The main reason I decided to change my major and become a RN is because of my passion of caring for babies. The NICU is the place I want to work in for the rest of my career.
I have volunteered in the following units[multiple times]:
PICU
NICU
Med-Surg
L&D/Nursery
Cardio/Neuro
Adult ICU
(I'm very active in a medical volunteering organization)
The only specialty I am BEYOND interested in is Neonatal, specifically acute care. There's no interest in me to work with adults nor older kids(general peds). Computer engineering was my previous major and I had a FULL scholarship but gave it all up for the babies after extensive research in the field as well as many others.
I start clinicals next semester (Jan-2017).
Did any of you guys know the specialty you wanted to go into before starting clinicals?
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
I have concern and empathy for all but I don't want to work with them. I only want my babies. Period. I gave up a full scholarship for this specialty.
Then you may be setting yourself up for a lot of disappointment if you refuse to be flexible. What will you do when you aren't even offered an interview because all of the other candidates have experience of some type? Any experience is better than no experience, even if it's not the specialty you want. Don't set yourself up for failure.
I have concern and empathy for all but I don't want to work with them. I only want my babies. Period. I gave up a full scholarship for this specialty.
I hope you aren't disappointed because the chances of getting your dream job straight out of school are not that high. To have given up a full-ride scholarship for a higher paying career in hopes of working and ONLY working in the NICU was foolish.
I took a job in adult med/surg straight out of nursing school because I didn't get a NICU job. Why? Because nursing job experience and nursing pay > unemployment. In my interview, the managers were impressed to hear that I had survived med/surg and routinely took care of six and seven patients with only one tech. It showed them that I had great time management and prioritization skills.
I received a job offer 45 minutes after the interview.
Yes, there are new grads that have gotten into the NICU and the ones that I work I can tell are struggling more so in comparison to those of us who did have previous experience in other areas of nursing (though not all of them are).
I am SO glad I didn't sit around and wait around for a NICU job. The money and experienced earned in adult world, while not applicable to NICU, helped me stay on my toes and juggle multiple feeder-growers and bubblers with ease.
I thought I knew. I was going to be an ICU nurse. Didn't happen and now i will never step foot in there unless its to drop off a tangled, soiled pt at shift change because **** YOU ICU!
I had no idea. I kept thinking I would find my niche as clinicals went on and the semesters passed by as my peers seemed to be doing, but nothing ever clicked. By the time we were to be signed to our preceptorship that would last our final two semesters we were supposed to request a floor we were interested in. I had no idea so I wrote down "geriatric med/surg". I ended up assigned to a medical oncology floor. I remember freaking out, telling my husband, "I can't work with all these horribly sick people throwing up all the time!" When I first met my preceptor she scared the hell out of me. She decided to quit smoking the week I joined her. In other words, it seemed doomed to failure.
After my first night on the floor I was hooked. I loved the patients, my preceptor loved me and supported me (she pinned me, ultimately when I graduated), I was there a year as a student and for the first five years of my career. It just goes to show, you just never know. And unfortunately, my preceptor did start smoking again
Yes I knew, it took me over a year on the floor before I could transfer into my speciality, which was surgery. I got to surgery & went as far as a CRNFA (certified Registered Nurse Cardiac First Assistant), stayed in this career for over 20 years, finally left because of neck issue due to wearing/looking through lopes for so many years. I absolutely LOVED that job.
I knew I wanted to be in pediatric oncology. It's what got me into nursing school in the first place. I had five pediatric patients in nursing school clinicals and it was the best thing ever. However, once I graduated, I just couldn't get into Peds Onc or even Oncology. My first job was a nursing home. Not my cup of tea. I am just now finishing up 18 months on a Med Surg Oncology unit and I know I LOVE my oncology patients. It was a good place to start my oncology experience, but I have been constantly told I am not a good enough nurse to work with the high acuity oncology patients on our floor: leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma. So, I went in search of another position. Both a broad range of only oncology positions, pediatric oncology, and blood and Marrow transplant. I am fascinated by BMT.
as of today, I am moving to Denver to be a BMT nurse and I am psyched! Maybe one day I'll be a Peds onc nurse, but being a BMT nurse is going to be so exciting!!!! I knew I wanted oncology and I am sticking with it forever!
Specializes in Psychiatric RN & Retired Psychiatric CNA.
I knew I wanted to be in pediatric oncology. It's what got me into nursing school in the first place. I had five pediatric patients in nursing school clinicals and it was the best thing ever. However, once I graduated, I just couldn't get into Peds Onc or even Oncology. My first job was a nursing home. Not my cup of tea. I am just now finishing up 18 months on a Med Surg Oncology unit and I know I LOVE my oncology patients. It was a good place to start my oncology experience, but I have been constantly told I am not a good enough nurse to work with the high acuity oncology patients on our floor: leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma. So, I went in search of another position. Both a broad range of only oncology positions, pediatric oncology, and blood and Marrow transplant. I am fascinated by BMT.
as of today, I am moving to Denver to be a BMT nurse and I am psyched! Maybe one day I'll be a Peds onc nurse, but being a BMT nurse is going to be so exciting!!!! I knew I wanted oncology and I am sticking with it forever!
Wow! I'm happy for you! From being constantly told you weren't adequate enough to work with high acuity oncology patients to actually gaining employment where you will gain an immense amount of experience! Congratulations!!
It was a good place to start my oncology experience, but I have been constantly told I am not a good enough nurse to work with the high acuity oncology patients on our floor: leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma. So, I went in search of another position. Both a broad range of only oncology positions, pediatric oncology, and blood and Marrow transplant. I am fascinated by BMT.
as of today, I am moving to Denver to be a BMT nurse and I am psyched! Maybe one day I'll be a Peds onc nurse, but being a BMT nurse is going to be so exciting!!!! I knew I wanted oncology and I am sticking with it forever!
I am VERY curious how you were told that you aren't good enough to deal with high acuity onc patients but got a job in BMT?! What was the reasoning the people who were putting you down had to say that? If you were offered a job in BMT, you could have definitely handled liquid tumor pts -- you're going to work in a place that has all of those pts at their very sickest (in fact, you will be giving them the things that make them the most sick)!!!! Good luck and have an awesome time! BMT nurses are awesome! :)
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Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN
6 Articles; 12,057 Posts
Then you may be setting yourself up for a lot of disappointment if you refuse to be flexible. What will you do when you aren't even offered an interview because all of the other candidates have experience of some type? Any experience is better than no experience, even if it's not the specialty you want. Don't set yourself up for failure.