Which field of nursing is the most technically hard?

ManicRN911 · Jul 20, 2017

All nursing jobs are "hard" in their own ways. Continuing education in my opinion, is the least "hard" thing that may be a requirement for a nursing job. They say the best thing about nursing is that there are so many different types of jobs we can do. I don't know if any of them are easy, but you just need to find where you are happy.

Rocknurse, MSN, APRN, NP · Jul 20, 2017

In my personal experience I would say CVICU. We had to master many skills including maintaining invasive lines, monitoring, IABPs, CRRT, VADs, vents, central lines, arterial blood gases and all manner of things. I loved it though so it wasn't "hard" for me, but it was a challenge. Also dialysis is fairly technical, particularly in acutes which was where I worked as we'd do patients 1:1 in the ICU who were unstable.

NurseLauraM · Jul 21, 2017

Ok so you want to challenge youself... the "most challenging" type of nursing, as judged by most, is not necessarily the best option. What type of setting do you want to ultimately end up in?

bmcvean · Jul 22, 2017

But what's hard for one person might not be hard for you.

I totally agree with this statement. You will figure out what is most difficult/challenging for yourself when you get into different roles of being a nurse. Try out an area you are interested in that in your mind is super technical and then go from there. There is no "one size fits all" when it comes to nursing.....thats the beauty of it!

Best of luck!

HelloWish, ADN, BSN · Jul 22, 2017

CEU's are required to maintain a nursing licence no matter what specialty or area you work in.

I think hospital experience is valuable starting out as a nurse and I value the time I had on the floor. However, I now work in a clinic as an oncology nurse for a physician. I feel this job requires me to have an extensive amount of knowledge, more at a physician level, and my work is never ending. I do not leave work and come back fresh. I always have something to complete. I have to go home and study so I can teach my patients about their treatments, side effects and managing them. I also go home and realize all the things I need to finish and have to make notes to myself to finish when I get back to work. I am the physicians right hand, I have to speak for her (she always guides me on what to say), triage, and ensure that my patients get what they need.

For instance, my doc didn't put in orders for port placement on patient soon to receive doxorubicin a vesicant form of chemotherapy. I am still new at my job, so I also dropped the ball on this as well as the physician. I didn't recognize right away the need for the port, although I know this form of chemo requires a port. The patient came in to receive a first dose of doxorubicin. The patient wasn't able to receive it due to not having a port yet. So as the nurse, it is my job to catch these things in the future. Our patients need so many things prior to starting chemo including education over chemo drugs, managing side effects, and how to use all their prescribed meds as well as consent, echo cardiograms, port placement, radiation therapy, etc. I have to be aware of all of this and more. This is only a small part of what I do as a nurse. I spend days in triage, getting funding for my patients treatment, helping them get disability, etc.

Many days go by, and I realize the monumental burden that I have to take on to make sure my patients get what they need. Yesterday, I found myself in tears at work because of this. I also found myself in tears over my patient's pain.

Most floor nurses do not realize the tremendous amount of responsibility a clinic nurse has for their patients. Floor nursing is equally as difficult. Each area of nursing including the ER, ICU, med surg, and clinic requires specialized knowledge that another nurse may not need to know. I think they are all equally difficult in their own ways and a person's niche is based on their personality.

I am in the specialty I need to be in. I would hate working the ER or ICU!

kakamegamama · Jul 22, 2017

I'm thinking either ER or ICU since both fields require continuing education. What, in your experience, is the hardest nursing field?

Most, if not all areas of nursing require continuing education. Actually, it's the states' boards of nursing that require that, not the areas of nursing per se. Some do require extra CE, but not all.

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 22, 2017

I hate when people try to define what's "hardest" because no nursing specialty is "easy" and all require continuing competencies and education and are certainly NOT easy. Pissing contests are stupid.

gcupid · Jul 23, 2017

all of it is hard.

chris21sn, BSN, RN · Jul 24, 2017

I would say ICU, as they have the most unstable of pts. It requires a nurse to really use their nursing skills, critical skills to the fullest.

TriciaJ, RN · Jul 28, 2017

I have care of 36 hospital level patients. This includes delivering medications for all of those four times a way.
The pace is very fast. Many of my patients have multiple medical morbidities, we have palliative patients who are for end of life care. The other week I arrived on shift to start my med round, I had a patient who was crashing, had to contact the family to find out their treatment wishes, contact the doctor to get some medications charted, and no one else was passing my medications for me.
Gerontology requires a huge amount of crititcal thinking as do all areas of nursing if you want to be any good at your job

I agree with this. Any nurse who thinks he/she isn't using critical thinking skills is missing something.

debirn918 · Jul 28, 2017

I think any area of nursing can be considered the hardest. Personally, I think it takes knowledge, skill and an eagerness to continue to learn and grow wherever you choose. Maternal-Newborn has been a primary focus of my career. Pregnancy is not for the faint of heart. You are treating at least two whenever you take on that pregnant person. And the 2nd one is not easily visible. Everything that the mom does or is exposed to, can reflect on that fetus. I always like to remind others who try to tell me the fetal heart rate is great 'it stays right at 140', that is not great. It might be a great thing to see a very even heart rate on an adult, but if you see it on a fetus-you better be thinking of the interventions you should implement. Fetal heart rates are not meant to be even! I now work part-time in this setting and teach in a Community College 2 yr ADN program. I have to say this is one of the best jobs. I not only get to work with those entering the profession, but I get to watch them go through the decision-making process leading to their ultimate dream job. Will it be the one they perceived as the hardest or the easiest. Finally, this is the greatest thing about our profession. So many different opportunities and directions to choose from.

TriciaJ, RN · Jul 28, 2017

I'm almost 25. I want to try out the hardest type of nursing to challenge myself.

The hardest type of nursing will be the one you hate every minute of. Can't stand crying kids? Peds is the hardest one. Hate dealing with people who are not cognitively intact? LTC, memory care or psych. Hate standing in the same spot doing the same thing all gowned and masked? OR or other procedures. Fear of flying? Flight nursing. Can't stand foul odours? The world's your oyster with that one.

You get where I'm going with this? Hard is different for different people. If you want a challenge for the sake of challenge, take up mountain climbing or cliff diving. The challenge in nursing is giving great care despite poor staffing, lack of resources, lack of support, etc. So pick something that suits your temperament and concentrate on providing the absolute best care for each patient and family member.