Confused Nursing Student....help!!

Fiona59 · May 23, 2012

Very few hospitals have dedicated nurseries now. You are responsible for delivering care to both Mum and babel in the 'rooming in' system. You also have to deal with all the grannies. The correct term is Post Partum Nurse and you will care for disabled babes. You will also be looking after mothers who had stillbirths or babes who live for very short periods. It's not always a happy place to be.

SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN · May 23, 2012

You're still in prereqs? Relax and smell the roses!

No need to rush a decision on the particulars of your career path, especially when you'll likely spend a few years on med-surg after school. My suggestion to you is to learn everything you can as a pre-nursing student and when you get into nursing school, go to clinicals and THEN start to pick out what you like/don't like in particular areas. Nursing is inherently difficult--I don't know of any field where you won't encounter pain, suffering and death on a nearly daily basis. My advice? Find something you love and run with it. If you truly enjoy it and enjoy your patients, you'll be able to handle what life throws your way.

allnurses Guide · May 23, 2012

Most people go into nursing school with a firm idea of what they want to specialize in. Most either change their mind or can't find work in their "preferred" specialty after graduation and wind up somewhere totally different. Just use this time to soak up all you can and keep an open mind. Good luck. :)

OKNurse2be · May 23, 2012

I would not worry so much about what kind of nurse you want to be right now, and more just concentrate on getting through nursing school. Most nursing schools will expose you to various areas, such as OB/GYN, Peds, Med-Surg etc so you can get the feel for the different areas. That is partially what clinicals are about.

Just concentrate on learning as much as you can in nursing school and worry more about where to specialize when you get ready to graduate and find a job. :)

iluvhrts · May 24, 2012

I did not have any clue what "kind" of a nurse I wanted to be until my last clinical of nursing school. I did however have FIRM ideas on what I DID'NT want to do. Just study hard, get all the experience in every kind of nursing you can. Even if you don't think it will appeal to you, you never know what will "grab" you. For me, it was the words "DA@$ it, get me the crash cart!". But, now, I am totally out of acute care and LOVE it. I'm not sure I'll ever go back to a hospital. So, get all the experience you can! Good Luck!

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · May 24, 2012

Since you're not in nursing school yet, there is no need for you to worry about what kind of nurse you want to be. Until you've learned the skills and had some clinical experience, there's no way to be sure what field is right for you.

Many students entered my nursing program thinking that they wanted to go into NICU, maternity, or pediatrics- until they actually did clinicals in those areas. Then they realized it was not for them. I thought I wanted to work in obstetrics- but once I did clinicals I found out that the pace wasn't nearly fast enough, nor the population various enough for me to be happy there long term. So even if you think you have an idea right now, it's very likely that that will change. You might find yourself falling in love with an area of nursing that you have never considered- or never knew existed.

The great thing about nursing is that you don't need to have a specialty, or know exactly what you want to do. The field of nursing is so diverse, and there are lots of opportunities to try new areas. You might get hired into a med-surg unit after school, and after a few years there decide to transfer to ICU. Maybe after working in ICU you'll want to try cardiac nursing, or pediatrics. Maybe you'll want to see what it's like to work in the OR. Or perhaps you'll decide to leave the hospital setting and pursue hospice, home health or public health.

The possibilities are endless. Don't worry at all about where you are going to end up after school. Just keep an open mind in all your clinicals and learn as much as you can. As you experience clinicals and nursing school, you'll start to figure out which aspects of nursing you like the most.

cssook · May 24, 2012

Thank you all so much! After reading your comments I don't even know why I was so nervous about figuring out what I wanted to do. I have plenty of time to decide and until then being a CNA is a great experience. Your comments and anymore to come are greatly appreciated. I love getting peoples opinions about the different fields. Thanks again!

jennabean55 · May 24, 2012

Before I started nursing school, I really wanted to specialize in Emergency Nursing. There were no "if's, and's or but's" about it! Once I got into nursing school I kept an open mind about the potential roads I could venture down. I loved everything about school, especially my clinical experience. Getting the chance to work alongside other nurses and see/do various things/procedures was the bread and butter of my nursing school experience! There were areas of nursing that I was NOT looking forward to (i.e. Pediatrics and OB-GYN). Turns out I loved every second of my Pediatric and OB-GYN experience!!! I would come home soooo excited and pumped about what I had the chance to experience! Seeing a live birth was totally breathtaking and it was an absolute honor to witness.

I guess the best advice I can give, is keep an open mind. What you think you might hate or dread could actually be the field you eventually specialize in.

Best of luck!

allnurses Guide · May 25, 2012

If you don't want to work with babies with health problems then I would avoid being a NNP

Once you have done your medsurg, OB, pedi, psych, and community placements you will have a much better idea about where your passion is.

But in all seriousness, you will be dealing with sick people. A lot.

nurseprnRN, BSN, RN · May 25, 2012

the other thing that you might be thinking but not expressing is that you will not have a specialty major in nursing school. all students go to all areas; you will all have the basic education for nursing when you finish. somewhere in there you may find something that piques your interest, or maybe not til you've been out awhile. waaay, waaaaaay too soon to be thinking about this.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · May 25, 2012

Nursing isn't always happy and beautiful. Babies aren't always pretty and smiling. Disabled babies will go to the nursery too (if there is a nursery) and need care as well.

Focus on becoming the best nurse you can be....worry about where later. Good Luck in school!