New Grad. Floor nurse or orthopedic clinic nurse, what's best?

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Hi guys. I will be a new grad this May and I need some advice. As a new grad I am wondering what the best long term career move is. Is it better to start out as a floor nurse, possibly something like med/surg OR go into a specialty such as orthopedic outpatient? I know a floor nurse would learn a lot but a specialty clinic may be able to offer a long term career. I would appreciate thoughts or advice. Thanks!

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

You can go easily from acute care to non-acute. It's more difficult to go from non-acute to acute. What's "best" depends on you, but this is a consideration.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.

Personally, I think that having med/surg experience as a floor nurse is totally worth it. You will learn so much, not just patient care wise and nursing/medical information but time management, conflict resolution, hospital politics, how to deal with people...etc... Then when you have some experience and you know what you would like to concentrate on, go for that job. Good luck!

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.
Personally, I think that having med/surg experience as a floor nurse is totally worth it. You will learn so much, not just patient care wise and nursing/medical information but time management, conflict resolution, hospital politics, how to deal with people...etc... Then when you have some experience and you know what you would like to concentrate on, go for that job. Good luck!

ICU is different than med surg. If that's what you want to do, there's nothing wrong with going straight into an ICU residency.

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Specializes in School Nursing, Pediatrics.
ICU is different than med surg. If that's what you want to do, there's nothing wrong with going straight into an ICU residency.

Yes,not including ICU, that is different, and I would go into that if that is what was available BUT she was asking about med/surg vs.outpatient ortho clinic.

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Specializes in Cardiac (adult), CC, Peds, MH/Substance.

Apologies. Wrong thread.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

You can easily move from acute care into outpatient. The opposite is not true. A couple of years spent in outpatient and your opportunities in acute care will be nonexistent. I would get acute care under your belt first.

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Specializes in Ambulatory Case Management, Clinic, Psychiatry.

OP: have you made a decision/accepted an offer?

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