Choosing a Specialty

NOADLS · Nov 19, 2015

Least amount of work for the most pay.

Farawyn · Nov 19, 2015

I still like Med Surg, where I started.

I like Occupational Health the best. I also had a great work experience there, staff wise and NM wise.

I went there for the hours, so it was kind of by accident that it was what got me going.

mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN · Nov 19, 2015

I have a long personal history of orthopedic issues and my first job was in a LTC rehab unit. Fell in love with it. Now I work on an ortho unit, mostly total joints. Thought I wanted other specialties, I thought, but I needed a job more and it turned into the best thing for me.

CryssyD · Nov 19, 2015

The hospital that paid for my schooling had openings in several areas when I graduated: SICU (regional trauma center), neuro ICU, med-surg, or general peds. I knew I wasn't going to do well in an ICU right out of school (some people swear by GN internships in ICU--me, I never recommend them, I have always believed you need some experience before you go to ICU), and I knew the med-surg floor was a zoo, so I went to peds. I have always liked kids, and they really seem to like me, too! It was a good fit.

I take care of adults now, but my first love will always be the kiddies!

llg, PhD, RN · Nov 19, 2015

I have always followed my heart on that question -- chose the type of work of wanted to do so that I would never be miserable in a job or feel like I was "only doing it for the money." Then I found ways to make things work for me to have a decent personal life around that specialty.

I started out in NICU ... then after many years, evolved into being a Nursing Professional Development Specialist.

RNperdiem, RN · Nov 19, 2015

I didn't really have a direction when graduating. I started in med-surg. It was a day/night rotating job (I didn't want to work 3-11), the hospital was familiar, and they were willing to hire me at a time when jobs were scarce.

My next move was to escape med-surg. I originally wanted OR, because there are no call bells in OR, but the nurse recruiter offered me ICU instead with the option for transfer in the future.

I still work ICU. Maybe when I need a change, OR will still be there.

Karamia0x · Nov 19, 2015

Is it more difficult to get into some specialties rather and others? I always thought I would love to work in Labor and Delivery and eventually become a Women's Health NP or work in ER. I know those are both very different, but those are where my mind tends to take me haha

**NickiLaughs, ADN, BSN, RN** · Nov 19, 2015

I know several ER nurses who have been denied the chance to train in L & D. I think some specialties it's hard to break out into others. At least in the west. ER and ICU keeps you in those areas, maybe to cath lab/pacu.

emmy27 · Nov 20, 2015

Before nursing school, I thought I would like ER and was terrified of peds.

I wound up loving my peds clinicals and did my preceptorship in the PICU, but when I graduated, I took the new grad job on offer and was glad to get it, which was med-surg. After a few years of that, I switched to ER and I do, after all, love that. I still think I'd enjoy pediatrics but it's a tough area to get in to- relatively few positions and it seems like a specialty where many people stay there for life. I float to the peds ED and take care of seriously sick kiddos in trauma/psych sometimes in the adult ED, but it's not the same as having a full orientation on a pediatric unit. Maybe someday I'll make the switch.

Nursing does have a lot of flexibility once you have some experience but for a new grad, depending on where you live, it can be tough to get a foot in the door. And the opportunities that come your way are often a matter of timing and flexibility- you have many more options if you're willing and able to move for a job than if you're stuck in one place.

BeatsPerMinute, BSN, RN · Nov 20, 2015

I've been a nurse for about a year an a half. In my area it was difficult to land your first job. Even nursing homes didn't call me back. I took the first position that could find: pediatric private duty nursing.

I didn't want to do pediatrics or private duty/ home health nursing, but I wound up liking this position most days. The difficult part for me was that I desired for something challenging. Working with the same kid everyday made me feel more or less like a glorified babysitter. The learning opportunities were pretty limited.

It was experience and pay though, and I kept hunting while I worked there. My work and patience paid off, and I landed my dream position: Cardiac ICU. I had to relocate, but it was worth it. I'm at a large teaching hospital now and I'm learning so much.

Like most students I wanted to do something specialized and highly sought after: ICU, ER, NICU, Trauma, ect. It's hard but possible. My hospital is begging for L&D nurses and have new grad programs.

Karamia0x · Nov 20, 2015

I guess you just never know what specialty you are going to fall in love with!