Help! I can't decide!

jollydogg_RN, ADN, BSN · Apr 21, 2011

I mean, you're not good at floor nursing because you haven't really done it in practice yet, lol. That's OK and completely natural. I gave it a good nine month run before I realized (after 2 really failed jobs) that it wasn't worth the stress associated with it.

I would definately reccommend the OR job, unless you really just want to work with aesthetics. The OR job, in my opinion, would definately open up more doors for you in the future. I know people who would have killed for an OR internship. Take it!

xoemmylouox, ASN, RN · Apr 21, 2011

I would LOVE to work in the OR.. I would go with that! Congrats and good luck! :yeah:

netglow, ASN, RN · Apr 21, 2011

I dunno. Seen circulating and don't want to do that. Very mundane as your job is a computer checkout one. Really, what would circulating lead to... circulating. If you went the other route, and worked well with a plastics guy/gal at some point, got famliar with more procedures, got your esthetician stuff, you could make some $. Sure not what you thought nursing would be, but neither is circulating (and neither is nursing in general).

hopfrogger · Apr 21, 2011

I mean, you're not good at floor nursing because you haven't really done it in practice yet, lol. That's OK and completely natural. I gave it a good nine month run before I realized (after 2 really failed jobs) that it wasn't worth the stress associated with it.
I would definately reccommend the OR job, unless you really just want to work with aesthetics. The OR job, in my opinion, would definately open up more doors for you in the future. I know people who would have killed for an OR internship. Take it!

Well to be completely honest, I am a new grad with embarrassingly a month of hospital nursing experience. It was a med-surg cardiac floor and I was completely panic-stricken, overwhelmed, depressed... you name it. I had anxiety at clinicals in school and knew that I had to find a different special little pocket in this field because med-surg was not going to be it. People say give it a year. Well, I know ME and I suffer from anxiety anyway and I just knew from that moment forward that I didn't have what it takes to be a floor nurse. Just don't. I'm a great listener, counselor, problem solver.. even thought about going into psych nursing at one point. But OR nursing appealed to me because of the one patient at a time aspect... I know its stressful as well but a different kind I think. The laser hair removal appeals to me because I know it would be less stress, more money.. but would it look as good on a resume?

nfdfiremedic, BSN, RN · Apr 21, 2011

There are lots of non-bedside nurse options. Unfortunately, many of them do require a year of experience. Some things that come to mind are case management/discharge planning, home health, wound care centers, office/clinic environments, risk management, dietary/diabetic teaching, research, interventional radiology, cath lab, school nurse, employee health nurse, infection control, public health/CDC, and the list goes on. One good thing about this job is you can try different sub-specialties until you find the one for you. Don't feel bad about those first two experiences. Lots of people bounce around a bit the first year or two. It's all about finding your niche.

rntj · Apr 21, 2011

Most jobs I have seen, whether in home health or other places, have required one year acute care experience. I would imagine most places want nurses to have at least a year in the hospital to get their skills down. If OR appeals to you I would go with the internship, but it is very hard on your body to stand in one place for so long if you are going to be assisting with surgeries so just be prepared for that. Good luck to you!

RNperdiem, RN · Apr 21, 2011

Before choosing, I would look at what kind of orientation is offered.

OR usually offers a long orientation for nurses new to OR. If the hospital/surgical center is a reputable place, then you will do fine.

What exactly will you be doing with laser hair removal? RN skills involved? What kind of orientation and training is offered?

How long has the laser center been in business?

Before choosing, do your homework on the two places, and go with your instinct.

hopfrogger · Apr 22, 2011

I am even more confused after visiting the laser center and observing. It seems fun and something I would really enjoy, low stress. They have been in business in this area for over seven years but have locations in a lot of states.

It seems like a lot of people think circulating in the OR is high-stress yet boring and mundane at the same time. Its a six month internship. I just am worried that I may not like it once I got into it. Its hard to know without ever doing the job and just reading about it....

ctnjason · Apr 24, 2011

i would suggest you stop nursing altogether and go back to school to be an accountant.

hopfrogger · Apr 24, 2011

i would suggest you stop nursing altogether and go back to school to be an accountant.

Wow, what an insensitive comment. Makes sense though. I was curious if you were a troll so I read back through some of your posts. You are just offended that nobody on this site thinks YOU should become a nurse! You are an x-ray tech thinking of going back to school to become a nurse only for the MONEY and admitted you have no people skills. At least I know that I went into nursing for the right reasons and I care about people. I only mentioned the other job making more money because sometimes that is a deciding factor, especially when you are the sole bread winner for your family. But numbers bore me. Maybe you should go into accounting.

netglow, ASN, RN · Apr 24, 2011

Remember everybody ...you are all hopefully adults with bills to pay. Nursing is not the stuff of "little girl dreams". Nursing is a job that you do to get paid so that you can afford to live your life. If you end up loving it, then great. Please don't let your mind go nutty and believe you are any different than the next guy who went to college and goes to work each day. You are no more deserving to be a nurse than the next guy. If you have all sorts of dreams of "helping people", etc, etc. and believe it's a "calling", then pack your bags and go to Africa, or Haiti, or Japan, or the like and serve as a nurse for free, then we'll all know you are not just "all talk".

And yes there ARE those that are not just all talk, and DO walk the walk. Not many though.