Need advice about departments

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So I am at the point in school where they want me to tell them which department I'm interested in going into right after I graduate. I'm really conflicted! I want to be a really well rounded nurse, so I have listed general medicine as an option and I think I'm going to add IMCU. I haven't been exposed to very many settings though and I don't want to overlook something really good!

My long term goals involve travelling to other countries, so I want to start with something that will help make that possible. I'm thinking being well rounded is going to help me the most with that, but does anyone have any insights I'm overlooking?

I'm also really interested in psychiatric nursing and one of my instructors has commented that I would be good there. But I'm hesitating about that because I don't know if it would help me travel.

Thoughts? Insights?

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Specializes in Medical Surgical/Addiction/Mental Health.

Interesting- does your school place students at local facilities? I am trying to understand why they seek that information. Give them a unit that is of interest. I suspect it is not written in stone at this juncture. If you read the posts on AN, you will find many nurses who have worked multiple specialties.

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Specializes in Pedi.

Are they asking you this because they need to place you for your senior practicum? I've never heard of a school caring what specialty their students are interested in beyond for placement in practicums. Besides, no matter what you tell them, it doesn't guarantee that you'll obtain a job in that area so it's not like they could use that information for statistical purposes as in "x% of our grads found hospital jobs in acute care, x% are working in L&D, x% working in nursing homes, etc".

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Yes it is for practicum placement. Kind of... the assignment is for my resume writing and interviewing class. We are supposed to identify our short and long term goals. But they will also use it in choosing our practicum.

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Specializes in ICU/ Surgery/ Nursing Education.
Yes it is for practicum placement. Kind of... the assignment is for my resume writing and interviewing class. We are supposed to identify our short and long term goals. But they will also use it in choosing our practicum.

personally I think that you will take any job you are offered, but it doesn't necessarily mean you cannot wish for, ask for, or dream!! I believe that for this assignment they really do not care which department you specify, they just want you to develop and prove resume writing skills.

Shake it up a little..... tell them you are applying for the first RN position on the moon.... :) okay, that might not work... ;)

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