Graduate Nurse in Ortho, should I start there?

[KimRN03]

I interned on an Ortho floor this past summer and I LOVED it. My nurse manager has offered me a position on the ortho unit if I want it when I graduate in 67 days. The question I have is, is Ortho a good place to start? I am apprehensive about beginning my career there because they don't always see NG's, trachs, feeding tubes, TPN etc.... yet I HATE Med/surg! We do get some overflow med/surg patients occassionally on the weekends when census is low, but they are usually non-complex stable people with routine choleys and pneumonia. I would really appreciate some Ortho nurses advice. The RN's on my floor would love to have me and I feel comfortable and welcomed there, so it kind of compounds my problem. Thanks for all the advice!

[jax]

If you're happy why not stay? It sounds like you will be well supported by the staff in your new role . Perhaps you could stay for a while , while you find your feet as an RN then think about moving. If you don't get a lot of trauma in your unit, there are probably other ortho units where you could find enough traccy's, n/g tubes etc,, to keep your skills advancing.

I too enjoy working ortho , congratulations on finishing.

I do have to ask though, what is an internship? Are you working on the unit in a paid position whilst studying? Jax

[KimRN03]

This summer was a paid internship. I was assigned to a preceptor and I was her co-assigned nurse. She and I were assigned the same 5 patients. I did everything for the patient besides give meds. ALthough, I was allowed to change IV bags. I taped report and also wrote all the notes as well as worked on admits, post-ops and discharges.

[P_RN, ADN, RN]

I knew from the first day I stepped onto the ortho unit that this was for me!!!

Take it, but there are no guarantees that you won't see chest tubes, ng tubes, TPN, feeding tubes, trachs etc. I believe that almost every week we had most of these. The one thng we didn't have a lot of is codes. Fortunately!!!

[renerian, BSN, RN]

I could never do ortho. Hated it but loved oncology. If you do not like med surg I would not think ortho would be for you. What does your heart tell you?

renerian

[Ortho_RN]

Take the position if you want it... I just accepted a ortho position when I graduate.... I like Ortho b/c you do see just about everything. Most of the hips, knees whatever have other problems like diabetes, CHF, etc....

Good Luck.. :)