Medicine OR Surgery for New Grad???

meadow85 · Dec 24, 2008

I think having a year or two of med/surg experience under your belt as a new grad is a great way to go. Thats what I am doing before I specialize. I see med/surg as a building block. You develop a lot of skills/knowledge. I worked on a surgical oncology unit upon graduation for a little over a year. The floor was really busy but I learned a lot. It felt a little impersonal since it is surgery and the patients are usually there for a week or two. Were just helping them along the healing process and they go home. A lot of surgical drains, wound care/incisions, pain management issues. Pts are usually dependent for the first couple days (hygiene & ambulation) and then eventually they are well enough to take care of themselves with home care somtimes and go home.

I am now working on a medicine oncology unit and it is crazy busy in a different way. A lot of very sick people who are palliative for the most part so a lot of comfort measures/total care patients. Many deaths since I work on an oncology unit and they often dont get a palliative bed in time. You get to know your patients more because they are there for awhile. You get to know their families. Its sad though. I dont know how long I will stick around for. My point is they are both busy units but you learn A LOT. I practice a lot of skills in medicine as well ... b/w, ivs, feeds, tpn, transfusions etc. It definately isnt a walk in the park, but I see it as a challenge and I like that I learn something every day. You should apply for general surgery or general medicine then you see a range of different patients instead of just one focus area. I am in oncology because I did my placement there as a student and they encourage us to apply.

racing-mom4, BSN, RN · Dec 24, 2008

Were you able to go into surgery when you were in school? I did and I hated it. It was cold, my legs hurt from standing still so long and when ever I get a mask on I feel the need to scratch my nose....granted it was interesting for about 10 min then I was bored stiff. Where as a friend of mine LOVED it. She was able to land a job with the cardio thorasic group and is in heaven.

I was lucky enough to get offered an ICU job out of school and feel I have learned more there than I could have on a MS floor. I have low ratios usually 2:1 tons of interactions with the Dr/CRNA's and Specialist. I have seen a wide variety of patients. I do complete care--so I get to know my patients very well, no CNA/LPNs or even Ward Clerks, we do it all including sometimes housekeeping!!

My advice is keep an open mind...all through school I said I was going to be an Ob nurse---well Ob was not hiring so I figured I would work MS till a job came open. When the ICU mgr came to me I was surprised -I figured what the heck and applied. Now I could not imagine myself anywhere else...FYI an Ob job did come open about 6mos later and the Ob mgr could not understand why I said no. I told her maybe in a couple years. I have learned so much in the ICU---way more than I ever ever learned in school...

Good luck on an exciting future--no matter what choice you make!

RN2B123 · Dec 24, 2008

I did a medsurg rotation in school for one semester - a mix of both on one floor. I did a 650 hr externship last summer on medicine, liked it but found it hard since alot of the patients have a ton of medications and multiple medical problems (although im sure i would see that in surgery too!)

Its so hard to decide when nurses are telling me to do medsurg first and some are saying to go right into specialized fields

nurse32 · Dec 25, 2008

As an RN that graduated this past May, your question brought a sad smile on my face. After months of unsuccessful searching for a position in hospitals and nursing homes, I am ready to accept any job no matter the pay or how crazy the hours are (I am a mom of 4 young children).

The award I have received as a nursing student from a major hospital and my high GPA (3.76) did not make a dent.

All have the same reason why they cannot hire me: I am a new graduate and I "only" have an associates in nursing.

Speaking of choosing...

Ruby Vee, BSN · Dec 25, 2008

hi,
i am stuck between med and surg for a new job...i did an externship this summer on medicine and liked it but the patient population on the floor i was on was mostly elderly (i guess most pts are these days...) and it was really difficult work.
is surgery easier pt wise (more younger and more ambulatory?) i am thinking of medsurg for my first job since it would be a good base learning wise. i don't feel comfortable going into a specialty area just yet as a new grad.
i was looking at one hospital in my area with one surgical floor called "ent/burns/plastics/thoracics" - is this a wierd combo floor (all my nursing friends said it sounds like a random combination for a floor lol) - it sounds interesting though! how do you know what type of surgical floor to pick? the ratios in my area are usually 1:4-5 days and 1:6 nights approx. with total patient care (no cna's, lpn's, etc) all rn care...
i'm so confused!
thanks!!!

i really believe that for your first nursing job, it's more about learning to be a nurse than it is about which floor/specialty you choose. med-surg is an excellent first step, and if you're interested in the ent/burns/plastics/thoracic floor, it seems like a great place to learn! the people you work with are probably more important to a new nurse than the specific patient population -- try to choose someplace relatively nurturing of new grads and hope you get a great preceptor! and then soak up all the knowlege you can. every preceptor and every floor has something to teach you. good luck with choosing a job!

meadow85 · Dec 26, 2008

I did a medsurg rotation in school for one semester - a mix of both on one floor. I did a 650 hr externship last summer on medicine, liked it but found it hard since alot of the patients have a ton of medications and multiple medical problems (although im sure i would see that in surgery too!)
Its so hard to decide when nurses are telling me to do medsurg first and some are saying to go right into specialized fields

Honestly, you should do whats best for you. People are just giving you advice based on their own experience/biases etc. When I wanted to transfer to a different unit and hospital, a lot of people gave me different advice and I listened to one person and in the end it wasn't the best decision for me. I regret that decision everyday. If I could go back I would have stuck with my original choice and not let others influence me so much.