If you can work here, you can work anywhere, but how true is that statement?

[RN-dancer]

As a recent new nurse grad (whoot whoot!) recruiters are trying there damnedest to lure me to their unit or their hospital. All these recruiters and nurses I shadow on the unit say the same thing: If you can work here, you can work anywhere. I think to myself -__- really?? From oncology/med-surg unit to the ER L2 to the SICU. Don't get me wrong each unit brings its own challenges, and experiences but how does this trend spread across the nurse-span?

My question to those experienced nurses- does that statement actually apply? I work as a nurse intern on a cardiac med-surg unit and those nurses refuse float shifts to the ICU or ER.

Thank you for all your input! Happy RN-ing!

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

It can be true for some (it's not for me; there are types of units I don't really think I could work in), but that's not to say that that working anywhere can happen without proper training. A floor nurse -- no matter how good they are -- should NOT float to the ICU or ED without training. I as an adult ICU nurse should NOT float to ED or NICU or L&D or psych or........... without training.

Generally how I take that "if you can work here, you can work anywhere" statement is: "This is a *****y place to work, and if you can work here any other level of *****yness will seem mild in comparison."

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Generally how I take that "if you can work here, you can work anywhere" statement is: "This is a *****y place to work, and if you can work here any other level of *****yness will seem mild in comparison."

^This.

[BeckyESRN]

Generally how I take that "if you can work here, you can work anywhere" statement is: "This is a *****y place to work, and if you can work here any other level of *****yness will seem mild in comparison."

Truer words have never been spoken!

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

Odd way to lure a nurse. It means it's a tough gig.

The last floor nursing job I held.. was floating on the unit from hades, I had 28 years of experience. I referred to it as "New York".

Meaning...if I could make it there, I could make it anywhere.

Don't start out in New York.

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

It means it's a tough gig. It's also a way to brag about your job. "If I can work here, I can work anywhere" means I must be a pretty great nurse. Perhaps; perhaps not.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

Short answer, yes.

Perhaps the more refined question should be: If you could work in Hell do you really want to work in Hades?

Otherwise having all the crossover skill in the world will not save you from a putrid work environment and they are not as they say mutually exclusive.