg, even though I believe that I will someday make my way to the OR. Any thoughts on the pros and cons of one over the other when it comes to a mid-RN year student continuing to learn?

I have spoken to one 10n year RN that says she learned more in her first year at an ER than you could imagine, and then felt ready to work in almost any hospital or area. Should a person just dive in, or spend time in med surg first? Thanks in advance, Flylearn

[medicgirl]

Wow. I wish we got to pick. We do 180 hours all in med surge. Sucks.

[RNMeg]

I haven't started my preceptorship yet, but I got my first choice for placement. I started out nursing school wanting to work in OR, but I've since changed my mind (personally, I found surgery boring, but that's just me). I absolutely loved cardiac ICU during my rotation there, so that's what I requested and what I got. The advice given to me by my clinical administrator was to choose the area you think will best prepare you to take NCLEX. For me, that's intensive care, because it allows me to see the interconnectedness of all the body systems and how things like drugs and vents and tubes and lines can affect all those interconnected systems. I'm a "big picture" person, so I think ICU will prepare me perfectly Everybody's different, though, so if you think some other specialty area will prepare you better, go for it :heartbeat