I just graduated in May with a RN BSN and have been hired as a supervisor in donor services (RN required) at a local bloodbank where I've worked as a lab assistant for the past 3.5 years while in nursing school. I am really happy that I have been hired for this position. I get to travel to the mobile blood donation sites and supervise the phlebotomists, assist with collections, perform QA etc. It's exactly the type of thing I wanted to do when I graduated from nursing school!
I really enjoyed community nursing and was depressed when everyone kept telling me that I needed to do med/surg (as if you're not a real nurse if you don't....believe me, people have actually said that to me!) I don't like the stress of running around, taking care of 5-7 patients (with my license on the line), dealing with doctors, patients' families (I feel as though I don't have the opportunity to help them as well as the patient), discharges, meds, admits, surgeries, testing, labs, low staffing...aaaaahhhh! Part of me thinks that I made the right choice in deciding to take this job and not go to the 3rd shift med/surg interview that I had. But there's still a little part of me that feels as though I didn't make the right decision. Alot of nurses say that I'm limiting myself and my career, and everything I learned will be lost. I was going to try to find per diem med/surg work...but since my FT job is already every other weekend, that would leave me with NO weekends off! That, on top of having to do med/surg, would make me so miserable.
Does anyone else, that is already a nurse in the field, think that you NEED med/surg, even when you know that you're NEVER going to work in a hospital. The closest I would get to med/surg is a community clinic or outpatient setting.
One of my friends that is a nurse said that if in 5 years or so I decided to do med/surg, that it may be a little more difficult, but I would just need to find a hospital willing to train me, and that not all would be lost because I didn't do it right out of school. Now that's only assuming that I would ever change my mind...I sincerely doubt it. I do want to continue with my academic career, and hope to get a masters in community health nursing. And who knows, maybe I'll go for my PhD. As for right now, I want to get comfortable in my own skin as a new nurse, and not think of what the future holds...but I find it hard to do that because of all the med/surg pressure that I'm under.
changeofpaceRN, what type of work do you do as a public health nurse? We went through it briefly in school, and it sounded interesting, but I never got a full grasp of what a typical day would include. Also, what kind of experience do you need to be a public health nurse?
I am also interested in maybe doing nursing research someday. I did some environmental research while in community nursing. I really enjoyed it.
Thanks for the info...and the thoughtful comment.
I work in a clinic seeing the uninsured/under insured OB patients, those in need of STD treatment and those needing regular exams. I teach about abnormal paps, how to prevent STD's or how to deal with current problems. I participate in OB counseling sessions. We chat about birthing options, what to expect, how to care for baby, help locate resources for corificeats and other needs ect.. There are other PHN that work specifically with drug abusers, AIDS patients, TB patients ect.. there are so many different avenues. As far as experience, I had some time in substance abuse programs, I had a minor in psych and that was it. The title "RN" was the only real requirement- I happened to be in the right place at the right time.
The downfall is the pay but I thought my happiness was worth the pay cut.
I agree with the fact that money isn't everything...someone said to me recently, (when I was thinking about doing med/surg regardless of the fact that I didn't like it) "how many people do you know that love their job?" She had a point. Sure, I'm not working in a hospital, but I'm an RN that loves her job. :)
Thanks for the in depth explanation on PHN.That sounds really interesting! I think that no matter where I end up...it will be helping others in the community. I feel as though I make a difference there. Nurses in other specialties do as well, but I have to be where I feel needed and useful. We need all kinds of nurses, and that's just the kind of nurse I am!
I graduated June 08 and went right into psych nursing. I knew I did not want to be a "Floor Nurse." I to had some reservations about not doing med-surg, and it occasionally still bothers me, but I am happy with my decision and will go on to get certified in my specialty. I am a charge nurse on a very busy unit. Responsible for managing the care of 30 patients, writing treatment plans(not just printing a generic plan out) and managing 10 MHT's and LPN's it is a very stressful job but I love it...Be true to yourself, life is to short to be miserble every day.
Thanks nurselacey..I'm glad you chose the path that made you happy! I think that when you make any big life decision, you're always going to have some kind of "what if" feeling. But you just have to trust your instincts...you're right, life is WAY too short to be miserable the entire time.
I absolutely agree that life is too short to be miserable all the time. The working conditions of many med surg areas floors are poor because many places short staff, especially in this economy. If you are in a job you love, stay. I know of a nurse who was out of practice 5 years to be a SAHM, and she took a refresher course and was able to get back into the hospital setting. Really, finding a job you love is a huge feat. Hold onto that job tightly. You do not need med/surg experience to be a 'real' nurse.
It is so wonderful to read these responses! I'm a new nurse. So far my experience on a med-surg unit has been an emotional disaster. My fellow nurses with whom I work with are outstanding but I'm just not happy. I've been a GN on this unit since May 30th of this yr. and passed the the NCLEX on the 6th of July. My heart is with community/public health nursing but most of the positions require med-surgical experience. WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO! Is this a hidden/written mandatory order that isnt mentioned to nursing students? Im so glad to know that I am not alone in feeling this way. I've been so discouraged lately. I'm going to complete this 1yr. med-surg experience and then move on to follow my heart, my passion, and my dreams in community nursing. Thanks for sharing your true feelings about med-surg. As of this very moment, I am encouraged!!!!!
I'm glad this posting has helped! I passed the NCLEX on July 6th as well...small world, huh? Anyways, I hope the year goes by fast for you...what kind of community nursing did you want to do that requires that experience? Hospice, home health care? I've seen some jobs that don't require med/surg, but they are few and far between. Good luck to you. I hope you find something that makes you happy!
I HATED med-surg in nursing school... Mostly because we were used as extra CNAs and didn't really even get to see that much. I perceived it as a dirty, smelly floor with mostly older people (I'm not a gero person).
However, I got "stuck" on a med-surg floor during my preceptorship my senior year, and now I'm working there as a floor nurse. I am not by any means overwhelmingly passionate about med-surg, but there are many things I do like about it: having 8-12 patients makes the 12 hours fly by! And I was given a day shift, something I considered worth working on the floor. My unit manager is awesome and my coworkers are great. It's still a dirty smelly floor to me some of the time but I have met some really awesome personalities in my patients. I'm learning awesome time management skills and I don't feel like my license is threatened at all by the volume of patients.
You absolutely do not have to work med-surg, I believe I am the only one out of my graduating class that is, BUT I encourage students not to totally avoid med-surg based solely on their nursing school experience because that's not always how it ends up being!
I HATED med-surg in nursing school... Mostly because we were used as extra CNAs and didn't really even get to see that much. I perceived it as a dirty, smelly floor with mostly older people (I'm not a gero person).
However, I got "stuck" on a med-surg floor during my preceptorship my senior year, and now I'm working there as a floor nurse. I am not by any means overwhelmingly passionate about med-surg, but there are many things I do like about it: having 8-12 patients makes the 12 hours fly by! And I was given a day shift, something I considered worth working on the floor. My unit manager is awesome and my coworkers are great. It's still a dirty smelly floor to me some of the time but I have met some really awesome personalities in my patients. I'm learning awesome time management skills and I don't feel like my license is threatened at all by the volume of patients.
You absolutely do not have to work med-surg, I believe I am the only one out of my graduating class that is, BUT I encourage students not to totally avoid med-surg based solely on their nursing school experience because that's not always how it ends up being!
Thanks for another point of view. One of my friends said that its nothing like when you're in school...but she'll be the first to tell you that she likes running around like her pants are on fire!
In nursing school, we also had to do the work of the CNA's, plus their assessments, etc. So I luckily had the opportunity of doing everything that the nurse did as well as follow them to procedures on some days, discharging them, admitting them to the CCU, etc.
So I have a pretty good understanding of what I would be doing, and you're right, the time does fly....but it's just not the type of work that I love. I've had alot of jobs over the years that I like. I want one that I love...I worked hard for it, and don't want to settle. I'm happy that you found something that suits you! Good luck in the future! :)
changeofpaceRN
545 Posts
I work in a clinic seeing the uninsured/under insured OB patients, those in need of STD treatment and those needing regular exams. I teach about abnormal paps, how to prevent STD's or how to deal with current problems. I participate in OB counseling sessions. We chat about birthing options, what to expect, how to care for baby, help locate resources for corificeats and other needs ect.. There are other PHN that work specifically with drug abusers, AIDS patients, TB patients ect.. there are so many different avenues. As far as experience, I had some time in substance abuse programs, I had a minor in psych and that was it. The title "RN" was the only real requirement- I happened to be in the right place at the right time.
The downfall is the pay but I thought my happiness was worth the pay cut.