New grad: ER or Med-surg?

kirbycruiser · Nov 25, 2011

I can't offer any advice as to which position you should choose, but a 45 minute commute is not so bad. I drive 45 minutes each way right now and I do it 6 days a week in addition to driving back and forth to school.

I thought it was almost impossible for a new grad to be offered a position in an ER. I would jump at the chance if it were me. But that's just my opinion.

whichone'spink, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2011

ER. Hopefully you have a long orientation though.

Studentnurse418 · Nov 25, 2011

it's a 6 month orientation. I hope that's long enough. I've been weighing out the pros and the cons and I'm still pulling toward the ER. I feel like i'll be able to work anywhere I want after gaining experience from this ER later on in life.

zorro_wrangler · Nov 25, 2011

I'm not expert but if i were you i'd choose the ER. I agree with kirby , the 45 min commute may seem long but if its where ur heart is, go for it. Not a lot of folks get a chance to jump into an ER setting right off the bat...

zcoq72mehs · Nov 25, 2011

it's a 6 month orientation. I hope that's long enough. I've been weighing out the pros and the cons and I'm still pulling toward the ER. I feel like i'll be able to work anywhere I want after gaining experience from this ER later on in life.

ER

it is a niche speciality--if u quit it, keep doing it prn

it would afford u to work in er's and other nursing depts readily

boils down to job security

commonsense · Nov 25, 2011

Hello all.
I'm sort of in a predicament. I am not sure on which position to choose after I graduate next month.
I was offered a position in the Emergency Department at a trauma level I hospital, but it is in a city that I do not want to live in for 2 years. The pros for having this job is that it is my dream job and fits my professional goals. The location of this hospital is a 45 minute drive from my house so one consideration is to commute.
I am also in the process of hearing back from another Magnet hospital who interviewed me for a med-surg/trauma unit. This hospital is only about 20 minutes away from where i live. I want to be closer to home so the location of this hospital is the best. If i get offered this position I am not sure if I should commute from home and work in the Emergency Department or take the med/surg unit and possibly do an internal transfer in a few years.
Can anyone here offer some advice as to what a new grad should do?

Go with your gut, after you've eaten a healthy meal of course.

relgis15 · Nov 25, 2011

It seems to me that med/surg teaches you the basic and vital skills needed to have a rock solid foundation in nursing. But, this is a level 1 trauma center, and probably a teaching hospital. If you see yourself in the ED in five years, go ahead and take the plunge now. These opportunities are scarce. Almost everybody in my hospital would go for the ED over med/surg.

The commute is not that bad. Not ideal, but not that bad.

Internal transfers don't always go as smoothly as planned. They can often backfire, and you will never see the things in a level 2 or 3 trauma center that go to a level 1.

Let us know what you decide please and good luck, this really is the best profession on the planet.

Editorial Team / Moderator · Nov 25, 2011

In the ED, we care for medical patients, surgical patients, ICU patients, psych patients, OB patients, GYN patients, ortho patients, trauma patients .... you name it. From my perspective, ED gives a nurse a bit of everything, and then some! Go for it.

maelstrom143 · Nov 25, 2011

Go for the ER position, definitely. Had I known my experience in the ER was insufficient to continue covering when I moved...I WOULD NEVER HAVE MOVED. I miss the ER terribly and the experiences, real world view, and no-nonsense attitude you encounter will allow you to cut through the BS and get to the nitty gritty of what you are doing, allowing you to prioritize and be a more effective nurse. Besides, if you plan on continuing your education, ED/ICU experience seems to be well regarded.

I<3H2O, BSN, RN · Nov 25, 2011

I have to disagree with everyone else. I have seen several nurses go Med Surg and then go to a specialty and seem to transition easily. Going from a specialty to Med Surg (even if just a float shift) EEK, they couldn't hack it. I think Med Surg sets you up for a solid background and teaches you how to multi task on pts that are not as critical as those you may see in an ED. I personally don't think I could have ever worked ED without having my Med Surg background. Let's not mention that it will give you a better appreciation for what Med Surg nurses go through.

Prettyladie · Nov 26, 2011

Come work with me :) Lol. I know where you'll be as we have spoken on a few threads I believe. I was the SAME way I was kind of disappointed, ugh moving all the way to a city that ISNT all that appealing..but hey look at the opportunity we are getting, I'm packing up me and my 2 year old and moving almost 200 miles away from my comfort... so yeah its a bit of a stretch, but I absolutely love this facility, and I know what we will learn is beneficial, and its such a BLESSING to be a new grad at a Level I Trauma facility. Do you know how competitive this program is we just got in?? I will tell you, this is so far out of my element, but this is a chance of a lifetime. I'll look forward to meeting you if you decided to come down south :)