Med/Surg for New grads?

emtb2rn, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Jul 2, 2007

There are many threads and discussions on this topic. I tend to ask this question to pretty much every nurse I meet and the general consensus seems to be "get a med/surg foundation". The rationale for this is that a background in general nursing allows you to develop your time managment and assessment skills in a non-critical (relatively) environment.

Plus, and this is a big one for me, you will be able to move around more easily. Here's how I look at it - in my previous career at a huge international company (you've heard of it, are probably a customer, one of the best known names on the planet), I moved to a different job every couple of years. Same company, but I got to do something different. I expect to do the same in nursing. Maybe cardiac tele for a while, then maybe CCU, then maybe S-ICU, then maybe T-ICU, then maybe ED, then maybe hemo, you get the picture. I don't know exactly what I want to do, so a foundation in general nursing as opposed to going directly into a specialty will give me more flexibility. JMHO.

nycNurse2b · Jul 3, 2007

Many thanks for your response. It makes sense and was basically along the lines of my reasoning as well.

I, too, am a career-changer who has moved around within companies - and, yes, it is always helpful to start out with a strong foundation.

One question, though. Say I did Med/surg for a year or two. How hard is it then to move around within the same hospital? Or how hard is it to try to get a PEDS job in a different hospital when the only expereince you have is 2 years med/surg with adults?

Maybe I just worry too much. I'm not even done until next May!

Jolie, BSN · Jul 3, 2007

If NICU is your ultimate goal, I strongly urge you to pursue that as a new grad.

While med/surg experience may be valuable for those who wish to pursue other adult specialties, it is generally NOT helpful for NICU nurses, and may even present a barrier when you try to change specialties a year or two down the road.

As a former NICU nurse manager, I can tell you that it is MUCH easier to orient a NICU nurse as a new grad, or as a transfer from a related patient care area (OB, peds) than from an adult health background. There are so many differences between adults and neonates that a med/surg nurse needs to "unlearn" much of what s/he has been doing in order to care for NICU patients. Many give up and don't last very long in the NICU.

If you want to pursue NICU, look for a large teaching or referral center with a Level III NICU. Most have lengthy, well organized orientation programs for new grads, which include both clinical and classroom training.

So many clinical instructors seem to think that med-surg is the ONLY training ground for new nurses to learn organizational skills, prioritization, delegation, clinical skills, etc. I respectfully disagree. You can learn these skills in any clinical setting, and it makes sense to do so in a setting that interests you.

Good luck!