Just Graduated and Really do NOT want to go to Med-surg? Is this possible?? HELP!

[GEM27]

Hi there, Just passed my NCLEX-RN, super excited:) I went through an extremely difficult nursing school and did well. Now that I am now job searching... I am very worried about only getting a job in the Med-surg department. I had an anxiety attack while I was on the med-surg unit during nursing school, i just hated it:yawn:. I understand that it is a "great" place to start for the experience, but I am so worried that if it is my first job that it will ruin my nursing experience personally for myself. I really do not want to be miserable. What should I do... am I being unrealistic or too picky. I am not expecting a high end job or anything like that. But I hear these horror stories about having 8 -10 patients and being so overwhelmed that some just break down. I want to be safe to myself as well as my patients. Please help advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much!!:)

[ram479]

Congratulations on passing the NCLEX!! You must be excited. I am a new nurse (just made my year). I work on a surgical unit (orthapedics, plastic surgery, vasculary, and general surgery). We do get medicine pts occasionally. This is not my dream job but I am getting a lot of experience with different kinds of pts and am learning what to expect when certain things happen. So, I wouldn't be to freaked out about med/surg. But on the other token, I have known a lot of my friends who have worked outside of med/surg (visiting nurse service, oncology, ICU, PACU, pediatrics, PICU) So, there are a lot of different options. I would say just keep your options open. Good luck to you!

[PMFB-RN, RN]

Hi there, Just passed my NCLEX-RN, super excited:) I went through an extremely difficult nursing school and did well. Now that I am now job searching... I am very worried about only getting a job in the Med-surg department. I had an anxiety attack while I was on the med-surg unit during nursing school, i just hated it:yawn:. I understand that it is a "great" place to start for the experience, but I am so worried that if it is my first job that it will ruin my nursing experience personally for myself. I really do not want to be miserable. What should I do... am I being unrealistic or too picky. I am not expecting a high end job or anything like that. But I hear these horror stories about having 8 -10 patients and being so overwhelmed that some just break down. I want to be safe to myself as well as my patients. Please help advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much!!:)

*** Med surg is NOT a great place to start unless you really want to be a med surg nurse. Yes there are many hospitals that have nurse residency programs for new grads going into ER, ICU, PICU, NICU, etc. However if you have already passed the NCLEX and are only just now starting to look for a job then these are mostly likely not an option for you. You would have had to be applying about the beginning of your last semester of school.