Jack of all trades nurse

Med-Surg. YOu'll see a lot of different things, and every patient is going to be different, even if they have the same diagnosis.

I worked for a critical access hospital and we got everything from med-surg/ortho/tele/psych and I learned a lot. No one patient is the same.

I then worked for a teaching hospital on the Onc/Palliative unit (with med-surg overflow) and again, not a single patient was the same, even with same diagnosis.

I have never worked on a unit or in the ED so I can't say what they are like. I'm sure others will chime in. I wish you all the best on your journey. And I hope you find a unit that you are happy on.!

"Acute" long-term acute care. Med/surg with vents, drips and so much more, and having patients long enough to learn them inside out!

Seeing and doing "everything" is mutually exclusive of not specializing in anything. Many specialties require significant time and commitment to have any meaningful experience. As mentioned above, a med/surg unit is probably where your bar is set, but you'll hardly see and do "everything" there.

Float Pool

There's probably not one position where you will get to see and do everything, but I think float pool and the ED will give you the most variety! Our medicine unit also gets a good mixture of diagnoses with some rare cases.

Med-surg. There will be a good mix of everything, and you will learn to how to prioritize, organize, and develop technical skills, like becoming proficient at IV starts, N/G tubes, chest tubes, etc. (I wouldn't suggest a float position because you would generally be expected to function independently in areas you have no experience in.) I also wouldn't suggest ER, because you will see a lot of "clinic" patients, plus once they are stabilized and/or triaged, they move on to different areas and you won't be "following" them. For instance, you wouldn't be following surgical patients in the ER.

"Acute" long-term acute care. Med/surg with vents, drips and so much more, and having patients long enough to learn them inside out!

Definitely. I saw more diverse and complex issues while working the LTAC than anywhere else I ever worked.

Float Pool

Yep. But not for new grads. Medsurg (or ICU) for new grads.

Part time in med-surg and part time in another area of choice or full time med-surg. Overall I think med-surg is best especially if one is a newer grad to see more variety and hone in on skills. That experience can help you decide what direction you want your nursing career to go.

My first job as a new grad was in a float pool. I and my patients survived my first year as a green as grass nurse and I have floated ever since for 31 years. Jack of all trades, master of none describes me.

Even when there was not an official float pool I always volunteered to float when census required it. When I became per diem I was called in to work and benefited staff was sent home because they refused to float.

I love floating. You will be exposed to a lot of different areas of the hospital.