Most valuable experience

I learned the most as a new graduate RN on a Medical Surgical/Oncology floor. I had previously worked as a LPN in alot of different settings and for alot of years, but that first RN job taught me the most. Even now that I work in another area, I feel the job grew my confidence, taught me prioritization and how to be independent, and showed me what is important and what is just "noise".

Which job that you've had made you the most "well-rounded" or would you consider the most "valuable" experience?

I worked primarily in hospitals for the first 10 years of my nursing career, in psych, CD, and surgery. About 25 years ago, I worked 12 hour MN shifts in ER and Med surge in a small community hospital and thought, "I have so much time, I could work someplace else part time, make some more money and gain more experience!" (I had lots more energy back then!)

So I stated working shifts in Home Health- my first was a peds case in a really remotely rural home- something I'd never done before. I eventually left the small community hospital and was working pretty much full time in Home Health when they offered me a position as the nursing supervisor.

I did things in home health, in supervising and working cases, for the next three years that I thought were incredible, including but not limited to learning, performing and later teaching other nurses IV infusions, drawing labs, dressing changes, peds, and also setting up and supervising a cutting edge "At Home Mental Health" program.

Home Health was a great and valuable experience!

Edit: Shortly after joining AN.com, I wrote about one great experience I had in Home Health during the Christmas of 1993:

https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-discussion/nursing-supervisor-takes-485472.html

I once was a float nurse in a general hospital. Not only did I get a lot of experience in Med/Surg, I also worked mother/baby and critical care. It was a great learning experience and I became really good at both physical and psychosocial assessment, a skill that served me well when I went into assisted living nursing. Figuratively speaking, I could do a hundred assessments just by looking at and talking with a patient for fifteen minutes during the admission process. Even though I finally had to give up nursing a few years ago, I still use what I learned to this very day.