Do you have to do bedside nursing

VANurse2010 · Jan 12, 2014

You might be able to do some ambulatory care, but your career options will be limited without some kind of in-patient, bedside care. Most of those jobs away from the bedside require years of bedside experience and the assessment/clinical skills that come with it.

silverstarRN15 · Jan 12, 2014

You will need beside nursing experience to do those things (utilization review, triage, etc) and that experience comes from beside nursing. I will ultimately like to become a nurse educator at my workplace but each job posting says 3 or plus nursing experience. I plan on going back to school this fall and continue to working at the beside so by the time I am finished I will have 4-5 years or so of beside nursing experience. And about being nervous, everyone is while they are in nursing school or when they get that first job. I don't think those nerves ever go away during your first year as a new nurse on a unit but you become more comfortable and things will start to click more. Also about people not being nice, you will find these kinds of people at any type of job. What you have to do is stay positive and stay focused.

Ruby Vee, BSN · Jan 12, 2014

I'm in nursing school and I just realized I don't want to be a traditional nurse. I get way too nervous and people aren't very nice at the bedside. Is it possible to do non beside roles once I graduate? So things like utilization review, triage, ambulatory care (outpatient), etc? I know the economy is pretty bad. Any input would help. Thanks in advance.

You're going to have to put in some years at the bedside in order to qualify for those jobs. So no, it isn't possible to do non-patient care roles immediately upon graduation.

Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2014

Unfortunately no....the economy is so bad you will be lucky to even find a job upon graduation. Other areas require experience especially triage. IN the emergency deaprtment the triage nurse is the one who decides who needs to be seen right away and who doesn't. You had better know how to assess the patient and make good decisions for the liability is high if you are wrong.

roser13, ASN, RN · Jan 12, 2014

You're only learning about half of what you need to know in nursing school. The other half comes with years of experience. A new grad would not be capable of appropriate triage or utilization review, either medically or legally. I work ambulatory and we have never hired a new grad.

All4NursingRN · Jan 12, 2014

Short answer no. Many prospective nurses and even newer nurses have bought into the nursing has many options trap. While nursing has many areas that are seemingly easier, less stressful, good pay the truth is you won't qualify for them unless you have some experience caring for the acutely or long term ill. Nursing is no different from any other field. Cushier sounding jobs are harder to land/more competitive and typically pay less unless you have top level experience. High paying jobs are more demanding/stressful.

Entry level (bedside in some form) is where you need to start. I repeat NEED. It is your springboard to wherever you want to go and whatever you want to do sans a difficult job market.

If you really dont think you can atleast try bedside think long and hard and re-consider if nursing is for you.

All4NursingRN · Jan 12, 2014

Less than half depending on how applicable the curriculum was and whether your SON is more interested on better NCLEX passing rates or better entry level nurses, but that's another story. I once had a nurse tell me she might have never worked with sick people but she still knew the basics. I thought yeah the basics of how to keep someone alive (CPR, vitals,) but not how to properly assess, manage, and monitor a declining patient or a patient with multiple co-morbids, or anticipating a patients response to treatment modalities, or knowing what treatment or course of action is best for Mr. Joe in room 10 with x,y,z problems. I can go on and on, That's what nursing school cannot teach.

You're only learning about half of what you need to know in nursing school. The other half comes with years of experience. A new grad would not be capable of appropriate triage or utilization review. I work ambulatory and we have never hired a new grad.

ktwlpn, LPN · Jan 12, 2014

Did you think that people in crisis would be nice? Do you have any experience with the medical field at all? Ever been a patient or stood at the side of an ill loved one? It's a shame you've gone so far with apparently no idea of what nursing entails .I think you should transfer your credits-get out of the nursing program. Good Luck

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Jan 12, 2014

I'm in nursing school and I just realized I don't want to be a traditional nurse. I get way too nervous and people aren't very nice at the bedside. Is it possible to do non beside roles once I graduate? So things like utilization review, triage, ambulatory care (outpatient), etc? I know the economy is pretty bad. Any input would help. Thanks in advance.

You cannot do utilization review or triage without experience. (And, just so you know, people aren't necessarily "nice in these areas either.) You *might* be able to get an ambulatory care job as a new grad but, if you do, the job will be harder. At the bedside is honestly your best option as a new grad, there are more supports in place.

RNperdiem, RN · Jan 12, 2014

Nervousness is fine in the beginning. It is expected and can be overcome for most of us.

You will also have plenty of patients and family who are grateful for what you do and will thank you.

Until you do the actual work of patient care, don't be too quick to rule out 90% or more of the nursing jobs out there that involve patient care.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jan 12, 2014

Unfortunately no....the economy is so bad you will be lucky to even find a job upon graduation. Other areas require experience especially triage. IN the emergency deaprtment the triage nurse is the one who decides who needs to be seen right away and who doesn't. You had better know how to assess the patient and make good decisions for the liability is high if you are wrong.

Agreed. Triage is my most despised role in the ED. So much focuses on you and making the sick/not sick call is one of the most stressful parts. We wont even let our newbies out there until they have a minimum of a year under their belt, and that is only ER experience, not bedside. So I completely agree with you.