i dislike med surg

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I just started nursing school and am doing my first clinical rotation. I've volunteered before, but nursing school will confirm my interests. I always knew med-surg wasn't my thing from the first day of my rotation, I know I would hate working med-surg. As a new grad I'll probably not have a choice. Yes, you'll learn a lot, but the patients there are very sick. A nurse has 4 pts max (I'm in CA). Always calling the MD, patient families who are overly demanding. I just needed to vent it.

What do you nursing students think of med-surg?

Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

You know what's worse than a 'demanding family'? No family - no one to care about the patient at all. Just my $0.02.

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Specializes in ER, TRAUMA, MED-SURG.
You know what's worse than a 'demanding family'? No family - no one to care about the patient at all. Just my $0.02.

So very true, and and so sad...

Anne, RNC

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Specializes in Prior military RN/current ICU RN..

I am just questioning why someone would "want" to be a nurse with the poor view of patients families and dealing with doctors. As an RN I view nursing as this is WHAT we do. I am not against people having personal lives and time off...I love to surf and snowboard. However when I am at work it is 100% business and the needs of my patients and their families are my priority. Working with MDs..even grumpy ones..is what we do. It just strikes me as odd when someone who is a nursing student states they don't want to deal with doctors and patients families. Maybe I misunderstand the point of the OP? There are literally hundreds of majors a person could pick over nursing that may be a better fit.

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I am LOVING Med/Surg! I am excited for that clinical day, and I am learning a lot. Each of my nurse's patients has a different problem, so I am able to see a whole bunch of different meds, diseases, and procedures.

I didn't think I would like Med/Surg, but so far it is my favorite.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
I am just questioning why someone would "want" to be a nurse with the poor view of patients families and dealing with doctors. As an RN I view nursing as this is WHAT we do. I am not against people having personal lives and time off...I love to surf and snowboard. However when I am at work it is 100% business and the needs of my patients and their families are my priority. Working with MDs..even grumpy ones..is what we do. It just strikes me as odd when someone who is a nursing student states they don't want to deal with doctors and patients families. Maybe I misunderstand the point of the OP? There are literally hundreds of majors a person could pick over nursing that may be a better fit.

Yes, I agree. I'm unclear about the initial "nursing school will confirm my interests" comment.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
finding a job these days in CA as a new grad is very very hard that i'd take any job offered when i graduate.

eventually for me, lifestyle/pay/job satisfaction will be hte most important for me. does anyone have any experience about NPs in pain management? i've volunteered at a pain management clinic, and sometimes the MDs would get off very early in the afternoon.

I don't understand how getting off early would involve job satisfaction. It sounds like you're trying to not have to work at your job. I understand some people prioritize their families and actively look for jobs that are less time intensive but nursing is not really a job that allows for that. And, honestly, though money can be good, it can't be a prime motivation for pursuing nursing, especially given the paradoxical statements that you would take any job but you want to have the best possible lifestyle/pay/job satisfaction (even if it's eventually). Those motivations are going to make dealing with "whatever" job you get very difficult while you wait on "eventually" to happen.

All of the successful nurses I'm surrounded by are constantly busy busting their butts to make a difference. They are NPs and instructors and some of them have 3, 4, or even 5 jobs. They are seriously hard workers. They love nursing -- they allowed themselves to be absorbed by it. Nursing is one of those jobs that, I think given the work, it's okay to be absorbed in. It actually makes the reality of things easier to deal with. The most miserable nurses I've known are the ones "just working for the weekend." It's shallow motivation at best.

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Specializes in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.
I am LOVING Med/Surg! I am excited for that clinical day, and I am learning a lot. Each of my nurse's patients has a different problem, so I am able to see a whole bunch of different meds, diseases, and procedures.

I didn't think I would like Med/Surg, but so far it is my favorite.

That's true. Even though I'm not fond of med/surg, the vast variety of disease processes and manifestations makes it profoundly educational and interesting.

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Specializes in None yet..
... I can honestly tell you that (as a VERY new grad) being a nurse is much different than being a nursing student :)

Oh thank God. I was wondering how I'd make it through the rest of nursing school. I need to hear nurses on the other side tell me working is not like studenting.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency.
Oh thank God. I was wondering how I'd make it through the rest of nursing school. I need to hear nurses on the other side tell me working is not like studenting.

Oh for heaven's sake, I was trying to be upbeat and reassuring, not trying to tell her something she didn't already know.

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Specializes in None yet..
Oh for heaven's sake, I was trying to be upbeat and reassuring, not trying to tell her something she didn't already know.

Couldn't it be both?

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Emergency.
Couldn't it be both?

Touché ;)

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Remember that working as a nurse on med/surg is not the same thing as being a student on a med/surg floor. I absolutely hated my clinicals on a med/surg floor...then I worked hospital pool for over 8 years and enjoyed the days when I was placed in med/surg.....I want your patient ratios! The last time I saw that (except in the unit) I was in nursing school!

And if you don't like the floor, there are hundreds of other fields of nursing that you can specialize in.

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