How many areas of nursing did you try before finding your "niche"?

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Specializes in Psychiatric mental health.

Im a relatively new grad of 9 months, and already on my second nursing job! I started in NICU after graduation, and now Im working in adult psych! I know...totally different areas! But I still dont think Ive found my "niche" yet...and trying not to feel discouraged. Just wondering what areas and how many areas you guys have worked in before finding your "niche"?

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I have been out of school 2 1/2 years and have changed jobs/hospitals once. Started off on a telemetry cardiac step down unit and now work in oncology. Still have not found my 'niche' either. I have spoke to many older nurses that change areas within a hospital every couple of years looking for the best fit for them. I really don't know how long it takes. I hope I find my niche soon though.

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Specializes in MSP, Informatics.

I went into Med Surge because that is what us new grads were supposed to do for the first couple of eyars. I stayed there for 17 years, until I just the last few years fell into the computer nures thing. sooooo, since I am really happy with what I am doing now, I think it took me 17 years to find my niche! (But I did like the MSP nursing at the time!)

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

ICU

Trauma

ER

NICU/Nursery

Education

PACU

Next: OB

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Specializes in preop/pacu.

Postpartum/Nursery

Orthro/Neuro/Rehab

Med/Surg

Surgical tele

PACU

Preop/PACU . I love my coworkers (well, most of them). I found my niche

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
Im a relatively new grad of 9 months, and already on my second nursing job! I started in NICU after graduation, and now Im working in adult psych! I know...totally different areas! But I still dont think Ive found my "niche" yet...and trying not to feel discouraged. Just wondering what areas and how many areas you guys have worked in before finding your "niche"?

well since 1972, Oh my gosh, 12, = CCU, ER, ICU, acute LTC, family practice clinic, PACU, psyc., pedi, step down MICU, adoles. MHMR, physical medicine orthopaedics, respiratory, & still find critical care my niche, prefer ER

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Specializes in trauma, ortho, burns, plastic surgery.

Hey is not about "the department" how much is about "PEOPLE" who work there. I loved trauma-orthopedy-surgery-OR-rehab, with all my heart was my first love...unfortunately....one is what you belive that is... another one is when you are insiede.... everythink depend of people who work there... I will NEVER , forgot my first trauma-ortho team "all for one and one for all, for good and for bad...we are the team"... I tried to find "my niche" trying to find people like them, to find my team again.......a little of "Le Baron" here, a little of mom GG there, my perfect MD now is named in another way, IV departmt... know me again after my name lol,"Zuuuzi damn it pick up the phone!" chain of command is the same, lol ... is EASY when you find the PEOPLE with who you are fitted to work.... THAT means "the niche", nothing else... you will work with pleasure and nothing will look hard IF you are with right people around... that is all...find FIRST the people...is hard I know, but finally you will find them....and belive me you will be happy! A big hug, Zuzi

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I think Zuzi has a big point there..you may love a certain specialty...but if the team work isn't there forget it.

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Med/tele/Pacu?cath lab/Specials/ED/ICU of every kind and I am still looking. Really it might not depend on the place as much as the people. Work load plays a huge role in happiness as well as personal satisfaction.

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Specializes in Family Nurse Practitioner.

I shopped the specialities in my mind while I was doing clinicals in school and was fairly confident about what would suit me and what wouldn't. I went right into psych and am very happy.

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I've been working 2.5 years as a nurse. I started as a new grad in telemetry, which was okay. But after 1.5 years I tried ICU in the same hospital. I'm still in that ICU, and liking it much more than Telemetry! But after a few years here I'd like to try other critical care areas (ER, PACU) to see if I'm meant to be anywhere else. And if I get sick of critical care, which probably won't be for a while because I love my current job, I'd try maternity/L&D.

Nothing wrong with trying new areas of nursing. One nurse told me she tried EVERY single area (med/surg, tele, L&D, etc) before she found ICU and has stuck with ICU ever since.

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Specializes in NICU Level III.

One! I knew all along I'd be in NICU.

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