jack of all trades

[SashaO]

I would like to start out in the ER as an RN. I enjoy juggling tasks and being pressured to do the best. I see that many of you have ER, Telemetry, ICU, NICU, pediatrics, and various other specialities. I don't want to learn all of them to have all the titles and certifications, I want to be able to float freely, help others, and teach other nurses. I can probably help my students when I become a teacher as well.

How hard was it to learn everything? I hear nurses with experience for 15 years in a specific category find it hard to transfer over with the same pay because of no experience. Is it better to learn when youre fresh out of school? Something new every 1-2 years?

[BrnEyedGirl, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

You are going to get many varying oppinions on this,...first of all, let me try to explain a bit of the basics,..graduating from nursing school allows you to take the NCLEX,.which makes you an RN,.no specialties,.no difference in pay,.an entry level RN,..(we all start here),.what you choose to do, where you choose to work, what specialty you choose is up to you and any education for that will happen while you work,.usually in education programs through the hospital that you work for,... For instance, when I graduated I went to a telelmetry/stepdown unit,.that position required ACLS certification,.I went to a class (provided by the hospital, at the hospital, the hospital paid for it and paid me to go),.I took the exam, passed and recieved my certification,.ACLS must be renewed every 2yrs and again the hospital sent me to do that. Different areas have different certifications they require,.and they also vary from hospital to hospital. You mention ER,.ER is the "jack of all trades" you mention,.ER nurses are expected to know a little about everything,.but not really an expert in anything, except perhaps Trauma,..I transfered in Jan to our ER,.it required many more certifications than my previous job,.ie TNCC, PALS,.as well as ACLS. Again the hospital is sending me to those classes so I can sit for the exams and get my certification,.that said,.I would not be qualified to float to say Neuro Trauma ICU,.or L&D,.or even CCU,..as a matter of fact, had I not already worked on a unit in the hospital I wouldn't be quaified to float to a floor! ER nursing is very, very different from floor or unit nursing!! The only way to be able to float around to all the areas of the hospital is to spend time working in those areas. All areas of the hospital are becoming very specialized and it would be hard to keep your knowledge base and your skills current to do it all!! We have float pools that stay in specified areas,.Critical care,.PEDS,.L&D/mother newborn,..ER doesn't float anywhere! Hope that helps some,..sorry so long,..good luck to you and weclome to Nursing!!!

[ArchEmesis]

I have those same questions. I have been working in the ER of a small rural hospital (as a Tech) while I have been in Nursing school. I really enjoy the ER - the variety of daily challenges.

I think that the fact that I will be working in this same small hospital when I graduate (May 2008) will lead me to cross train to all areas of the hospital. I think it will be in my best interest, as well as the best interest of our hospital, for them to be able to plug me in wherever they need me. I do plan to take a trauma nurse course eventually though, as that area is my passion.