Changing Specialties

Editorial Team / Admin · Feb 9, 2015

Sit down and write out a list of what interests you. Then look into various nursing specialties that go along with those interests. No idea how accurate this would be, but here's one option for an online quiz: Johnson & Johnson Page not found | Johnson & Johnson Discover Nursing

So I took the test for myself- it came up with pain management. Yeah, not my area, so really don't think the quiz will be that much help.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 9, 2015

I know some people who want to work for the same employer for forty years and retire. My DH worked for 40 years for two employers. Good luck with that in this day and age. The average person in the US has something like eight careers in a working life. That's not 8 jobs, that's 8 careers.

When I was eight years out of school I had had three jobs, the longest being 5 years. After that I went to grad school and mother hood and had probably ten more jobs in the next 20 years, what with moving and other things. I have enjoyed the heck out of learning new areas all the way along. I couldn't have told you what about them was going to be interesting; learning that I thrive in a single-woman shop and mucho autonomy took me awhile to put into words. As a result I can honestly say I have really good experience in several different nursing specialties and sometimes integrate the bits and pieces picked up along the way in new and interesting ways to serve my clients. And I'm never bored.

Don't worry about what other people think. If you're earning and learning, what difference does it make?

ThePrincessBride, MSN, RN, NP · Feb 10, 2015

I know some people who want to work for the same employer for forty years and retire. My DH worked for 40 years for two employers. Good luck with that in this day and age. The average person in the US has something like eight careers in a working life. That's not 8 jobs, that's 8 careers.

When I was eight years out of school I had had three jobs, the longest being 5 years. After that I went to grad school and mother hood and had probably ten more jobs in the next 20 years, what with moving and other things. I have enjoyed the heck out of learning new areas all the way along. I couldn't have told you what about them was going to be interesting; learning that I thrive in a single-woman shop and mucho autonomy took me awhile to put into words. As a result I can honestly say I have really good experience in several different nursing specialties and sometimes integrate the bits and pieces picked up along the way in new and interesting ways to serve my clients. And I'm never bored.

Hey GreenTea,

Thanks for your insight. Were you ever worried about being labeled a "job hopper"? A lot of the baby boomers I've talked to are all about company loyalty, staying for the same job years and years, but now? These same nurses I hear complain about benefits being slashed, seniority being devalued and retirement being uncertain. How were you able to work that many jobs (in nursing, I'm guess?) without the stigma of hopping around? Did you ever feel as though you were a "jack of all trades, but a master of none"? Did you ever find your "dreeeaaammm job"? Did you find going to grad school hard with children?

Sorry I am asking you so many questions, but I value your wisdom and life experience as I am getting started in this wonderful world of nursing. :)

Libby1987 · Feb 10, 2015

I think a lot has to do with personality and I can use my sister and I as examples.

My my sister defines perfectionism, and introversion. She is not warm nor persuasive, as she's lacks that inherent or learned ability to meet people where they're at. She's driven, razor sharp and focused. She's been drawn and has excelled in PACU and as a CRNA. She best deals with people who are asleep and wanting/needing someone who knows their ***.

I'm nearly 100% extroverted. I love people. Especially the elderly. I was always lousy at mingling at cocktail parties but I can sit and share stories all day long with the seniors. I'm also a paperwork nerd. When I was in nursing school and working as an Extern, my hospital asked if I wanted to be cross trained in clerical..um yeah sure. I loved it, it was like playing school. When I was a SAHM, I was always looking for something to get involved in and fix, like I would have loved being a life coach type of thing if I were qualified for it. Unlike my sister, I am not a machine, I do best in spurts. Oh and as a kid, I didn't know a stranger and easily made myself at home anywhere (mom should have reined me in a little.) I have been a career home health nurse case manager since 1988 and I swear I was born to do it.

We both have been very satisfied in our work, I don't think either one of us has called it a job, it's what we do, what we love to do.

I dont know if that makes sense or just sounds like gibberish but hope it helps.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · Feb 10, 2015

Hey GreenTea,
Thanks for your insight. Were you ever worried about being labeled a "job hopper"? A lot of the baby boomers I've talked to are all about company loyalty, staying for the same job years and years, but now? These same nurses I hear complain about benefits being slashed, seniority being devalued and retirement being uncertain. How were you able to work that many jobs (in nursing, I'm guess?) without the stigma of hopping around? Did you ever feel as though you were a "jack of all trades, but a master of none"? Did you ever find your "dreeeaaammm job"? Did you find going to grad school hard with children?
Sorry I am asking you so many questions, but I value your wisdom and life experience as I am getting started in this wonderful world of nursing. :)

I never asked anybody whether I was "stigmatized" or not, and frankly didn't care. If someone asked, I gave truthful answers as to why I left a previous job - I moved, my husband's job moved us, my department was closed, I got a better offer from another company, I needed to have a job with benefits for my children, I opened my own business ... all true.

I felt as if I mastered just about everything I did, because I'm a quick study with a retentive mind and I lovelovelove learning new things and find it easier to integrate them into my head because I have so many other things in there to relate them to. My dream job is more or less now, and even that is a combination of activities; I have my own company, and do consulting work, writing, and editing in addition to a few other things.

I started grad school with a 6-week-old at the breast. Breastfeeding made it easier, since I could carry her along for the first three or four months, i.e., through most of the first quarter. After that I only took one course at a time through winter and spring, and then took the summer off. By then she got to be around 12 months, so she went to daycare and I went full time. Most of my student loan went to daycare and gas. :) I was blessed with a happy, social, healthy child, so had few worries there.