Do you usually stay in the specialty you start out in?

Nurses General Nursing

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A teacher in nursing school once to me in nursing school, "where you start is where you usually stay". Is this generally true? How long have you been in your specialty? Is this your initial specialty or did you transfer?

Specializes in Operating Room.

I think it depends on the specialty..in mine, most nurses stay. I myself plan to be there for awhile. Not sure for the rest of my career because I may want to pursue an NP degree.

Specializes in CCU & CTICU.

I am definitely moving on. Almost half-way through grad school, at the moment.

I do however feel like my best friend has become trapped in med-surg even though she says she "doesn't like it." I think she'd rather not give up her current every 3rd weekend schedule for an every-other weekend schedule on a floor she might be happier on.

(She also has become a major drama-queen, so that might be part of the problem too. :uhoh3:)

Specializes in Med/Surg.

I did. Wasn't my intention, per say. I work on a med-surg floor, and this year will be my 9th anniversary here.

I work with a great team of people, that's one reason I've stayed. I also, for most of those years, had an exceptional boss, that was another. If I were to move on, it'd be to a job with better hours (like a clinic job). Unfortunately, those come with a big pay cut around here, so that's another reason. Now, there just aren't any jobs to be HAD. If I were married, and not having to pay rent and all the household bills alone, it would be easier to make such a change.

I've always said that I would leave and pursue another position if I found the one that was perfect for me. Honestly, I just haven't found it yet.

Specializes in Pediatric Intensive Care.

I started out working in the PICU for 8 years and just recently last year got a job on our neonatal/pediatric transport team. So far it has been lots of fun going out to different hospitals by ground or air. The best part is knowing when you have a "difficult" patient/parent and you can drop them off at the unit and see the fear in the receiving nurses eyes!:rolleyes:

Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Not my experience...stayed many years, developed skill sets and expertise and then moved on to learn something new...rinse and repeat....

Specializes in TELEMETRY.

I have been in MEd surg trauma for like nine years. I am VERY scared to move on. I love the people I work with and know everything about the hospital. I got a job at a LTAC DOU, tried it and hated it for one day! I quit.... I am looking to specialize but don't know where and I am scared of what the wind will bring....

Specializes in Psych, M/S, Ortho, Float..

Started on Ortho and then followed the long twisted road to psych. Interesting journey. Working different places gives you a better understanding of the overall picture of health care in your area.

Specializes in PICU, Pediatrics, Pediatric Home Health.

I don't think there is anything wrong with sticking with one specialty, but I think many nurses stick to one specialty because it is what they know and are probably a bit fearful of trying something outside of their comfort zone. I work with many nurses who have worked in PICU for 20+ years (many of the them have been in our unit that entire time).

I also work with a few nurses who don't like the PICU but don't want to move on because they have seniority and can schedule themselves however they like.

The only reason I am staying in PICU is because I have a contract with my hospital. After my contract is up, I plan to move on and try something different.

Specializes in med/surg, tele, OB.

i spent my first year+ in med/surg, tele. I am now 3 mo. into L&D and I love it! I always planned to work OB, but needed some experience first. I did enjoy a pay raise with my move, but much worse hours. I gave up day shift, every third weekend for nights and every other weekend. But it is worth it to LOVE my job. I will eventually make it back to days and every third weekend. Till then I will just hang in there. I don't regret it for a single second!

Very interesting stories. Thanks for replying everyone.

Specializes in OB/GYN, Peds, School Nurse, DD.

I did not. I have always loved OB and i started in L& D. After 2 years I moved away and went to a small hospital where I did pretty much everything except surgery. With that experience I learned that I hate med/surg and ER. I moved again and found a job in Mother/Baby, then moved to NICU where I stayed for over 10 years. From that I moved to telephonic nursing, peds only, and now I 'm a school nurse. I have spent a total of 25 years in some form of peds. I took my about 7 years to get there.

I am not sorry I worked in other areas. There is great value in knowing what you DONT want to do. And it wasn't horrible. I don't know a lot about adult care, but just enough to know basic cardiac, respiratory, ortho, and renal. As a school nurse I'm sometimes called on to eval & treat adults, but mostly I see elementary age peds.

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