I dread working on Med/Surg

allnurses Guide · Jul 28, 2007

It obviously can work both ways as evidenced by the posts here and on other threads regarding med/surg.

I graduated with many nurses who went straight into their speciality; one was NICU, one ER, one ICU . . . and they are there to this day and loving it. Not missing anything by not doing med/surg.

I work in a rural hospital and so we do med/surg, ER, OB, and OR. Also outpatient wound care.

Maybe shadowing a nurse in a specialty area and in med/surg would be a good idea.

You have to have information to make a decision.

steph

smrfett76 · Jul 28, 2007

I am starting out on a Surg/ Ortho floor and love it. I believe that it is a great place to learn and expand your skills. Although I can't see myself doing it for years and years, (eventually want ER, ICU or L&D) I have learned alot and am grateful I chose to start here. It is hectic, but I think it is most important to start somewhere that has an encouraging enviornemnt and a great orientation program. Best of luck to you!

Neferet · Jul 28, 2007

Okay you guys..just so you guys know a little about the situation so that you can help me......I've been in MEd/surg for three semesters of my clinical rotations....I know how life is there, trust me....that semester I took on five patients with total patient care and also covered for another patient for an LVN. It got to the point where I hated it so much I'd feel sick just smelling the hospital air when I walked in the lobby.....and that last semester I was there was my preceptor semester...the other students picked different specialty areas, but I went there a third time......it was because I knew I needed the skills...that's why I picked med/surg again the THIRD time....I just hated it. I loved the patients...but I hate the fast-past never sit down hecktic work environment. I usually end up running the whole time....it's because I enjoy making my patients comfortable also....so I always end up staying an hour late charting. however the next semester I took PEDS.....and I enjoyed it.... wasn't that busy...so maybe it was just that hospital.. I hear some PEDs unit are busy busy........the last semester in the hospital I took telemetry. Although it was nerve racking for me to know that my patients could have an MI on me anytime....which almost happened but I caught it......it was more calm there...patient ratios were lower so I actually had time to spend time washing my patient's hair....it was just such a good feeling to spend time with them.

My dream goal is to be a disaster nuse. My interests are in mass destruction disaster relief and giving medical aid to the poor in underdeveloped countries......and I hate med/surg, weird huh? Yeah, so I would start out in DCU/CCU/ICU but I think it's a little up there for me...I don't feel safe for my patients if I started there.

I just love the NURSERY...it's where I'm gonna work before I retire...I just can't bring myself to go there now because it's too easy for me...it'd be a piece of cake.....it's not gonna give me enough challenge or skills like IVs, wounds, GI, surgery...and etc.

Also one thing that I really enjoy doing is survival skills. I enjoy learning how to survive in the woods, when you'r lost at sea or in the jungle or whatever. I have a army survival guide and I enjoy learning it.,..but I'm definitely not army material. I thought about being a camp nurse...but I hate the forest at night..and I hate ticks! Besides being a camp nurse wouldn't give those acute medical skills.

So I've been looking at med/surg in small hospitals...because I like that close family-feel environment. And I recently applied to one...just waiting for a response....

IF you guys have any suggestions on where I would fit in best, let me know....I would have done public health because they deal with emergencies but I've done rounds in public health and found that the nurses do more teaching and assessment rather than hands on.

oh yeah one more question...CCU and ICU is always associtated with one another...what's the difference?