How did you know?

P_RN, ADN, RN · Jan 18, 2003

I've ended up in so many jobs that I thought were RIGHT but were so very WRONG. I just lucked up on the last one which was far from heavenly, but so much better than what I had done before.

Be very careful sometimes the "wolves" (NMs) wear "sheep's" clothing. ANd sometimes they speak with forked tongues.

sanakruz, ADN · Jan 18, 2003

I dont know P, I think the NM often sets the tone for a unit. If the kid like her...

This is how I would choose Xantha. But weigh the practical as well. Best shift, pay ,commute time room for learning or change, etc.

sjoe · Jan 18, 2003

It's nice if you wind up with a choice between two things, each of which you believe you would like, rather than between only two things, each of which you know you will hate, or between no choices at all because no jobs are open in your area for new grads. So, good for you.

Fortunately, there is no urgency to pick only one right now and you don't have to choose for some time.

lenawa · Jan 18, 2003

Just speaking from personal experience (i've been out for almost 2 years) i really think one of the best places to start is just a basic med or surg unit. I know that everyone looks to the specialty areas as being the "dream jobs", but you get such a great foudation as a new grad on a general floor that you don't get everywhere. Wouldn't you rather be really comfortable with managing people with diabetes and asthma BEFORE you saw them in L&D. i don't know, just a thought. i did my year and although i'm not and expert by ANY means, i have some practical experience. i am currently taking the perioperative program and should be working in the O.R. inside of 2 months *yay* i knew in my 3rd year of school that i really wanted to end up in the O.R., but i'm glad i took a year to consolidate some of my skills and knowledge first.

BMS4 · Jan 18, 2003

I agree with lenawa, however sometimes that's not an option. I'm about to take my first nursing position. I had 4 offers and none were Med/Surg. They were all specialty areas.

Lori, since I don't have enough experience to give you advice I will wish you the best in making your decision. Personally, the job I choose was one where I was very comfortable with the NM. We also spoke for a really long time. The only thing I wish I would have done was spoke to some of the nurses on the floor. I didn't think about it at the time.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2003

So are NICU and L/D your two top favorites? Is there another area that interests you more? You might want to consider searching longer if you are not heart-set on either of those two.

That said, let me offer so info. I work NICU but I still remember my adult nursing days from school (school clinicals were more than enough adult nursing for me). In the NICU we deal with parents and families, but they usually don't stay long periods at a time. The babies won't talk to you. If you really really like the interaction with your pts you might miss this working NICU. (that's not to say a NICU nurse doesn't like ineraction...). You have opportunity to do parent teaching, but it's just not as often as if you worked another area... if pt/parent teaching is something you enjoy. Everything NICU is on a smaller scale, and so many things are so unique to the area that they just can't be applied anywhere else. I never did med-surg, but honestly it would have been of NO USE to me working NICU.

Don't forget that whether you start working NICU or L/D or something else, you can always change after awhile and try something new.

KRVRN, BSN, RN · Jan 18, 2003

But your question was "how did you know?"...

Answer: I didn't. I wanted to do L/D. I interviewed for a L/D job that I just barely didn't get because there were some applicants with more experience/education. I had a few more resumes out for L/D but wasn't getting any calls. I think I had missed all the post-semester ending new grad training programs since I waited a few months to start looking. Then I saw an ad in the newspaper of all places for a NICU training program that was starting up. Honestly, I had never considered working NICU... I just thought they would wants LOADS more experience than a new grad would have. Long story short they hired me.

So I didn't KNOW that's what I wanted beforehand. But once they offered me a job I thought, "hey this sounds kinda fun..." That was over 2 years ago.

xantha31669 · Jan 18, 2003

I always planned to go into med-surg for a year then look for a more specialized position. Then I thought about the fact that people did that because they just wouldn't take you into a specialized area without it. I know they give you longer orientations on the specialty units, and the type of nursing is totally different there.

The problem for me is the positions are NICU, ICU, Labor & Delivery and Med-Surg Ortho-Neuro(the 5th was only a Baylor postion which is not an option for me now). I really do not want to do do the ortho-neuro since it is 90% hips and the hospital is short of ancillary staff, that means alot of heavy lifting alone. I do not want to kill my back straight out of school!

Thank you for all your wonderful input. I too was nervous about the NM. I see how they can talk out of both sides of their face where I work now. Since I want to work nights (7p-7A) and every other weekend there is definitely no problem there, they are just about always looking for these hours. The starting base pay for new grads around here ranges from 20.50-22.50 plus varying differentials.(Western MA/Northern CT)

I guess I have to really sit down with someone I trust who is a nurse and talk it out with them.

Thank you again, any other input would be greatly appreciated!

Lori

majrn · Jan 18, 2003

I also agree with lenwa and paula, I have been a med/surg nurse for 15 years. I also in the begining thought that one day I would like to be a specialty nurse. I started on med/surg because I worked there my senior year in a student nurse/aid capacity and was offered full time position upon graduation. There is much to be said about getting that general nursing base under your belt. Like lenawa said, when you get to specialty, it will be easier dealing with a medical condition if you've been there, done that! Take her advice, get at least 2 years of med/surg experience before you branch out. I am glad I did. So glad I decided I liked it so much I would stay in med/surg and have held my certificate in med/surg for almost 10 years. Now I enjoy precepting the undecided. Give it a try, you'll be glad. Good luck

xantha31669 · Feb 9, 2003

I just want to thank everyone who posted again and to let you know that I took your advice. I am going to be accepting a position on a med-surg floor at a large local teaching hospital. They get a mix of about 60% medical and 40% surgical and there is no specific specialty so you see everything. There are even some tele beds so I will get to learn that once I am getting the other stuff OK.

The manager is very pro-education and encourages everyone to go back to school and is willing to do her best to accomadate classes.

Thank you again!

Lori

Trauma Columnist · Feb 10, 2003

Fantastic. Hope you like your new job. Congrats!!!!