I like Med/Sug-Isthat wierd?

fergus51 · Sep 17, 2005

Maybe you want to specialize in med-surg? Nothing wrong with that at all! An experienced med-surg nurse who knows her stuff is worth her weight in gold at most hospitals. I would never work med-surg, but that's the nice thing about nursing. The pay is no different from any other floor at my hospital, I just don't particularly like working with sick adults and the ratios are too much for me. I like having 1-3 critically ill babies rather than 6-12 sick adults.

JustJen, BSN, RN · Sep 17, 2005

Thank you for your reply. I like peds too, but mostly because at the hospital I did my peds rotation in, it was like Med/Surg...only smaller

I am a little worried about the high number of patients. Tell me you are exaggerating....12 seems really high.

fergus51 · Sep 17, 2005

Thank you for your reply. I like peds too, but mostly because at the hospital I did my peds rotation in, it was like Med/Surg...only smaller
I am a little worried about the high number of patients. Tell me you are exaggerating....12 seems really high.

I have seen 12 patients in team nursing (one RN, one LPN for the assignment). It's one reason I hate med-surg. When we did primary nursing we'd have 6 patients each. I work neonatal intensive care so we can't physically take that many patients.

Euskadi1946 · Sep 17, 2005

I loved med/surg because of all the things I learned to do like inserting NG tubes, doing Continuous Abdominal Peritoneal Dialysis, epidural pain control, dressing changes, starting ivs, caths, which I can honestly say that I still remember to this day how to do all of those. What I didn't like about med/surg was the patient/nurse ratio. I would have enjoyed taking care of 4-6 patients but not 8+ with high acuity levels. Every graduate should spend at least 1 year on a med/surg unit before they go on into a specialty area. Your med/surg skills will always come in handy...

SarasotaRN2b · Sep 17, 2005

No, you are not weird! I've been working on a med/surg floor as a unit coordinator, and I'm loving the variety of it. I was looking into other specialties, but other than pediatrics and NICU, time in med/surg will definitely be a plus for you.

Justanurse1 · Sep 18, 2005

I will be graduating from a RN program in December. Everyone in my group seems to "know" their niche. Most are looking towards CCU/ICU and anything else with a "CU" after it. I am in an ADN program and most of my clinical rotations have been on regular Med/Surg floors. I was at an interview this week and was asked "What do you plan to specialize in" and I really don't have an answer. I feel like there is still so much to learn. I enjoy Med/Surg because there are so many different things to practice. SImple stuff like Foley's can JP's that, while I know I have done before, I still kinda hold my breath each time I try again. I really don't feel 100% ready with the basics, much less ready to move to Critical Care areas.
Am I supposed to know what I plan on specializing in? Is there a problem with liking Med-Surg? Is the pay less in Med/Surg??? Is that why people want to leave it? Experienced RN's -please give me advice. I want to know what makes everyone want out of the Med/Surg floors. I really dont get it.
Help me, oh great swammie...

I believe every new nurse should at least work the first year on med-surg. It will allow the new nurse to learn how to organize and prioritize their time as well as learn how to manage more than 1 -2 patients at a time.I have been in hospital nursing for 25 years. Most of that time has been in Med-Surg. The experience has been great. I also think that med-surg is a speciality as well. You might want to look at the Association of Med-Surg Nurses web site as well. Good luck!

DutchgirlRN, ASN, RN · Sep 18, 2005

I love Med/Surg. You'll get the best experience and all the experience you could ever want on Med/Surg. I think every graduate should work Med/Surg for at least a year or two. I've been at it 30 years. I'm the original survivor :rotfl:

meownsmile, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2005

I have worked med/surg/ortho since 1993 and wouldnt leave i dont think. Yes it gets a little nuts, you get busy and frustrated at times. But, the diversity in cases, patients, everything in general makes every day different.

I dont know if i could handle the little breathers that come into peds all the time. Our patients age ranges from the occasional 15 year old if peds is closed due to low census to 99. Ya never know when the phone rings whats coming next.

JustJen, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2005

Thanks for all of your replies. It makes me feel better to know that I am not such an oddball!

christvs, DNP, RN, NP · Sep 28, 2005

I'm a new grad RN & I've been working in med/surg for 10 weeks now & I honestly really love it! :) It's never boring & I'm always thinking & trying to prioritize-what's not to like? I feel very useful & productive & feel like I'm getting good at what I do. Plus I love talking to patients & trying to make them more comfortable, or just let them know I care enough to listen to their concerns.

JennRN&Mom23 · Oct 2, 2005

I also love med/surg. It's not weird at all. I've been working on this unit for 10 years now and it's probably where I'll stay. It can get really chaotic and stressful at times but that's how I like it..:)