Did you choose exactly where you wanted to end up in your nursing career..or were you "chosen" and just happened upon your specialty? I ask this because I'm so confused in what I want to do...I want to do it all! I'm a 2nd year student (graduation June 15, 2011:yeah:) and I want to do everything!
Before I started nursing school, I always said I wanted to work in the NICU. But, then while taking A&P 2, I fell in love with the brain and thought about neuro (my father also has Parkinson's). But THEN when school started, I got a job as a nursing assistant on the telemetry floor at a hospital and "cheated" on the brain with the heart..and again..fell in love. I had an AWESOME cardiac instructor and from then on..it was me and my boo, the heart:redbeathe.
BUT I volunteered in the ER at my hospital over the summer and got a transfer to the ER as a tech to work there now and I'm like (in a good way:lol2:). So, now my interest in ER is peaked!
To complicate things even more, I'm doing my OB rotation and while my evening clinical in L&D was like my 1-day rotation last semester in the OR (ended up I really liked it and put it in my backpocket as an option), I had my evening clinical in the NICU last night and darnnit..I'm back in love with the NICU :redpinkhe. And so now my confusion starts!
Its funny because a lot of "newer" nurses (those under 40 - what I mean by new is not by experience but by age - as in "new age" nurses) are telling me that I don't have to do that golden year in Med-Surg before switching to a specialty..that I should go right for what I want. I don't love med-surg..but its doable. But, even if I do med-surg after a year...where do I go from there?
So, my plan is to set my net wide and apply EVERYWHERE in ALL jobs that I'm interested in. I plan on moving from the Northeast because there are no jobs here anyway...and I want to start somewhere new. So, the entire country will be my playground.
My question is...how did you end up where you are...did you ALWAYS know without a shadow of a doubt that L&D/Cardiac/Neuro/OR/Hospice/ER was your thing...or did you just happen upon it? Any advice for a wide-eyed and bushy tailed almost graduate?
By the way, my Peds rotation starts in about 10 weeks...and I'm pretty sure...I'll be wanting to be a peds nurse by the end of it!
I had my senior practicum in the PICU and fell in love with it. =) I only applied for Pediatric, PICU, and NICU positions after I graduated. I just recently obtained an offer for the PICU at a hospital I've always wanted to work at, so I'm EXTREMELY excited.
I think its great that you are so versatile, because you'll be able to adapt to anything and enjoy it. =) I've always known I wanted to work with children, even before I had decided on nursing school. But my rotations, practicum, and shadowing experiences really helped me realize that I absolutely love and enjoy working with kids.
Its funny, because I've also really enjoyed the PACU and ER. and if I was to work with an adult population.. I would have chosen PACU or ER.
But definitely apply everywhere, and good luck with school! Hopefully you will find out what you love. =)
When I was in nursing school I had difficulty choosing. I had originally, prior to starting school, wanted to to L&D or mother/baby, however I feel in love with my adult oncology rotation and my peds nursing assistant job, and hated my L&D rotation. I worked peds for 2 years and loved it, but then I got an itch for a change. Now I work with adults and with peds. I find both to be exciting!
I'm in my final year of nursing school, and I didn't know what I wanted to do exactly, but this past summer I did an internship on a cardiac floor and that's definitely where I want to be now! Can't wait until graduation!
I know how you feel, my mind is always changing too! But thats what I love about nursing. I am about to graduate and have a few offers 1.being in Paeds 2. being in renal after a med/surg rotation it is so hard to decide as i have had a clinical in renal which i LOVED and while I love kids and imagine i will enjoy working with them I havent actually experienced it yet..... makes the decision hard loving the options really. I think both they choose you and you choose them, I know my enthusiasm came out for both those areas during study, clinical and in interviews.
(in a good way:lol2:). So, now my interest in ER is peaked!
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loving the options really. I think both they choose you and you choose them, I know my enthusiasm came out for both those areas during study, clinical and in interviews.
Summer Breeze
36 Posts
I had my senior practicum in the PICU and fell in love with it. =) I only applied for Pediatric, PICU, and NICU positions after I graduated. I just recently obtained an offer for the PICU at a hospital I've always wanted to work at, so I'm EXTREMELY excited.
I think its great that you are so versatile, because you'll be able to adapt to anything and enjoy it. =) I've always known I wanted to work with children, even before I had decided on nursing school. But my rotations, practicum, and shadowing experiences really helped me realize that I absolutely love and enjoy working with kids.
Its funny, because I've also really enjoyed the PACU and ER. and if I was to work with an adult population.. I would have chosen PACU or ER.
But definitely apply everywhere, and good luck with school! Hopefully you will find out what you love. =)