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.
Aw man... I've been a PCT for 3 years and I'm about to graduate from nursing school.
I don't think it sounds like I'm full of myself but if it does to you then so be it. I do think the ER gives you the most experience though. If you disagree then thats fine but at the hospital I work at now, med-surg units get 1 type of illness (ex: neuro units get strokes, cardiac units get MI's...) It's probably different wherever you work.
I asked a nurse of 40 years today what she thought about working med-surg for a year and this is what she said. Some people are made for med-surg and some people are made for critical care. If you are made for critical care and love critical care then don't do med-surg and vice versa. She honestly thought it was stupid to work med-surg if you didn't really want to.
Again; this is just what she said so don't freak out. I have my flame suit on. haha
OP, if you know where your heart is, go there and don't listen to what anyone says against you. Yes, back in the day, the year of med/surg was foisted on all new grads. You couldn't get a job in a specialty as a new nurse. Now, many specialties are willing to train you.
I think if you know what your passion is, then you don't need the year of med/surg. Someone who has no previous healthcare experience or who doen't know what they like, they may benefit from the year of med/surg. I think the HR dept. does their best to push the year of med/surg too because it is an area of high turn-over. I have lots of respect for floor nurses, because they have it rough. Dealing with families, way too many pts, etc. I knew where my passion was(the OR) years ago so I went right there after graduation. But, I fully intend to spend the majority of my career there. I have seen OR nurses successfully transition to other areas(ER etc) so even if you want to leave your specialty, it can be done.
OP, if you know where your heart is, go there and don't listen to what anyone says against you. Yes, back in the day, the year of med/surg was foisted on all new grads. You couldn't get a job in a specialty as a new nurse. Now, many specialties are willing to train you.
I think if you know what your passion is, then you don't need the year of med/surg. Someone who has no previous healthcare experience or who doen't know what they like, they may benefit from the year of med/surg. I think the HR dept. does their best to push the year of med/surg too because it is an area of high turn-over. I have lots of respect for floor nurses, because they have it rough. Dealing with families, way too many pts, etc. I knew where my passion was(the OR) years ago so I went right there after graduation. But, I fully intend to spend the majority of my career there. I have seen OR nurses successfully transition to other areas(ER etc) so even if you want to leave your specialty, it can be done.
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!
Whoa no need for the personal attack. I am not some stupid person. I really think you need a HUGE reality check. What do you know you are only a tech! If you think its so easy I will deffinately let you loose on the med surg floor I started out on. Not all just passing meds. Nothing but pass meds? WRONG WRONG WRONG. In that time I am also assessing, calling MD's with labs and etc. I did med surg and know what I speak. Until you have walked a mile in my shoes you can't say anything.
You don't necessarily have to do a year of med/surg. Personally for me, I had no idea what I wanted to do after I had graduated, so I am working in med/surg- specifically vascular surgery so we get LOTS of patients with different commorbidities, LOTS of dressing changes, LOTS of meds, pre and post-op teaching, etc. I've definitely learned a lot on this floor and also have floated to other med/surg units. Do what YOU want to do. My goal is to work in the ICU eventually, but for me I'm going to stay where I am for a little while. I don't think you'll necessarily have a disadvantage with all your experience. Everyone is different. GL!
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.
Whoa no need for the personal attack. I am not some stupid person. I really think you need a HUGE reality check. What do you know you are only a tech! If you think its so easy I will deffinately let you loose on the med surg floor I started out on. Not all just passing meds. Nothing but pass meds? WRONG WRONG WRONG. In that time I am also assessing, calling MD's with labs and etc. I did med surg and know what I speak. Until you have walked a mile in my shoes you can't say anything.
I think thats a personal attack on me challenging my knowledge! Theres no need for that.
I'm done with you guys anyway. I give an opinion and ask a question and I'm the bad guy. Yeah right.
bamagt
134 Posts
Aw man... I've been a PCT for 3 years and I'm about to graduate from nursing school.
I don't think it sounds like I'm full of myself but if it does to you then so be it. I do think the ER gives you the most experience though. If you disagree then thats fine but at the hospital I work at now, med-surg units get 1 type of illness (ex: neuro units get strokes, cardiac units get MI's...) It's probably different wherever you work.
I asked a nurse of 40 years today what she thought about working med-surg for a year and this is what she said. Some people are made for med-surg and some people are made for critical care. If you are made for critical care and love critical care then don't do med-surg and vice versa. She honestly thought it was stupid to work med-surg if you didn't really want to.
Again; this is just what she said so don't freak out. I have my flame suit on. haha