which field of nursing is the most flexible?

Nurses General Nursing

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Specializes in babysitting.

which area of nursing is most flexible? i read a post on here where the lady was labor and delivery and wanted to switch to dialysis. someone posted that LD does not have the expertise for renal failure. so, as a nurse, if you wanted to change after awhile and do something else, which type of nursing would give you the flexibility to do this? i would think maybe ER or private practice. i personally would not want to work in labor and delivery because it would be too hectic. people get really particular about their kids esp. if it is their first, they don't want you touching them certain ways, i hear that some men don't want male doctors and nurses touching and treating their wives and such. i know this opens a can of worms but it is still interesting to talk about.

Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

ICU.

If you have ICU, you can go anywhere--not the "stepdown" sort of ICU, I mean the sick patients...MICU, CVICU, SICU...transplants, LVADs, etc., and Level 1 traumas.

You can pretty much write a ticket to anything with that background.

Specializes in ICU, Float RN , Quality & PI.

Starting in med-surg area can give you a feel of nursing and confidence you need to specialize. Always a good place for new nurses to get started. Most hospitals work 12 hour shifts so you only work 3 days at 36 hours and considered full time. pretty flexible!

Specializes in ICU, Float RN , Quality & PI.

True ICU gives you tons of expereince. I started straight out of grad into ICU and it was my best move ever. I learned so much and became very confident as a nurse. However, I do not think all new grads are ready for ICU. What are your interests? If u are confident new grad ICU would give you great options, some new grads want experience before going to an intense unit. You know what your ready for. Go for what you think is best.

Specializes in L&D; GI; Fam Med; Home H; Case mgmt.

Honestly? I think I'd have killed people if I'd gone straight to ICU from graduation... but it's cool if there are those out there who feel confident in such a move. I know there are great ICU nurses who started straight out of school - I just know I wasn't one of you!

Specializes in ER, ICU, Education.

The more experience you gain over the years the more flexible you are as a nurse, hence the more marketable you are.

Specializes in Med/Surg, Geriatrics.

As long as you remain flexible, then nursing will be flexible for you. I started out as a peds nurse then went to med-surg after one year. Since then I have worked in corrections, home health, occupational health, research and a variety of other positions in and outside of the hospital. I now work for an insurance company. If you remain open and willing to learn, then you can work anywhere in nursing which is really one of the biggest advantages of this field.

Specializes in LTC.

My vote is for general med-surg. They get everything. Ortho full? Broken bones go to med-surg. OB full? Post-partum mom's and babies go to med-surg.

Med-Surg nurses are the jacks of all trades.

Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

I think its a really tough question to answer to be honest. I agree with some users who say ICU although I definitely don't think all new grads. can handle the ICU straight out of school and I agree with some users who say Med/Surg. because it can help to provide a good foundation for your practice. But I think I'm going to put my vote in for the Emergency Department. I think that if you find a good new grad. program at a Level I Trauma Emergency Department then one could argue that its comparable to a good new grad. program in the ICU. Keep in mind that ED nurses and ICU nurses have some similar and overlapping goals and areas of practice but they are also very different, high acuity specialties. The reason why I say ED instead of ICU is that in many Emergency Departments you will see any kind of patient from "womb to tomb" but if its a larger teaching hospital you may find that there are specialty ICUs including but not limited to TICU (Trauma Intensive Care Unit), SICU (Surgical Intensive Care Unit), MICU (Medical Intensive Care Unit), CICU (Cardiothoracic Intensive Care Unit) and NICU (Neuroscience Intensive Care Unit) and that's just a few specialties in adult care, that doesn't even include pediatrics with the PICU (Pediatric Intensive Care Unit) or NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit). So I guess that's why I would put my vote in for the Emergency Department as the field of nursing that is the most flexible, because you will see patients who should have gone to their primary care provider and you will also see the traumas come in where life and death hang in the balance and that can be all in the same shift.

!Chris :specs:

Specializes in LTC, med/surg, hospice.

I would say ER. You see variety of patients..you have multiple patients. So you will learn good time management, how to prioritize, and to speak up! You get to hone alot of skills..IV/NG/foleys and run your own codes.

Least flexible would be psych IMO. Not putting down psych nurses in any way or saying you can't get out of that field...it just might be more challenging to do so.

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