What area are you going in to and why?

atenpen · Jun 11, 2003

Me...went into Oncology. I consider myself and very giving and caring person and these patients need extra TLC and I felt that's where I could contribute the most. I also had a friend to die of Hodgkin's Dx and I saw what she went through and the difference the nurses made. And....that floor is a whole different type floor. I mean Dr's are not screaming at you, the patients are more appreciative of what you do for them more than any dept. that I've ever seen. Great place to make a difference in someone's life.

Yankee in Texas · Jun 13, 2003

Congrad/tulations to all!!! Boy I thought I would never see this day. Nursing school reminded me of pledge period for a sorority.

MED/SURG is the way. It IS a specialty and I'm not using it as a stepping stone. I plan to become certified in Med/Surg. I chose this field because will I get to see everything. I don't like boxing myself in. It's like a samplers platter that I plan to make as a meal!!

KarenAR · Jun 23, 2003

Originally posted by autumn-moon
I'm starting working as a grad. nurse in the state acute psych. hospital on Friday, June 13th.

You are a brave woman, starting in a psych hospital on Friday the 13th!

:eek:

Just kidding - actually I love psych too and would like to do that one day. Your job sounds fabulous! Congrats and best of luck!

KarenAR · Jun 23, 2003

I will graduate August 10 and have a job lined up at a peds hospital. The job is an ICU internship that lasts a year - and it allows me to do the first six months in the NICU (and the remainder in the PICU and the cardiac ICU). I am very excited about this job because I *LOVE* working with babies and their parents (including sick babies), and because it is a YEAR-long internship! I'm in an accelerated program and my head is spinning ... I am looking forward to having the internship period to solidify my skills & knowledge before I'm totally "on my own."

fourbirds4me · Jul 4, 2003

Karen,

That sounds wonderful!! I wish there were programs like that around here. *sigh* We have 4 hospitals in the area and they all stay small because there are 4 hospitals in a town of 100,000. I want to work Labor and Delivery. The hospital that delivers the most babys (80/month) doesn't have any openings in L&D but they told me I could work post partum or nursery until something opened up. Another hospital who delivers about 30/month needs a L&D nurse and is offering a $6000 sign on bonus. Their women's services area kinda flows into L&D, PP and peds so I could see all kinda stuff there. I would really like to me busy and have a high level of accuity but would have to drive 100 miles to work in NICU or high risk OB... I have a lot of decisions to make.....

newfloridaRN · Jul 6, 2003

i just graduated in december and i got a job in the emergency room. i love it, i dont think i could EVER go back to floor nursing! i love the adrenaline rush! yay.

SaraRNin2003 · Jul 6, 2003

Currently working on an Orthopedic / Neuro / Med-surg carryover floor but mainly ortho/neuro. I am waiting for a L & D position in this particular hospital to open up. I did my preceptorship there and they said they would seriously consider me for any openings they have even with minimal experience. I took my current position so that I would have a foot in the door already at this hospital, and have found that I really really like ortho, I am not particularly fond of neuro but hey I have learned alot. I am happy where I am for now, but my heart and soul is really in L & D.

Hugs to all!

SARA

LuvbabiesRN · Jul 7, 2003

WOOOHHOOOO to all new grads!!! CONGRATS to us all!!!

I am starting on a cardiovascular surgical floor. Mostly CABG's and valve replacements and some other vascular stuff. I love cardiac but really want to PEDI cardiac. I think how they fix congential cardiad defects is amazing.... so its going to be off to a NICU or a peds cardaic floor sometime in the near future. :)

EmeraldNYL, BSN, RN · Jul 7, 2003

So, to all recent grads, how are the first few weeks of your new jobs going?

I graduate Oct. 3rd and I'm going to be working in a medical/resp. ICU at a level I trauma center. I can't wait!

dsczephyr · Jul 7, 2003

I am starting in HIV/Infectious Disease. On this floor we also do the medical care for the "psych" patients from the hospital's affiliated psychiatric hospital. It's a telemetry unit as well. I am doing this for awhile before transferring to the ER. Many new grads are going straight into the ER, but I would rather have some time in as a nurse first. My specialty that I am working towards is Forensic Nursing, and to that end I have also been working on my BS in Criminal Justice.

NurseKelly03 · Jul 7, 2003

I graduated in May and just found out last week I passed boards!YEAH! I'm working in Surgical ICU. I know how some people feel about a new grad working in this area but our hospital has a great 6 week med-surg orientation and another 3 weeks critical care orientation. So far I'm loving being a RN!

KarenAR · Jul 7, 2003

FourBirds,

Best of luck to you in your decision-making! I would love to hear what you choose to do. I personally loved postpartum and nursery when I did my OB rotation...so I would lean toward going that route...but that's just me! I also can't stand long commutes. But $6000 and the great experience is certainly tempting! I can see why it is a tough decision.

A couple of things about sign-on bonuses though: (1) a big chunk of it gets eaten up by taxes, and (2) there's usually a reason they're offering that big incentive... (i.e., a trade-off somewhere). If the only trade-off is the commute, that's one thing, but make sure it's a good working environment.

Good luck! Keep us posted!