How do you decide on a speciality?

mrsboots87 · Oct 9, 2013

Was there a particular clinical area you liked more than the others? Maybe start there. Or see if you can find a job as a floater so you can see various aspects of nursing until you find your niche. Or since you will be a new grad and finding a job to get that first year under your belt will be hard enough, just take what you get offered. WOrk hard and after a few months as your manager if you can shadow other departments you are interested into until you find something you love.

kaydensmom01 · Oct 9, 2013

What area's did you like in clinicals? Honestly it usually doesn't matter at first though, because you usually take what you can get for your first nursing job.

soxgirl2008 · Oct 9, 2013

I would just worry about getting any job first. The market is so tight today, and I don't know where you live, but in many areas it's hard for new grads to find jobs let alone in a speciality. Once you find your first job you'll figure out what you like about it and what you don't like and you'll start to get an idea from there. Don't worry, it takes many nurses years to figure out what their niche is.

cjdmomma · Oct 9, 2013

In my opinion, med surg is a great place to start. You really get a good footing for the basics. Med/surg is what I am going to attempt to do for my first job. But like the PP said.... finding a job is what is important...

After I start to get this nursing thing down, I will branch out...

llg, PhD, RN · Oct 9, 2013

If you didn't find any areas you really liked more than others ... were there any aspects or settings that you really didn't like? Sometimes, it's easier to start such a selection process by eliminating some of the negative possibilities first.

krisiepoo · Oct 9, 2013

I say graduate, get a job and then find out what you're really good/passionate about and go from there.

You've been in clinicals, what area sparked your interest?

KelRN215, BSN, RN · Oct 10, 2013

In this market, you decide based on who offers you a job.

gmarquardt · Oct 11, 2013

Thanks everyone, I do plan on taking whatever job comes my way, but I am looking to make a somewhat plan for when I continue on.

Dranger · Oct 11, 2013

A dart board lol

Honestly even though I hate it, med surg or a tele/step down unit in my opinion are the best places to start. Lots of people really want to do mother baby or NICU out of school and while those are good areas for them they can really stunt your growth to the point where you get stagnant with skills.

Mother/baby rarely has meds, infant assessments over and over, lactation help and massaging funduses are what you do. People may disagree but that really hurts you if you want to move into areas like ICU or ED.

Also everyone and their mom wants to be a NP or CRNA out of school eventually but few actually become one, keep your mind open.

Stephalump · Oct 11, 2013

You do what you like. If you don't know what you like, you do what you don't dislike, and then through exposure you might find something you love. I don't really see it as some sort of major decision in this job market. Most people don't have dozens of job offers to choose from.

Just see where life takes ya :) Or for most of us...you do whatever anyone will hire you for. I'm working as a tech on a tele floor, so my "speciality" will more than likely be tele, until I get experience and do something else.