What do you do and how long have you done it?

[RNPATL]

I have been on this forum for a long time and do not think that I have ever seen a thread like this posted, perhaps I am wrong, but I would really love to know what area of nursing each member works and how long they have worked there. If you are aspiring to another area of nursing or are in school, please share that as well.

I have been an RN for 4 years and was an LPN for 17 years. I work in open heart step down and a surgical recovery unit. I am applying to actually work in CVICU and should know in the next couple of months if I have been accepted. I am currently in school and hope to complete my FNP after graduating from UoP. Once I am done, I would like to teach as an adjunct professor as well as maintain my hand in the clinical environment. Once I am done with school, I am not sure if I will pursue more degrees .... I am anxious to have school behind me. Thats me :) Thanks for sharing.

PS - I have been told that my advar looks like an older version of Harry Potter with a moustache.

[laurakoko]

Thanks for asking. I was an LPN for 4 years, graduated through Excelsior college and am an RN for 6 years. I worked in a LTAC for 2 years as an LPN, then went on to Med/Surg for a while. I have cross trained in OB/GYN, well-baby nursery, Step-down, Telemetry, ICU, ER, endoscopy- with lots of experience, in the past 10 years! I am a mommy of 3... one 12 year old step son, a 21 month old daughter, and a 6 month old baby boy. I am currently working as float pool in my hospital, doing any and everything on the weekends, and working as a case manager during the week. I think my biggest reward from nursing has been that I have maintained a flexible and eagerness to learn attitude. I feel I can do anything in nursing.. the hardest, code blues, to the simplest, passing a meal tray. I wanted to learn it all. And I haven't, and have alot more to go! I do love the fact I can go pretty much anywhere in the hospital, and do a great job, or at least try my hardest. I love being a nurse. Well, most of the time!!!!!:)

[nursyperson]

I have been an RN for 29 years...some of that time med/surg, office nursing, float pools...but, for the last 15 years in ADN education. I also work in the maternal/child area of the local hospital part-time. I can't imagine being anything but a nurse!

[zenman]

Can I just leave out the number of years in each category, my memory fails me! CNA, Army medic, LPN, RN. ED, ICU, Helicopter Flight Nurse, M/S, Home Health, Psych, Teaching in ADN and BSN programs, Rehab & Physical Medicine, HMO (sucked), self employed - clinical, education, management positions, 34 years all together.

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

Started in the NICU after graduation...still here 6 years later with no plans on EVER leaving this unit. :)

During nursing school, I worked junior year as a CNA in med-surg and that was enough for me! Then I worked senior year as a CNA/secretary in a different NICU from where I work now.

RNPATL - your pic DOES look like Harry Potter!!! :chuckle

[casperbjs]

I'm a LPN (for 30 years!)

Now working in Assisted Living for 2 1/2 years. Really enjoy it!

Before that did office nursing for 11 years, and

nursery for 9 years, and pediatrics for 7 years.

[jschut, BSN, RN]

After being a CNA in LTC for almost 20 yrs, I have been a LPN for 2 yrs working nightshift in LTC, am currently pursuing my BSN, and where will I go from there? I'd like to work surgery, I think.

Although I love my elderly folks, I just don't wanna do it anymore!

[elFNP]

I did Med/Surg for 4 years. That was a very BIG mistake. I completed my masters as a Family Nurse Practitioner last Dec. 2003. That was one thing Med/Surg made me do, go back to school!

[ICUnowOHN]

I'm currently in Occupational Nursing at a large auto component site. We have 7 separate plants. We typically have a nurse at 6 of them, the 7th is new and not very heavily populated yet. I have been here for almost 8years. Prior to that, I was assigned to a cardiac telemetry unit, we were responsible for all pre/post open heart cases. We also took everything cardiac related from ER. We could initiate drips, just not titrate nitro drips above 20mics. I was the RN that would readily volunteer to take any float/pull to ICU. Consequently I worked MICU, SICU, Burn/Trauma, Neuro ICU more than I did my own unit. I gained so much experience by immersing myself in every ICU I could get to. I even got to the point where supervision would call me and offer OT in ICU. I worked 5-12's at a time, and had 4 days off ( my choice ). I worked in the regional Level 1 Trauma hospital, so I got to be involved in a vast variety of areas, which has made me a much more versatile nurse. I really enjoyed it, and sometimes miss it. I have also done skilled home health nursing ( vent patients on the side.

I mistakenly thought Occ Health would be a boring field. I couldn't have been more wrong. As in any specialty, it is just a different type of nursing. I am now responsible for aprox 1000 employees at a time. I have become hearing conservation certified, as well as OSHA, PFT, and drug screening certified. Right now, I am responsible for our whole site during summer changeover ( 2 weeks ), which means I have roughly 1200 employees scattered over the site ( 2 square miles ). I am the first responder to emergencies on the site. It can be really exciting at times. I also have become more of a psych nurse, which I find to be very rewarding. I have ended up being ( as sad as this is ) many of my employees' primary care provider.

I LOVE my job. I still miss the ICU work, but, I am definitely not bored !:)

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

10 years doing mostly cardiac/telemetry but since I was float pool many of those years, did any of the med/surg areas in the hospital. I was good at it, but very tired of the demands of med/surg hospital nursing.

Found out a couple of years ago that you can be a NICU nurse without working post-partum/labor & delivery (bad information years ago led me to believe they were always linked). So I think to myself, even if I'm required to work just as hard, maybe my back and neck won't hurt nearly as much. I took an NICU position about 2 years ago and have never looked back. I love it. I still occasionally have a bad dream that I've had to go back to my previous job. I didn't really dislike my previous job, I just really really love my new one.

[Baby Catcher]

Rn in hospital based birthing center. Working on my masters to be a certified nurse midwife. Have done clinic, home care and case management. OB IS THE BEST!!

[Gator,SN]

I graduated in May '03 with an ADN and I started out right away in a CCU. Now a year later, I really love it. I can't imagine working in any other unit. I am taking classes for my BSN (slowly) and I've started studying for my CCRN.

[missmercy]

I started working as a CNA when I was 17 -- and worked there until I was finished with nursing school. Got my BSN, went to work on a Pediatric unit -- had to move a year later -- went to MI and worked as a float RN in a community hospital -- covered all units but ICU and ER -- still loved Pedi's the ost. Went to OB/Post partum and nursery -- loved that too!! Then got to get some L&D experience -- loved that too!!! Worked as a camp/conference center medical director for 3 years... that was OK -- would have enjoyed it more if I hadn't been doing a huge amount of the cooking, cleaning and guest relations at the camp as well. Finished my MSN in Dec 03 and am currently working as the nursing staff development department in OH. I like this job too!! __ Great combo of education, a little bit of administrative duties, some research and a little patient care too -- best of all worlds! Think that covers the career -- fun to see what all we've been up to! We are an incredible bunch of folks aren't we?!:)