Changing specialties later in career

[Ms. Pomfrey]

Hey everyone,

I'll be starting my surgical tech classes in August, then my RN classes next year, with my eye toward going directly into OR nursing after graduation. After I've worked long enough to feel confident in my skills, I would then like to go into travel nursing until I get tired of moving around!

My question is, once I've stopped travel nursing, how hard would it be for me to retrain in another specialty? I know the recommendation is for new grads to spend a year or so in med/surg to pick up a strong base and broad range of skills; is that something I could go back and do after a few years of OR nursing?

I also thought I could do some travelling by working as a camp nurse or even a school nurse overseas, but obviously camps and schools don't have much need for OR nurses... again, would it be possible for me to pick up the general nursing skills needed at that time?

I guess I'm wondering if once you're trained in a specialty, if a hospital would want to take the time to retrain you or if there were other ways to learn the necessary skills...I know the usual direction is to generalize and then specialize, but this is a 2nd career for my and I am no spring chicken, so I want to get out there and travel as soon as I can, while my mother is still healthy and I don't need to stick close by for her sake.

Hope this makes sense and sorry it's so long.

Ms. Pomfrey

"I didn't have any disinfectant, so I poured tequila on him instead." a friend, on treating her injured hamster

[Ms. Pomfrey]

I am still learning how to use this BB, sorry about posting in incorrect forum.

Is there a way for me to move it? IF not, I hope people will still respond to my message. Thanks!

Ms. Pomfrey

[Katnip, RN]

Most places that I know of, when a nurses switches specialties is given an orientation to the new unit and specialty. I don't think they make you go to med-surg

[fergus51]

With the nursing shortage, I am sure it wouldn't be too much of a problem. I never did med surg and am now training in a different specialty from the one I worked in since grad.

[canoehead, BSN, RN]

Thread moved per poster's request.