Best specialty to be in for job security?

[LovesGreyhounds]

Just curious -- What would everyone say would be some of the best nursing specialties to be in during these hard economic times for job security? Are there some nurse specialties more needed right now than others or else may have a shortage of those types of nurses? Thanks !!

[LeLeeFNP]

you can never go wrong with med-surg. Most hospitals will only hire GNs for med-surg before they allow you to go into another specialty. I personally hate med-surg but will use it as a bridge to get me to critical care which is my real intrest. I would avoid long-term care if you don't want to do it for the rest of your career. Also if you go into a specialty such as OB or community health, its really hard to transfer those experiences into an acute care setting. Med-surg experience allows you to branch out into basically anything.

[iPink, BSN, RN]

I had done research in the past and found that Nurse Practitioners are in demand. Also found this article that someone had also posted in AN about a week ago: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2009/

[Galore]

I graduated a little over a year ago, and I don't think it's true that hospitals prefer to hire GNs into med-surg if you are looking to ultimately do a specialty. The majority of my peers who wanted specialties (ER, ICU) were hired right into that unit. I do agree that once you specialize first, you are more limited than if you had some general med-surg, but personally I don't think I ever want to leave my specialty. Med-surg is probably also more "secure" in the sense that maybe there are more floor positions versus specialties.

[GadgetRN71, ASN, RN]

There are shortages for OR nurses, at least in my area(New England). This is especially true if you work in a big trauma place, because even though people may put off some elective surgeries, people are always getting into car wrecks, motorcycle accidents etc.

[CaLLaCoDe, BSN, RN]

ICU, Surgery, ED...

Many jobs, few with experience in this domain.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

ER nurses will be in demand, because the uninsured patients tend to use the emergency department as their primary care facility. As others have said, med/surg nurses will remain in demand due to their generalized skills. In nursing, the med/surg nurse is the jack of all trades. Also, cardio, telemetry, and stroke recovery units will flourish because so many people in America will continue to be afflicted with MIs and CVAs.

Be weary of departments that depend heavily on elective surgeries, such as ortho and acute rehab. People who lose their jobs and become uninsured are going to avoid having elective procedures, so these floors tend to suffer from low census during economic downturns.

[ifyouwereme]

Geriatrics? I mean, we will ALL be old someday. That's my thinking. Am I far off? What do I know? I'm just an unemployed new grad...lol!

[MedSurgeMess]

I had done research in the past and found that Nurse Practitioners are in demand. Also found this article that someone had also posted in AN about a week ago: http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneymag/bestjobs/2009/

most schools for NP require some clinical experience, usually at least 1-2 yrs

[iPink, BSN, RN]

most schools for NP require some clinical experience, usually at least 1-2 yrs

Yes i know, which makes sense.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

most schools for NP require some clinical experience, usually at least 1-2 yrs

1-2 years experience and you can work for a doctor's office.

Personally, I'd rather work with higher acuity, critical care patients. To be an NP for that area, you're going to need a lot more acute care experience in that specialty and for a longer time period.

[PostOpPrincess, BSN, RN]

I have a friend who works in a Trauma Center.

Level 1

ICU trained (MICU, CVICU, SICU)

ER trained (Level 1--you name it, he's seen it)

EMT, Paramedic

Flight nurse

Very hard to find people like him.