Help...please answer this question

Wise Woman RN · Sep 17, 2009

I entered my specialty while I was still in school... and am still at it 18 years later... and still love it... just follow your heart...

Best in all you do...

classicdame, MSN, EdD · Sep 17, 2009

not necessary but you will sure learn a lot & no knowledge is ever wasted

MikeyBSN · Sep 17, 2009

It's certainly not "absolutely necessary" but it might help in certain areas. What area are you looking to go into? I know several nurses who entered specialties and are very happy and did great. I know other nurses who sank like brick and went to med-surg. It depends on what the specialty is and what type of orientation you get.

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 17, 2009

Without a doubt, it helps. Med/surg can be the foundation of your knowledge. As an older nurse (40 at graduation) I really didn't want to 'waste' those MedSurg years outside of my preferred endpoint.

Those years have (in the end) been worth more than my nursing education in preparing me for my chosen specialty.

iluvicu · Sep 18, 2009

not really...but it will help. i was in assigned in med/surg floor for 2 mos before i was transferred to icu.

esthomprn · Sep 18, 2009

I think it depends on the person. If you are the type of person that picks up on things fairly quickly, can critically think, learn quickly, and only have be told once on something and its sticks then yes, you can specialize. I was in PICU and after 2 months realized that it wasn't for me. We had SO many different types of patient it was hard for me to pick up on things and keep up with each type of patient and critically thinik so I decided to transfer to a med/surg floor so that I can get that basic skills. BUT I talked to the other new grads and they said they don't have a problem. You just need to self reflect and be truthful to yourself and see if you can handle it or maybe shadow someone

good luck