Graduate in 12 weeks, elated and terrified!!! Looking for experienced nurses advice.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehabiliation Nursing.

Hello out there,

First of all, I just have to say that I have been an avid AllNurses.com viewer since I found it, (about 1 and 1/2 years ago). I find encouragement, support, lots of advice that I have used to make my clinical experiences more meaningful and helpful. I havent really had the nerve to post much, a few here and there, but this website is a wonderful way to learn, and I decided it was time to really come out here. I have to say that nursing school was the best choice I ever made in my life, and even if I flunked out tomorrow, (knock on wood, Jesus protect me, and NO freaking way!!!), I would still be happy with all I have learned about myself and my fellow human beings. Nursing school has been such a long, tough haul....I will be proud I made it through. And anyone out there who has, has my utmost respect.

My dilemma is this, and it is probably a big snore to those of you who are long-time nurses, but,...... What am I going to do with this? There are so many options, the mind boggles~!

I am looking for advice from some of you ladies (and men, of course!) who have been long-time nurses, on the best way to start. My passion is emergency care, I have been told that no one hires graduate students in the ER. So I have been trying to find a Med-Surg floor that offers a broad range of experiences. I know I will probably have to work nights to start, but does starting with a good med-surg floor sound like the best way to go? Seriously, I don't know for sure where I want to go with this.

I do know one thing. I am immensely proud of my choice of vocation, I think nurses are amazing, and I truly will be elated to be able to sign my name with an RN at the end. (okay, now I am getting a little teary, did I mention that I can be a big geek, too?) I am not sure the best forum to post this, so I will start here. Hello everyone!!!

kbraker

ps

Does anyone know how to change your login name, cuz when I graduate in May, I want to change it to kbrakerRN.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Anyone want to give this new nurse and allnurses member some good advice???

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

PS:

You may change your login/username by submitting 3 alternate names to the following people by Private Message:

NRSKarenRn

NurseRatched

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Brian

GOOD LUCK to you!

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New grad programs in ER can be found but you have to look for them. Good luck.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Look for hospitals that offer new graduate "residency" programs in areas like ED, ICU/CCU, OB, etc. These are a great way to "break into" the specialty of your choice!

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Like someone said, you can find ERs that take newbies if you look. What I suggest is to choose the hospital that has the ER you'd like to work in first, then get a job on a floor that has medical and surgical patients if possible. You might want to choose an ER that is a designated trauma center rather than one that isn',t or a hospital that has a helicopter. (I never did that but I always thought that very cool being a flight nurse. You'd need a ton of experience first, though.)

But if you start on a combined medical and surgical floor you'll get a pretty broad baseline of exposure. It won't be like an ER but you can at least refine your assessment skills. Then maybe after 6 months you can transfer to the ED (if they don't require ICU experience first).

Good luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, LTC, Rehabiliation Nursing.

Thanks Tracey and everyone!

And I am trying to change my user name, I just still keep getting lost around here, lol:roll , but I am learning!

Till I change my user name I will just sign off with

KB

Thanks again. LOVE the support and encouragment. Cuz we all know how warm and fuzzy the nursing instructors in school are. (though I have had one who is, as far as I am concerned, a goddess of nurses)

I can feel the love, people.:kiss :heartbeat

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Kristy

WAY TO GO!! you should be proud of yourself...I graduated in 1988 and have always worked critical care...PICU...NICU...Pediatric and Adult emerg..

I have even done flight nursing for 6 years....Go where your heart leads you..

I live in Canada right now and I am moving to TN in a couple of months hopefully to secure a position at Vanderbilt Hospital ED...

Congrats and all the best!!

:rotfl: .......YEAH Kristy!!

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Specializes in ED, ICU, PACU.

HI

I'm not a long time nurse, but I have had some experience as a new grad in both ICU and med-surg. If your passion is for emergency nursing, then go for it. I will be starting in an Emergency Room in a couple of months, although that is where I really wanted to be in the 1st place. No offense to the med-surg nurses out there; but, it was a perpetual juggling act of trying to accomplish 20 things simultaneously while needing to be in three places at one time, always with a least one whiny patient who felt I was their personal maid. I never got a chance to spend any quality time with a patient who really needed it and felt more like an organizational strategist than a nurse. Critical care does allow you to have more patient focus, but it does not offer the constant reprioritizing that emergency nursing needs. So, IMHO, if you tend to learn things on your feet, aren't a perfectionist, need to feel a daily sense of accomplishment over the need to organize yourself and would be bored in critical care----try for an emergency room internship/residency.

Good Luck to you, soon to be RN

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Specializes in everywhere.

Hello KB, I'm in the same situation as you are, graduating shortly. I asked for my preceptorship to be done in the Trauma Center, since I have always enjoyed my clinicals there. I realize that during my preceptorship will not be the same as working,,,,but I'm hoping that it will give a better idea if that is what I want at this point or not. Does your clinicals end in precepting? If so, try precepting where you are the most interested.

Good Luck!

We are almost there! Then the real education starts.....

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