MedSurg to GI

[dennis8, ADN, BSN, CNA, RN]

Hi everyone. I'm still fairly new to the nursing field and have been interested in trying different areas before I decide on where I want to focus my career. I did 3 months in my first job which was at a SNF. I mostly accepted the job because I couldnt get a job in acute care. Shortly after, I finally got accepted to the hospital that I am currently working in as a Med Surg RN. Been working here for a year and 3 months now. After seeing patient's go down for GI procedures and speaking briefly to one of the nurses, I feel very curious and interested in putting in my application. Will I lose any skills making the jump? It's only inpatient procedures and I believe mostly focused on GI procedures like colonoscopy, endoscopies, ERCP etc. Also, what is the outlook on transferring back to the MedSurg setting after being on a specialty floor? Do employers look at previous experience or do I have to start from scratch?

[brownbook]

A year and 3 months med/surg is a fairly good building block.

GI nursing is different, I enjoyed it. How easy it might be to go from GI back to acute care, med/surg.... I don't know.

If you're transferring to different units within the same hospital I think it might be easier to make these moves. Assuming you are a good, reliable, employee.

If you work GI several years and try to go back to med/surg in a different hospital it may be hard.

You be sound like the ideal candidate for a float pool position. That will give you exposure to a lot of areas of nursing.

[dennis8, ADN, BSN, CNA, RN]

A year and 3 months med/surg is a fairly good building block.

GI nursing is different, I enjoyed it. How easy it might be to go from GI back to acute care, med/surg.... I don't know.

If you're transferring to different units within the same hospital I think it might be easier to make these moves. Assuming you are a good, reliable, employee.

If you work GI several years and try to go back to med/surg in a different hospital it may be hard.

You be sound like the ideal candidate for a float pool position. That will give you exposure to a lot of areas of nursing.

Thank you for the input brownbook! Have you worked on a med surg/tele floor before too? In the event I get accepted, I'm just worried about being able to go back to med surg at a different hospital in case GI doesn't work out for me. My plan is to get a year or two of GI experience and transfer over to a closer/better paying hospital. I don't want to pass up the opportunity since I already have my foot in the door in the hospital and employees get first dibs. Management is good and the coworkers are like family but I think it's time to move on for personal and career growth.

Edit: And float pool sounds like a good idea! Unfortunately my hospital only offers a cross training program for ED and critical areas like stepdown units and ICU and the competition is very stiff.

[brownbook]

I started out in a smallish acute care hospital, assigned to med/surg tele but was always willing to float. It was an unofficial float pool, as in we need a warm body :).

It's impossible to say if you could work GI a few years then easily get a med/surg job in a different hospital.

If GI doesn't work out maybe you could go back to your original med/surg unit. Then start applying at other hospitals.

[brownbook]

If you have extra time, not working 40 hours a week, you can look into working occasional weekends on your current med/surg unit to maintain your skills, looks good on a resume.

[dennis8, ADN, BSN, CNA, RN]

Thanks for all the tips brownbook! I like the idea of picking up extra shifts on med surg if they allow it in my hospital. As soon as my wife settles in to her new job I think I will put in my application and hope for the best. Thanks again!

[sbwpaso]

Hi.

Did you take the GI position? Do you like it compared to med-surg?

Im thinking of doing the same but don’t know yet.

Stefsni

[dennis8, ADN, BSN, CNA, RN]

Just now, sbwpaso said:

Hi.

Did you take the GI position? Do you like it compared to med-surg?

Im thinking of doing the same but don’t know yet.

Stefsni

Hi, I actually did not. I hit the 2 years and 3 months mark in med surge and felt like I needed to do something entirely different. I am now working as a case manager in the same hospital. It is a part-time position so I still am thinking of applying to a medsurge position per-diem close to home just to maintain my clinical skills.