Is 6 Month Of Med-Surg Enough?

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I just graduated May 9, and my job is on a Med-Surg floor of a moderately large hospital. I don't really like the things I do on the floor and find it so routine. If it weren't for my liking the night staff that I work with I would have already probably quit. I don't find it stressful, nor do I really have much to complain about, it's just, to me, the floor is boring. I really want to get to the ER and do a couple of years of that before I end up in psych. Is it worth it to hold out for 6 months so I can add that to my resume?

Specializes in lots of different areas.

I am a "scared stiff" one, 8 months on med/surg now. But I do not think it's wrong for anyone to tell you you cannot possibly be bored. I think many "experienced" nurses are unfair judges. I hate that one year rule!! Do what you feel is right.

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If the hospital hired you and trained you they'll want to keep you and should/may be able to get into another dept.

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Specializes in CRNA, Finally retired.
Gosh! What's up with this 1 year fixation? I cannot believe the rules just to get an experience of sort. Like 6 months is not enough to gain "some experience".

I am beginning to think , I chose the wrong change of career---yes, this was the change----apparently is not working.

What's up with the one year fixation? These are the voices of EXPERIENCE! Your employer spent effort and money giving you what sounds like a gentle orientation period and you can't even stick it out for a year? Yes, a desperate employer will hire you with only six months experience, but I'd ask myself why are they so desperate to hire me? Could it be they have a lot of turnover?

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Specializes in Med Surg, Tele, PH, CM.

It may be that it is the shift that is boring, not the floor. I always liked day shift because that's where a lot of the action (and experience) is, or evenings because you can spend a little quality time with patients. Nights bored me to tears....

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Specializes in ER.
What's up with the one year fixation? These are the voices of EXPERIENCE! Your employer spent effort and money giving you what sounds like a gentle orientation period and you can't even stick it out for a year? Yes, a desperate employer will hire you with only six months experience, but I'd ask myself why are they so desperate to hire me? Could it be they have a lot of turnover?

Experience is good and all but what happens at your hospital, and what you have been through is really apples and oranges to what i am going through. It may be similar, but nothing even close to be being identical. I understand the hospital has spent money on me, but that's their problem. They are a business and sometimes businesses lose out on stuff, which I don't feel the least bit sorry for. That's the risk you take when you own a business. A hospital is no different.

I am not scared of the work, I was never scared because from day one of orientation I was given the max load, and took more patients than the other nurses because if I needed help I had my preceptor. I am glad it was done this way because in one week when I come out of orientation I know I can do it. I do everything and my preceptor sits at the desk and helps other nurses if they need it.

It's just routine, a lot of the work consist of giving meds, which are the same &*%# most of the time, and then charting a thousand different things, which in reality are the same thing. I feel more like a robot that hands out meds and then writes on paper for hours than I do a nurse on this floor.

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Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
i am a "scared stiff" one, 8 months on med/surg now. but i do not think it's wrong for anyone to tell you you cannot possibly be bored. i think many "experienced" nurses are unfair judges. i hate that one year rule!! do what you feel is right.

the op asked for advice -- and got our best advice. as an "experienced" nurse, i think that one year is the minimum one owes an employer who has taken a chance on a new grad, hired them and trained them. you may hate the rule, but what is right is to pay back the employer who hired and trained you.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.
Experience is good and all but what happens at your hospital, and what you have been through is really apples and oranges to what i am going through. It may be similar, but nothing even close to be being identical. I understand the hospital has spent money on me, but that's their problem. They are a business and sometimes businesses lose out on stuff, which I don't feel the least bit sorry for. That's the risk you take when you own a business. A hospital is no different.

While this may be true, I hope that you don't show your feelings like this at work. Believe me, stuff like this gets around and can ruin your work reputation in the blink of an eye. With the economy like it is, it will be very hard to get into ER with less than a year in Med-Surg, they want that critical thinking skillset. In fact, most ERs want only prior ER experience. If your not even out of orientation yet, I seriously doubt you have those skills down. You may be able to do the "clinical" side of it, but the rationalizing comes with experience. I wish you luck, but never burn your bridges......

BTW-you stated that you realize many do not have jobs, and to stay on topic......maybe they are reminding you of how lucky you are, since most of them can't even get an interview.

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