Med/Surg experience???

[soso]

Hope you all have some advice for me because I am deeply in need of it!! Here's my situation....My desire is to do public health nursing. I am a ADN nurse (2 months to be exact) with a BA in Sociology and beginning a BSN this fall. I plan to obtain my MPH/MSN (maybe NP not totally sure) after my BSN. After countless applications for hospital positions with all "no thank you's", I was hired with my state (was already a state employee so did no lose any sick/vac/benefits) working at a residential facility with the developmentally disabled/mentally ill. Here I only do PO meds and G-tubes; no IV's, trachs or vents. The pay is more than all of my classmates who are currently working in the hospitals BUT they are gaining more skills. Granted I am gaining more psych experience and constantly assessing, I kinda feel I am losing out by working here. I'll be doing seasonal work part-time at a flu shot clinic this fall and applied with a vaccination/well baby clinic also to garner more public health experience. I was recently told that the hospital that I did my clinical rotation is now accepting applications for their new new grad academy. If I get in there, I get my skills but with a paycut but I guess I could always do PRN. So, I guess I'm asking is med/surg experience really necessary or just preferred? Any advice please?? Thanks!!

[MissIt]

Honestly, you're going to get a job in public health by knowing someone in the field. Get your BSN and get as much public health related experience as you can. Meet as many people in the field in your area as you can, too. You aren't going to need a ton of technical (IVs, vents, etc) experience in public health.