what made you choose GI?

[NewStudentGirly]

Hi all,

I am an LPN student and going to bridge to RN. After studying A&P and Med term etc., I really am most "interested" in GI and I seem to retain a lot of info about it fairly easy. My problem is, I had planned on being an oncology nurse for personal reasons until I started studying etc., and found that I really feel the most pulled to gastro. I do not want to be indecisive on this so I was hoping to get some input from experienced nurses. So will someone tell me what made them choose GI, the highs and lows etc.,? Thanks so much:wink2:

[NewStudentGirly]

41 views and no replies? No one knows why they chose gastro. lol j/k

[Booty Nurse, BSN]

I worked on the med-surg floor for 4 1/2 years, then made the switch to GI seven months ago. I also put in considerable time on the OB floor. I am so happy in my new job for the following reasons:

One patient at a time! I may be busy and stressed at times, but I only have one patient I need to be thinking about. On the floor, I may have a patient vomiting, another in severe pain, another lying in her own stool who needs to be changed, a dementia patient who keeps climbing out of bed and is a high fall risk, and two call bells going off. Who do I care for first? In the procedure room there is none of this impossible prioritizing.

Somewhat predictable day: I get my daily schedule in the morning and can guess howe my day will go. Of course, there are always hiccups, sometimes large ones, but it's not like med-surg where you have no idea what could happen in the course of a shift. This would bore some people, but I like knowing what to expect.

Schedule: I work 7:00 - 3:30, no evenings, no nights, no weekends, no holidays, no call. 'Nuff said.

Relatively young, healthy patients. Working on med-surg was getting very depressing, seeing so many people in hopeless situations.

What I don't like so much: the patient contact is limited. I enjoyed getting to know patients over the course of 8 hours or a few days or multiple admissions. Patients on the floor were sometimes so grateful and some told me I was their favorite nurse; I sometimes left work feeling that I had made a huge difference for a patient. GI sometimes feels like an assembly line, and I don't have much time with patients while they are unsedated. Of course, this goes both ways; there are plenty of patients and families I do NOT want to be spending time with!

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[kastas, BSN, RN]

I chose it solely for the hours. I've done 12 hour shifts for 10 years. All of my children are in school now and I work 830 to 4, m-f. I do have to take call, but it's rare to get called in.

I love it! I never dreamt that I would like Endo, but it is very interesting.

[moho1521]

I transferred to GI because the hours are compatible with family life. It's actually very gratifying to be saving patients if they are diagnosed early and they become flequent flyers. You really build a relationship with you patients.It's a M-F 7-3:30. We do have calls for emergencies. The staff rotates to cover 24/7 call schedule. We have a great relationship with our physicians and they make sure that it is truly an emergency. I've done trauma/head injury, CCU stepdown, pediatrics, telemetry CCU/ICU. Although I miss working ICU/CCU, I find that when you have patients who are bleeding that some leftover skills from previous gigs always come in handy.

[acar0105]

I loved the insides of the human body but HATED blood, just liked dealing with the guts.

[malaski]

You could still work in oncology. I worked in an oncology hospital on the GI unit. Patients had diagnoses' such as colon, rectal, pancreatic, gastric cancer.

[Up2nogood RN, RN]

You could still work in oncology. I worked in an oncology hospital on the GI unit. Patients had diagnoses' such as colon, rectal, pancreatic, gastric cancer.

Same here. THe highs- very rewarding to work with such sweet (mostly) pt's and their families -it's a very life altering time for them. The lows- LOTS of drains and tubes and pouches oh my.

[GoNightingale, BSN, RN]

I really, really liked your answer! I am a 2 year old nurse and have been working Med/Surg from the get-go. I went back to school at age 49 to become a nurse and get my BSN. I do love bedside nursing, but I'm not as young as I used to be (I'm 55) and I can't take being on my feet on 12 hour shifts! MY FEET AND LOWER BACK ARE KILLING ME! I have been researching GI nursing and find it interesting and with more " positive quality of life hours".

Could you shed some light as to how I can transition into GI nursing (training, etc..). I look at job ads and they all want experience. What type of facility do you think I could get started in to obtain experience? How is the salary? If I'm missing any information I haven't asked, if you could just fill me in, it would be very appreciated.

Thanks so mmuch in advance!

Do you think that I could transition i

[EndoRN]

I went into GI when I had small children. I needed to switch from afternoons to days. 6 years in I moved from a hospital to outpatient setting (no more weekends, holidays, evenings or taking call !!). I've now been in GI for 12 years & still love it! It's fun & the pay is good. :)

[justin daniel wilema]

I don't think too many people want to get into GI, so kudos to you.

For alot of us, it was a fluke, or the hours, and we just grew to love it.

I applied at a hospital for a non-GI position and was offered a GI position.

6 years later I love it and can't see myself changing to another specialty.

(and if you can get into hepatology, no more poo!)

Justin Daniel Wileman