Choosing your nursing career path/specialty...advice???

Hi everyone! I've been thinking a lot about what area of nursing I want to go into when I graduate (hopefully... ).

Does anyone have any advice????

Thanks in advance!!! :)

Christy

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

I had a patient with two really poorly done ostomies whose life was basically ruined in her eyes. I did research on her ostomies for the care plan, then really started digging into the research. I became fascinated with enterostomal nursing. It clicked for me that it was what I needed to do, the same way it clicked when I decided to become a nurse. I am pretty grossed out by adult poop still, so it shocked even me that I would chose this field. I had no idea of what I wanted to do a year ago so I left my options open and decided to trust God to lead me to what I would do.

[SoulShine75]

What exactly is enterostomal nursing? I know what you mean about something clicking. I know I want to be a nurse, there are just certain things I don't like and I'm looking to find what's most interesting to me and something that i'll be passionate about. It's great you found your niche.

I had a patient with two really poorly done ostomies whose life was basically ruined in her eyes. I did research on her ostomies for the care plan, then really started digging into the research. I became fascinated with enterostomal nursing. It clicked for me that it was what I needed to do, the same way it clicked when I decided to become a nurse. I am pretty grossed out by adult poop still, so it shocked even me that I would chose this field. I had no idea of what I wanted to do a year ago so I left my options open and decided to trust God to lead me to what I would do.

[HealthyRN]

Since you are pre-nursing still, you have a lot of time left to decide. It's nice to have an idea of what you might want to do, but experience is the only true test. I thought that I wanted to do L&D and once I got there, I realized that I really didn't find it that fascinating. It's okay not to know for sure and lots of nursing students graduate and still don't know. The wonderful thing about nursing is that there are so many options available. Don't limit yourself at this point.

[ZASHAGALKA, RN]

My advice:

Work a year on a general med/surg unit - that used to be mandatory but seems more and more optional, but the experience you get in time management, IV, other skills, interpersonals skills, dealing with managers/personalities/families, etc. is priceless. I worked on med/surg as staff for a year and charge for 2 and it grounded my skills. Remember, nursing school doesn't teach you how to be a nurse; it gives you the background so that you can learn how to be a nurse on the job.

After you are grounded, you have to find what clicks for you. Ultimately, if you don't like your job, no amount of 'wow, I'm a nurse' or bigger paycheck for being a nurse will suffice for long. Just taking a quick peek around this site is proof that what you have to clean (or shovel) to be a nurse wouldn't be worth it if you didn't get something out of it besides just a paycheck. That something is what you have to find.

I'm an ICU nurse and personally, I would recommend ICU/ER/L&D/CVOR, but my reasoning is somewhat obtuse considering the so-called shortage. Why? I tend to think of the term 'nursing shortage' as being a relative term. As an ICU nurse, I am already considered 'cross-trained' for almost every department. That increases my value and decreases the chance that I would be 'laid off' in any economic downturn. The departments I listed above tend to be the most heavily recruited and so would theoretically provide the most job security.

Besides, ICU is my thing. The personalities are more intense and so is the job sometimes - maybe that's a guy thing - but I'm much happier knowing everything about my 2 patients (who are most always in my line of sight) than wondering what my other 5 are doing down the hall because I'm tied up in a room.

Good luck with school and remember the 2 rules of college: 1. the instructor is always right, and 2. if you want to pass, see rule 1.

~faith

[SoulShine75]

Hi ZASHAGALKA and thanks for your advice. I've heard not many people want to begin on med/surg because it's such a mish mosh, but I'm not objected to it. I really like the idea of L&D though, probably because I have 4 children and 3 pregnancies (twins) so I'm a little aware of what it entails. I also like the exciting part of delivering babies and taking care of the mother and I'm aware there are negative sides to that as well...like any area.

Hopefully something will click with me and I will know for certain.

[Imafloat, BSN, RN]

What exactly is enterostomal nursing? I know what you mean about something clicking. I know I want to be a nurse, there are just certain things I don't like and I'm looking to find what's most interesting to me and something that i'll be passionate about. It's great you found your niche.

It entails treating large, deep wounds that won't heal on their own, treating burn patients, and helping patients with ostomies. I would like to become an enterostomal therapist, which is an advanced practice field.

[rogramjet]

I am one of the lucky ones who knew going in what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a diabetes educator, being a diabetic myself I can relate. I worked on the floor in med/surg for a year and a half. I enjoyed it much more than I ever thought I would. But for the last seven months I have been working in the diabetes education department and it is everyting I had hoped it would be, and more. I love my job more than any job I have ever had.

You have plenty of time though. Go to the out-rotations and see what interests you. The one area I really enjoyed on out-rotation was spending the day with the school nurse. I loved the kids, they were fun. I think I am the only one of my classmates that really liked that. Most guys are adrenalin junkies, but stress and diabetes don't mix. I like the slower quieter side of nursing. That is the great thing about this profession, there is a job for just about everyone.

[grentea]

I'm a nursing student right now and I absolutely love working with elderly patients. I would really like working in an Alzheimer's unit or a nursing home but a lot of people think I'm crazy. It's good to read about how you all found your interest. It makes me think that I'm probably not crazy at all to have found a niche in geriatric nursing.

[SoulShine75]

I really admire those of you who have found a job in nursing and really love it. I've known I wanted to be a nurse from a young age when I became a candy striper. :rotfl: I couldn't wait to come home from middle school, put on my cute little pink and white striped jumper so that I could go to the hospital and pass out juice to the patients. He he he. Do they even have candy stripers anymore?? Hmm Anyway, Since then I've worked primarily in doctor's offices doing general office work, front office, insurance, billing etc... I was bored to death, but loved the behind the scenes work. Occasionally I got to assist doctor's with small things such as triage, labs, charting etc... I also worked at a nursing home when I was 18 because "I wanted to make a difference", needless to say I was naive as to what I was getting into and found myself target practice for the older, meaner nurses. :stone I felt like a sacraficial lamb. Afterwards I was scared to work in the medical field because I felt I was too nice and thought everyone wanted to help people and work as a team as I did. NOW that I'm older, more experienced and have a good sense of who I am I feel prepared to tackle this once and for all and persue my dreams. I just hope I can find a place I fit in and where I feel at peace. Loving your job and the people surrounding it can make or break your experience. I'm keeping my fingers crossed!!!! Good luck to all of you as well!

[rogramjet]

I went to school with people who loved geriatrics. Personally it's not for me. But you're not crazy. People have told me that I'm crazy, that they would be bored to death in my job. I see 4-5 patients a day for about an hour at a time. They sit, we talk, I help them...It's not everybody's pace, but the team I work with is great, and I love the patients. Not to mention that I get to see the latest gadgets from the reps.

I'm a nursing student right now and I absolutely love working with elderly patients. I would really like working in an Alzheimer's unit or a nursing home but a lot of people think I'm crazy. It's good to read about how you all found your interest. It makes me think that I'm probably not crazy at all to have found a niche in geriatric nursing.

[LilRedRN1973]

This website is for medical students, but I'm sure it would work for RN's as well. I took it and it was surprisingly accurate with the top specialties being ones I have considered and one I have taken a position in. Thought you might be interested. But the way I found out where I really felt like I belonged was twofold: I took a position as an Apprentice Nurse in the ICU to see if it was a good fit for and then I compared how I felt in that unit to how I felt during my clinical rotations during school in other areas of the hospital. I made a very good choice....as a previous poster stated, it's a good fit for my personality and I like knowing all there is (or nearly so) about my 2 patients and being able to keep an eye on them instead of having one of my 6 or 7 patients code while I'm running around down the hall in another patient's room.

http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/specialties/

Melanie