Questions on shadowing/first job/grad school

Nursing Students General Students

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I am waiting to hear about acceptance to UPMC Shadyside hospital program. My goal after graduation is to get my BSN and then go to grad school.

it is my understanding that to bea dmitted to most grad schools they require nursing experience in an acute care setting. I have been told this pretty much means any nursing position within a hospital. Meaning they just don't want you working in a nursing home or some such place.

So anyway I am trying to conduct shadowing experiences before I enter nursing school to make sure I am making the right choice. So I would like to know what is the most common job a nurse right out of school lands? I have been told med surg is generally the most common and that it is uncommon to land ICU type jobs. So I am wondering if this information is correct should I be shadowing a med surg nurse to get the best understanding of what I will actually be doing as a nurse? Any other kinds of nurses worth taking a look at?

Thanks

Well, med Surg jobs are easier to get as a New Grad, but I started in the ICU. New Grads seem to be starting everywhere these days. I'd ask to do something like: Shadow for 4 hours in one area, and 4 hours in another. Just to see the variety in Nursing.

Shadowing will allow you to see what nurses do, but won't give you an idea of whether you will like doing it on a daily basis. I recommend some volunteer work- or even better, get certified as a CNA, and do some wok. I shadowed a peds nurse for a day and really found that it didn't help me much. But working day in and out with patients allowed me to see that I could really do it...

I am a student due to graduate in May 06 and I just got hired to be a nurse in a post-partum unit right after graduation. Med-Surg is not the be-all and end-all for graduate nurses. Its great for the technical skills if thats your thing. Its not my thing and I went for PP nursing because I love the role as nurse as a teacher and what my husband referred to as "happy nursing". I agree with Katiebell in that you should really look around at many aspects of nursing.

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