Life is short and I want it all

[chocolateheals]

Hello all!

I am hoping to get advice or at least people's . I graduated with my BSN in May 2008, and did a military move with my husband away from my school state. Took and passed my boards... Next month he will be deployed for a year, so I am moving again and interviewing in the state I grew up in, with family around. Right after he comes back from his deployment, my DH will be done with his active duty time, so we can pick where we want to be. We'll most likely stay where I've been, putting down roots while he was gone.

I am thinking about starting with med/surg, since that seems to be most people's advice. But then again, I did a preceptorship in a cardiovascular ICU for my last semester in nursing school. There ARE new grad ICU positions out there, but I keep pulling back on my own reigns, try to tell myself how horribly stressful it would be, and make myself look into the med surg jobs again. After that ICU experience, med/surg seems so boring!! I am very aware that a med/surg job would still be very challenging for me at first, because there is so much to learn, and who doesn't need to work on their time management? But the things I'll be busy with will be different... in med surg I'll be waiting for patients to use the commode, bringing them tea, and helping them with their knee bend exercises after a knee replacement. In the ICU, I am trying to put an IV in someone who is really sick, titrating multiple meds at once, and watching doctors place art lines. So much cooler!

In the end, does it REALLY matter where I start?? Shouldn't I just do what I love, if there is an opportunity to do it? I am thinking of going back to school in about two years... I'd like to be an NP. I love cardio stuff, ICU stuff, want to be an adult nurse practitioner some day, would LOVE to work overseas (medical mission type stuff) for at least a year of my life, am now 23 and would like to start a family just before or at 30. Which means having a pregnant body, then maternity leave. Am I a crazy person?? Can I do all this?? Should I try to plan it now?? I realize that I'll probably end up adding to my list of passions as I learn about new things I like. Basically... I've said what I'd love to do in the future, is there any way I could screw that up NOW and pick the "wrong" job?

Would a grad school be more or less likely to accept me based on what type of nursing I have done in the past? I believe I should stop asking questions now. All my fellow graduates in my class seemed to be so smooth about their first job pick. How can I be that confident?

Thanks for listening, and thanks for comments/advice.

[DreamingTree]

You'll get plenty of responses in favor of one choice over the other. I can tell you that I reluctantly followed the side that whispered medsurg in my ear. My days have plenty of challenge, and I can't say that I have much time to make tea. Whatever you experienced during your clinical rotations while in school tends to be different than reality. I was one of the top students in my class -- a great test taker, very good at pathophys, and never a problem in the clinical sites. The real world challenges me every shift, and I'm just starting to remember that I have two years worth of knowledge in my brain.

So, what will you learn if you go the medsurg route? Time management, prioritization, and refinement of basic nursing skills. Many may tell you that you can pick these skills up in ICU, and some will tell you that they tried going there first and felt overwhelmed. Ultimately, you'll have to decide for yourself.

My advice would be old-fashioned: make a pros & cons list. Consider all aspects of your life. Tally the columns, and go with the winner. Just make sure you take reality into consideration, and don't discount the learning involved in medsurg.

I haven't regretted my choice. :-)

[TangoLima]

First of all, you are 23. You have PLENTY of time to accomplish everything you want. It's good that you have a "master plan", but don't forget to be flexible. Life throws curveballs and your plans can change.

All thru school I thought I wanted to work in a CVICU. I just "knew" that is where I would end up, and I just "knew" that I wanted to avoid Med/Surg at all costs. So, when I did my preceptorship in a CVICU, I was so excited. It WAS a very cool experience, but I was SOOOOO intimidated. Even though I graduated at the top of my class, I knew in my heart that I couldnt /shouldnt jump right into an ICU unit. I still wanted to work in a step-down unit, though.

Well, after I graduated, I had a hard time finding a job, and ended up taking the only job I was offerred.....in a Med/Surg Telemetry unit. (We do receive patients from the ICU, so it's almost like a step-down unit) I must admit that this has been a good learning experience with just the right combination of challenge and basic nursing skills. Although my dream is still ICU, I don't regret going this route. There is just so much "other" stuff that one must learn besides patient care. I have now been on my job for 4 months and it's going OK. Sometimes I feel like I'm just a glorified waitress or pill-pusher, but then there are some really rewarding times too.

Best of luck in whatever you decide.