How did you or will you go about picking what specialty of nursing is right for you?

Nurses General Nursing

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Hey everyone! I'm a first year Nursing student and just wondering if anyone had any good ideas as to how to pick what specialty is right for you?

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Specializes in Neuro /Med-Surg.

What gets you going???? What subject in nursing school did you have the hardest time pulling yourself away from the book so you could get your "real" studing done. If that doesn't help go to a hospital one that has many differant types of floors not the ones where they put the pt on the floor just because it has an empty bed and staff to cover it. But a hospital where the cardiac pts go there and the neuro pts go there and the psy pts go way over here spend time, hours on the floor explain why you are there (so they don't think about calling security) and talk to the nurses and the doc if they have time floor that you find it the hardest to just watch is most likely the floor for you. Hope this helps... Best of luck.

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

Just wait and see what your'e exposed to during your clinicals and you will see what you like, what interests you, what kind of pt's you like (and don't like) to care for and will find your niche, good luck

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Specializes in Medsurg/ICU, Mental Health, Home Health.

i agree with what the others have said, and also, be open-minded. you might think you'd never do a certain speciality, or you'll only work with a specific population. you have plenty of time to decide, and you'll notice if you hang around here long enough that few nurses only work in one area during their careers. you might start out in medsurg, do some icu time, then decide dialysis is what's best for you, only to retire while you're working psych!

jess

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.

Just look at everything with an open mind. I was 100% certain that I wanted to specialize in the ICU when I graduated. In fact, I thought the neuro ICU would be the best place in the world. But during my rotations I fell in love with the OR. I loved pre-op, post-op, PACU--all of it. I still thought that ICU was the best bet though and so I did my final internship in that specialty. Turns out I hated it. Most of my experience since graduation has been in Day Surgery and it is a perfect fit for me.

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Specializes in everywhere.

I agree with the previous posters. While in school, I always wanted to be in NICU. I did work pediatrics, PICU, NICU eventually. I started out in critical care, worked house pool, wound up in peds, PICU and NICU, worked there for several years. Now I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE working in the cath lab.

It takes a while, enjoy your clinicals, keep an open mind. See what really gets you going in clinicals, what you can't tear yourself away from.

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Specializes in ICU/ER.

Sometimes your specialty picks you! I went through school positive I was going to be an OB nurse. Then graduation came and OB didnt have the sched I wanted or even close to the sched I wanted, but the ICU mgr talked to me and she did. She also flattered me during my interview by telling me I had self confidence and that was something she could not train in, so even though I was a new nurse and would need extensive skills training, she felt I could do the job.

I was sold, started there right after graduation and could not be happier. I could not imagine doing any thing else right now. Love it so much. In fact, OB does now have the sched I want, and the OB mgr got a hold of me knowing I wanted that sched/that job. I had to decline--for now. Maybe in a few years I may want to take on something new. But for now ICU is my home.

PS in school---I hated the heart..anything heart I would want to hold my hands over my ears and say "la la la la" If i was going to work with one muscle it was going to be the uterus, not the heart!!!----boy was I wrong!

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think about the different types of nursing specialties there are and then decide what is right for you.

i decided to become a nurse because i had a wonderful ob nurse when i was 29 and had my last child. it inspired me to go into nursing with the full intent of becoming an ob nurse...wrong! i was in clinicals and saw 1, (one) baby being born and almost passed out! i had never been on that end of the birthing experience.

i have since been a case manager for pregnant and parenting teens, worked in wic, community health, geriatrics, home health and now i teach students to become nursing assistants. i love what i am doing now. took me awhile to finally get what makes me happy, but i chalk it up to all the great experience i had along the way.

you will find what is right for you. just give it some time and do some serious thinking and looking down the road. :wink2:

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Specializes in orthopaedics.

it's been a year since graduation, and i am still not sure. i accepted a position right after graduation on an orthopaedicsfloor. it's ok not what i would call hard core nursing. more like a bathroom aide that has privledeges to pass meds. :lol2:

i am into the drama. when there is a code i am there. your personality has a lot to do with your specialty. take your time and learn from each experience.

at the end of june i will be starting my new position in critical care and can't wait! best of luck to you.

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