I'm finally leaving med/surg...

Nurses General Nursing

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Well, after five months of feeling totally overwhelmed and uninterested in med/surg, I'm finally moving to a new hospital and to a new department-- mother/baby. I've always wanted to do this since nursing school, but thought I needed the med/surg experience first. I have learned so much in med/surg, but I am so happy to be going. I'll miss my friends there because they were such a friendly and helpful group of gals, but I can't wait to start this new job. I hope I like it! If not, then I'm just going to drop out of bedside care and go towards a pharmaceutical research company... Anyone out there that works in mother/baby have any good thoughts for me?

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My poor cousin Susan, I pick on her so much, she worked mother baby for 18 years, and they phased out her job. She went into mother baby as a new grad and never did anything else.

She had to find a job, had the impression that she could do any job in nursing and failed quickly. Reason, she had never taken care of a really sick person. C sections are usually well people. An occasional crisis, but her instincts for trouble other than mother baby never developed. She had never done any suctioning, never saw a trach, and a G tube to her was from outer space.

You will see your time was very well spent, now go have fun.

Barbara

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Oh great, if this doesn't work out, will I be totally unqualified for another job? I really think Mother/Baby is my calling. I hope I'm making the right decision!!

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no, you took it wrong, you are the right candidate for Mother baby. You know how to do all nursing procedures from your floor. You will do great!

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I started out as a fresh, 36yo man CNA 2 years ago in med/surg. I'm starting nursing school in Jan (2/5) and I've only worked med/surg and cardiology. So my perspective is like yours. One day I'd like to float to mother/baby, that is a specialty. Perhaps you can work med/surg for 20 years and not know it all. Your always meeting new PT and running into frequent fliers too :-) You get to see the progression and can make more accurate nursing goals. Cardiology would be most challenging to hack. You have a persons life in your hands. When a baby is on a telly is must be different because the heart is so new. Good Luck.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Trauma, Ortho, Neuro, Cardiac.

Congrats! Good luck!

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Congratulations and GOOD luck to you. I will probably be following your foot steps. There is LOTS to learn in med-surg but why should anyone spend a long period of time in med-surg if they are 1)unhappy, 2)Frustrated about going to work EVERY shift 3)Depressed about work 4)Don't want to do it. Having up to 10 patients is no joke and is a LOT of hard work. Any area of nursing is a LOT of hard work but how many areas of nursing othe then med-surg have a nurse patient ratio of up to 10 patients per nurse and/or team.

If you feel mother/baby is your calling then follow your heart. If you don't follow your heart you will continue to be miserable and unhappy.

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LINUS,

You go!!!!!!! Go and do it for me and some other poor sap med-surg nurses. Fly free little nurse with the wind upon your face and a smile upon your face as you soar to new heights.

Seriously though. I hope this works out great for you. Can't wait to break the habit of med-surg (but I'm trying). I think you will do great.

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Specializes in Everything except surgery.

I happen to be one who doesn't believe you have to do med-surg, before you go into anything else! I didn't, and had no problem going on a floor as agency, and being offered a job whether I went.

I hope you enjoy mother/baby, and congrats on taking the leap out of med-surg! Good luck in your new field:).

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when ever you are following your heart. Dont ever look back and apply yourself totally. Hang in there and you will become a great asset to those you care for and those around you.

Where we come from always prepares us for what lyes ahead of us.

Congrads on going for your dream.

Dont ever stop.

JB

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If you have some concerns about doing only maternal-newborn, why don't you think about floating out a shift a month or so (once you get settled in your new spot) to a med-surg or peds or critical care unit? You could keep your skills up, have a little variety, get some additional moolah and keep your options open if, God Forbid!, you get phased out....

(Can't see that happening.... but who knows?)

I'm looking at my RN in about 6 months, never knew there were so many options and will NOT be starting in Med Surg if I can help it. I like sick patients, and I don't mind hard work, but there's just so much out there on the nursing "buffet" and I want to go with my heart....

Good luck to you!

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Congratulations Chris on this new road in life.

I am hoping to do the same thing, but have no interest in starting in med-surg, unless something changes with the nurse to pt ration really soon. Out of all of the clinical sites I had to participate in, L/D and mother baby were the only ones I truly liked.

So don't hesitate to follow what you enjoy. This specialty will most likely be the only thing that will keep me in nursing.

Good luck and may Gods blessings be upon you. ;)

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