Is one year of med/surg necessary?

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Unlike my user name suggests, I am now an RN(graduated in 5/08) but have been an LPN x10 years. Those years were spent solely in clinics: internal medicine, OB/GYN, and family practice. Now that I've gotten my RN, I am working on a 14 bed OB unit of a small hospital. I've had several people tell me how bad of a mistake I'm making by not going the med/surg route and that could ruin my chances if I ever decide to change to a more critical type of specialty that might specify needing a year of med/surg. The OB unit I am on serves as overflow for "clean"/non-infectious medical and surgical female patients so I definitely will get some experience daily with those patients not to mention the post-op c-sections, hysterectomies, etc. Having had experience in family medicine and internal medicine clinics I have had a lot of experience with different medical issues (although obviously different than hospital-type nursing) and I have had to develop critical thinking skills, time management, and prioritization. Am I really doing myself a disservice by not going to med-surg before a specialty? When I do get to a point of wanting to move to a different area, can I count my current job as time served on a medical floor since we do so much overflow? Since I am still so early in my position, I could request to transfer to a medical floor with no questions asked so I need input as to what would be best.

i have asked this question to many of the older nurses i work with and without a doubt, they suggest 6 months to a year of med-surg. that way you are confident in what you are doing where ever you decide to work. i always get advice from the nurses with many years under their belts because they obviously know what they are talking about. i graduate in dec. 08, and i dread working med-surg, but i know it will help me more than anything in the end.:banghead:

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Why do people say that you need a year of Med-Surg!? I just don't get it. I'm about to graduate in May and I've worked in the ER for 3 years now, I have gotten more experience and have learned more in 3 years in the ER than I will ever learn in school much less a gay med-surg unit.

On a med-surg floor you usually only see one certain group of disorders (cardiac d/o if you're on a tele floor, GI d/o if you're on a GI floor...) So why do people think you need a year of Med-Surg!?

I'm going straight to the ER/ICU when I'm done with school. I know several nurses who have done this and they love it and are great nurses!

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
a gay med-surg unit.

:eek: :sofahider Hope you don't get royally flamed for that one!

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:eek: :sofahider Hope you don't get royally flamed for that one!

HAHA! I don't really care if I do, I just don't let med-surg. JMHO!

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Specializes in Gyn Onc, OB, L&D, HH/Hospice/Palliative.

NO !! You are not making a mistake. I started out in OB/postpartum, with the goal of L & D, back then, they wanted that experience first. I moved over to GYN/benign when my nurse manager opened an adjoining unit and I thought I would like more surg (was getting a little bored by then ) Then she took over a GYN/ONC unit and invited me there. Have done some outpt woman's clinic work and did get to L and D ( didn't really like it) and for the most part have stayed in Oncology, now Home Health Hospice/Palliative care. Have never stepped on a general med or surg unit- in fact my hospital has no med/surg combo unit, it's one or the other.

I have seen many new grads take all kinds of positions ED,ICU,L&D,ONCO fresh out of school, so don't listen to the naysayers:down:, they want everyone to be as miserable and suffer as they did, you'll be fine.You do NOT have to pay dues or do penance to get where you want. You may get bored some day and want to move on, or you may love it forever, there are no rules, choose your path , enjoy :cheers:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, mostly.
On a med-surg floor you usually only see one certain group of disorders (cardiac d/o if you're on a tele floor, GI d/o if you're on a GI floor...) So why do people think you need a year of Med-Surg!?

This couldn't be further from the truth, at least not on the one I work on, and I believe that my Med-Surg is not the only one.

We deal with all kinds of pts. Cardiac, GI, GU, Renal, Oncology/Hematology,OB/GYN, Pulmonology...basically anything that doesn't go to our ICU, or goes home, comes to our unit. So we stay very busy.

And I almost forgot anyone with a wound or a wound VAC or has surgery, or any infection or infectious disease.

So, I don't know WHY people need a year or even 6 months of Med-Surg...maybe just for the experience of putting to practice what you've been learning for the past 2-4 years?

Oh, and BTW, being "miserable and suffering" may be the way some nurses feel, but the way I see it, and I don't believe I'm alone, Med-Surg is the back-bone of Nursing...what everything else in nursing is based on. If it's not your area of preference, don't put it down, it's part of your profession, be proud that ther is someone who likes Med-Surg Nursing. I know I do.:nurse:

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This couldn't be further from the truth, at least not on the one I work on, and I believe that my Med-Surg is not the only one.

We deal with all kinds of pts. Cardiac, GI, GU, Renal, Oncology/Hematology,OB/GYN, Pulmonology...basically anything that doesn't go to our ICU, or goes home, comes to our unit. So we stay very busy.

And I almost forgot anyone with a wound or a wound VAC or has surgery, or any infection or infectious disease.

So, I don't know WHY people need a year or even 6 months of Med-Surg...maybe just for the experience of putting to practice what you've been learning for the past 2-4 years?

Oh, and BTW, being "miserable and suffering" may be the way some nurses feel, but the way I see it, and I don't believe I'm alone, Med-Surg is the back-bone of Nursing...what everything else in nursing is based on. If it's not your area of preference, don't put it down, it's part of your profession, be proud that ther is someone who likes Med-Surg Nursing. I know I do.:nurse:

Do you work at a small hospital? It seems like you do.

At the hospital I work at now every kind of illness can go to any floor but most of the time the cardiac stuff goes to the cardiac floor and so forth...

Therefore, at the hospital I'm at now you would get limited experience working with each type of illness. Where in the ER, you see everything.

So I think that if you work in the ER you are going to see just about everything and it puts a new nurse at an advantage.

Now, I know that not every ER will hire new grads and some people would be scared to work there but the experience that you get (if you can get a job) is amazing!

BTW, who has seen a code on a med-surg unit!? I've been to two and all I saw was about 20 nurses standing there with there mouths on the floor. Not saying it's like that everywhere (because I know it's not) but it was funny!

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Specializes in Neuro ICU and Med Surg.
Do you work at a small hospital? It seems like you do.

At the hospital I work at now every kind of illness can go to any floor but most of the time the cardiac stuff goes to the cardiac floor and so forth...

Therefore, at the hospital I'm at now you would get limited experience working with each type of illness. Where in the ER, you see everything.

So I think that if you work in the ER you are going to see just about everything and it puts a new nurse at an advantage.

Now, I know that not every ER will hire new grads and some people would be scared to work there but the experience that you get (if you can get a job) is amazing!

BTW, who has seen a code on a med-surg unit!? I've been to two and all I saw was about 20 nurses standing there with there mouths on the floor. Not saying it's like that everywhere (because I know it's not) but it was funny!

Seriously I have seen many codes in the med surg units. Sorry you feel like med surg is less of a nurse. You need to be respectful of others. Not everyone likes the ER or ICU. Med surg is a fantastic background to work both. Get ready to duck and cover from all the flames.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.
Do you work at a small hospital? It seems like you do.

At the hospital I work at now every kind of illness can go to any floor but most of the time the cardiac stuff goes to the cardiac floor and so forth...

Therefore, at the hospital I'm at now you would get limited experience working with each type of illness. Where in the ER, you see everything.

So I think that if you work in the ER you are going to see just about everything and it puts a new nurse at an advantage.

Now, I know that not every ER will hire new grads and some people would be scared to work there but the experience that you get (if you can get a job) is amazing!

BTW, who has seen a code on a med-surg unit!? I've been to two and all I saw was about 20 nurses standing there with there mouths on the floor. Not saying it's like that everywhere (because I know it's not) but it was funny!

You need a reality check for sure. And I'm being NICE.

I work Med/Surg, and that is exactly what it is....emphasis on surgical patients. We see EVERYTHING. Yes, there's a cardiac/tele floor, and there's a renal/onc floor, and there's an ortho/neuro floor...and we literally get EVERYTHING else, because patients having surgery have medical histories that include cardiac, renal, neuro problems, etc...you get the idea. So not only do you deal with the surgical problem at hand, you deal with trying to manage their comorbidities.

And yes, we've seen a lot of codes, for many various reasons. We have a code team, of course, but that doesn't mean we don't have to jump in and start things! Good grief. Maybe you should actually WORK in a med/surg unit before making your off-base judements.

I personally WOULDN'T want to see a bunch of new grads come and work with us for 6 months to a year, and then leave. We like to retain our staff, for crying out loud. Our patients deserve more than nothing but new nurses "just passing through."

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Specializes in Day Surgery, Agency, Cath Lab, LTC/Psych.
Do you work at a small hospital? It seems like you do.

At the hospital I work at now every kind of illness can go to any floor but most of the time the cardiac stuff goes to the cardiac floor and so forth...

Therefore, at the hospital I'm at now you would get limited experience working with each type of illness. Where in the ER, you see everything.

So I think that if you work in the ER you are going to see just about everything and it puts a new nurse at an advantage.

I think there is a difference in "seeing everything" and "doing everything." The med/surg nurse really has to be a jack of all trades. A med/surg floor has patients with acute conditions as well as chronic diseases. These nurses have to be proficient in knowing all sorts of different diagnoses, surgeries, and treatments. Meds are a whole 'nother story. The ER is not a place for managing the care of patients for an extended stay. ERs treat and street or stabilize and transfer. Therefore they do not necessarily deal with things like complex dressing changes, multiple medication passes (20+ meds/patient--yep, I've seen it!), TPN/PPN administration, dealing with PCAs, epidurals, orthopedic equipment, coordinating with PT/OT/ST/MSW/chaplains/docs/family. Post-op care in and of itself is an entire specialty that usually gets lumped in under the category of "med/surg." These nurses really do it all and should never, ever be put down for their work. In fact, I sometimes enjoy my infrequent med/surg shifts just for the reason that I always lose weight running my tail off. Also, something to keep in mind, perhaps the reason there are so few codes on the med/surg units is because the nurses are providing such excellent care for their patients that they are able to intervene prior to the patient crumping. :nurse:

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Seriously I have seen many codes in the med surg units. Sorry you feel like med surg is less of a nurse. You need to be respectful of others. Not everyone likes the ER or ICU. Med surg is a fantastic background to work both. Get ready to duck and cover from all the flames.

I'm not saying that med-surg makes you less of a nurse. I'm trying to ask a question as to why someone needs med-surg before they start on their before they start to work somewhere else. I just don't get why you would need med-surg. IMO you get more experience in the ER or some other type of unit rather than med surg!

I'm not full of myself at all but in clinicals and at work on the med-surg units it's always so boring and laidback! The nurses do nothing except when giving medicine. Now, I'm not saying it's like this in every unit in the US. All I'm saying is that this is my observation and I don't like it. From what I've seen you will almost lose more knowledge than gain when working in med-surg straight out of school.

Once again, this is just my opinion and observation of what I've seen. No need to flame but flame away if you want to!

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Specializes in Emergency.
{snip} I'm not full of myself at all but in clinicals and at work on the med-surg units it's always so boring and laidback! The nurses do nothing except when giving medicine. Now, I'm not saying it's like this in every unit in the US. All I'm saying is that this is my observation and I don't like it. From what I've seen you will almost lose more knowledge than gain when working in med-surg straight out of school. {snip}

First of all: Lighten up, Francis.

It actually does sound like you're full of yourself. Also sounds like your experiences are very limited. How much experience are we talking here? Student? Tech? For how long?

I'd say a session with Terry Tate, Office Linebacker is in order.

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