first clinicals choice- peds or med/surg

[joeykttn]

So I'll be registering for classes in a few weeks, and have been told we'll have clinicals every Friday (2 different ones, each are every other Friday). One will be assigned, but the other I have a choice between peds & med/surg.

I was super excited to see peds as an option because ever since I decided to become a nurse, I've felt I wanted to end up working in peds somehow (gut says oncology, but who knows). Now, after thinking for a few days, I'm not sure I want my first ever experience in a hands on setting to be peds. I have zero experience in anything medical (except giving subq fluids to a dog, and having kids of my own), and I don't even know how to take BP, let alone anything else. I know I'm going to school to learn (duh! lol) but I feel so unprepared! I've been watching videos, reading a lot here, and it's helping calm me a little anyway.

Anyway, the point of this post is to ask people who know what they're talking about...should I do med/surg first? Or go with my first instinct & do peds? What can I expect to see/experience in each? I have a few weeks to decide.

Thanks in advance :)

[Ziggy2]

When I was in a similar situation, I decided to take peds first. Med surg can be a tough and I knew peds would be an easier stepping stone. It worked out well.

I was in a long term care children's hospital for peds. We saw kids with chronic diseases and had to retake vitals and redo our assessments q4. When I was not assisting the nurse with nursing duties, I was helping the children with ADLs or participating in their play time.

Med surg was much different. It was helping with wound care, ambulation, providing education and no hourly assessments. Obviously, it is adults too so they are independent. I think peds helped me sharpen my bedside manner, got me more comfortable in a hospital, and practice skills like taking vital signs or performing a quick head to toe assessment.

[RunBabyRN]

I feel like starting in a more general setting (med/surg) is a good way to go. I prefer to get into a specialty unit once I've had some lecture on the subject. That's just me. What kind of peds rotation do you have? We don't have inpatient peds units available to us, so ours were all over the place.

[joeykttn]

Ziggy2, thanks for your input!

RunBabyRN, I really have no idea. My program is through a hospital, and all I know is it's a peds rotation. We are supposed to be receiving more info via email at a later time.

I really want to call & ask questions, but am not sure if that's just being impatient, or normal. I am really just confused on what will be expected of me in clinical, no matter which I choose. All the stories I've read of people's clinical experiences are awesome, but at the same time daunting, as like I said, I have no knowledge base at all. All I know is what I've learned in A & P I, and what I've read here/watched on youtube :/ I just have to learn to trust the process I guess, and give it my all when I get there

[littlemznurse]

When I was in nursing school I got way more out of my med/surg clinicals than I did any other rotations. I feel like med/surg is a great place to start out and to learn fundamental skills. I am a med/surg nurse however so I am a little partial :)

[rob4546, ADN, BSN, MSN]

Really, I don't think it matters which you choose first just as long as you get both/all experiences throughout your education. It sounds like this will be your first clinical so there wont be much expected of you. Think communication, ADL's, assessing sick or not, and experiencing everything you can during a shift.

I so worried about peds rotation because I have a tough time seeing children in pain or suffering at all. I was assigned a rather long rotation in peds and in the end it was one of the most uplifting experience. Yes I saw pain and suffering but in the end I felt I was there to help, protect, and comfort these children. Very good experience.

Which ever you choose, make the most of it!