Med-Surg

[mkalizmoore]

What is it about med surg floors that make people want to avoid them? I have just started looking into nursing recently and have been reading books and the posts on this site, and there always seems to be a ongoing debate. People ask when they graduate if they should serve time on a med surg floor first, or go straight into a specialty. People talk about med surg like it's the plague. I was just as to what that's about. Thanks!

[mkalizmoore]

I guess we all differ.

I love med/surge. Actually, I work on an acute care medicine unit (occasional surgery pt). I get 3-4 patients.

I have learned SO much! Hanging blood, insulin drips, dopamine drips, heparin drips, PCA's, G-tubes, J-tubes, NG tubes, dhts, chest tubes, nephrostomis, colostomies, TPN, decub dressing changes, trachs, nt suctioning, restraints, communication, so much more.

I am now fairly comforable with such a wide range of nursing skills. I do not know where else I would have gained such experience....I also feel that I have gained a lot in my critical thinking....I learn something new each day. Yes, most days are hectic. But each day is new and unpredicable - I like that.

Best of all I feel that I am gaining the experience, knowledge, communication/prioritization/organization skills & critical thinking abilities,to go nearly anywhere from my current job.

So to me it seems like the experience you will have just depends on the hospital you work at. The people with smaller patient loads seem to enjoy their experience a lot more than those with 6 or 7 patients at a time. That many patients seems like it would even be a bit much for an experienced nurse. No one seems to be upset about the type of work being done, just the amount of people they are having to handle.

[angel75]

So to me it seems like the experience you will have just depends on the hospital you work at. The people with smaller patient loads seem to enjoy their experience a lot more than those with 6 or 7 patients at a time. That many patients seems like it would even be a bit much for an experienced nurse. No one seems to be upset about the type of work being done, just the amount of people they are having to handle.

You are SO right!! I have almost finished up my orientation, and today I started off with 5, discharged 1, and admitted 2. So I had 6 pretty much the whole day. Having 6 is tough especially if they have a lot going on. For some reason patient load is divided up by room number not by the needs of the patient. For the first time, I left so upset. I really think that the care my patients received today was not the best that I could have gave them. That is why I think I need to go into a whole new area. I am so dissapointed with the health care system.

Gee................ 3-4 patients, no sweat