How did you decide what area of nursing to focus on?

llg, PhD, RN · Feb 20, 2008

I see you still have a long way to go before graduation. During that time, you will be exposed to many different nursing specialties and patient population. As you go through that process, pay attention to the following things:

1. Your emotional reactions. Which patient populations do you seem naturally drown to? Which ones do you enjoy working with the most? No matter how practical a career decision may be, most people can't stick with it if it doesn't tug on their hearts at least a little. If you want a job you will be satisfied with, pick a job that gives you some intrinsic satisfaction when you do it.

2. Which specialties interest you on an intellectual level? That's more important to some people than others. Some people don't really want to be intellectually stimulated/challenged by their jobs -- but for other people, it's a necessity. Which type of person are you? Which specialties will provide the level of intellectual challenge that you need?

3. What are your natural talents and skills? Some people are more suited for some specialties than others. Just because a specialty appeals to you, doesn't mean you will be good at it -- and constantly struggling in a job usually leads to unhappiness in the long run. For example: Some people think that the intense action of a busy ED or ICU is exciting and they imagine themselves working in such an environment. However, their personality and skills are not at all suited for such an environment. They get nervous and freeze up under stress, can't organize their thoughts quickly, hate to feel responsible for critical decisions, etc. In other words, they are not actually well-suited in real life to succeed in their fantasy careers. So.... do a good honest self-assessment of your talents as part of the process.

Pay attention to the type of feedback you get. What compliments do you receive? What areas do you need to improve on? etc.

4. What types of nursing jobs have working conditions, schedules, etc. that you could handle? A lot of students fail to consider that and end up fighting the system and getting frustrated because they forget those things when they go job-hunting. Be realistic.

5. Which jobs/specialties offer you a chance for career advancement in directions that interest you? For example, if you seek an academic career, you'll need solid clinical experience that will prepare you for faculty roles. You won't get that working in a doctor's office or for an insurance company, etc. You may have to compromise on work hours, working conditions, etc. to get the experience you'll need to advance your career. Be realistic about those types of things.

Good luck!