I want to be a FNP or GNP. So where in the hospital should I work?

[xiloscient, BSN, RN]

Hello everyone:

I graduate with my BSN in May. I've wanted to be a geriatric practitioner or a family nurse practitioner as long as I can remember (the latter more for the flexibility). My question is: what floor should I work on as a new nurse? I applied for a student nurse position (and got it) on a med-surg floor at a large state hospital. Now, my preceptors are telling me that ICU is where I should have went to because I would "get better skills." I thought with med-surg I'd at least be able to see everything? I don't know, so know I'm asking you good people :wink2:

Thanks in advance!!

[Starfish1]

I dont know much, but ICU requires training....I dont think there is any new student that goes right to ICU. I think you made the right choice,I would transition to ICU with time and experience and of course the training. I also plan on furthing my degree but you need experience first.

[africanaloe]

I started out in ICU in the south... I've seen countless people complaining on this forums for not getting an ICU internship. In New England I have noticed they don't allow many new grads to do an ICU internship which I think is rather unfortunate,IMO.

For NP I think you are right....Med surg is good but also I can understand why they say ICU since you will be able to deal with more complex diseases, which will in turn sharpen your critical thinking skills. Down side is that you will only deal with insanely sick people which 99% of the time, they will be in an ER not in your clinic so could be a total waste of your time, IMO. Another thing is, for NP you're looking to sharpen your assessment skills and a med surg floor could be a little hindering since you barely have time to breath, let alone assess WELL....I don't know...

As a side note, ICU can be really stressful as a starter BUT you learn alot since 95% of the time the patients have illnesses from head to toe which really helps with assessment skills in the long run.

2/3 of my friends who are NP's started as medsurg RN's and the other an ICU nurse...Good luck in your choice :)

[jennjen512]

I am starting the Adult/Gerontologic NP program at University of Alabama at Birmingham in January. I have never worked anywhere except the ICU. In my area most of the NPs hang out at the hospital, so I think that this setting will help me. I have heard that if you want to be a NP in a clinic it's best to work as an RN in a clinic setting. I guess it all depends on what you want to do.