New grad Rn should I go to medsurg

brownbook · Dec 23, 2019

I have never worked corrections so I am making BIG ASSUMPTIONS about correctional nursing. I assume a moderately or critically ill inmate would be transferred to an acute care hospital for a higher level of care.

I worked an acute care hospital that had a ward for inmates...that is what my assumption is based on.

Based on my assumption you would get more exposure to acutely ill patients, more exposure to different nursing interventions working acute care med/ssurg, than working corrections. This med/surg experience would be more helpful for your career when, if, you want to move into other areas of nursing.

I say take the med/surg job. Every single nurse feels scared. It is as normal as breathing! You do have an advantage over new RN's with no experience with your 5 years LPN experience.

Tough it out...if you really hate it it doesn't seem far fetched that you could still get a job in corrections.

snowybee · Dec 24, 2019

Thank you for the advice. I will do as per you said. Go on with hospital for now.

kbrn2002, ADN, RN · Dec 24, 2019

You've been a nurse for 5 years already so you do have some experience to draw on. I'd say go with what you would like. A hospital setting is no doubt going to have the more acute patients with a wider variety of diagnoses and procedures but if it is really acute patients a 1:8 ratio seems a little tough. Plus I agree a 6 week orientation seems a little short but you do have nursing experience so that should probably be enough for you.

While I've never worked corrections I assume it would be more health maintenance and anything requiring more acute care would be transferred to a hospital. I could be totally off base on that though so maybe ask a corrections nurse what a typical day is like?

The hospital setting will also most likely give you more opportunities to transfer to a different specialty down the road if/when you decide to move on from med-surg and internal applicants are typically given priority for positions so there is that to consider as well. But, if you know from your previous experience that isn't where you want your career to progress there is nothing wrong with corrections nursing either if that is where you decide you want to be.

Guest957596 · Dec 25, 2019

Corrections is like working in the Twilight Zone. The environment is not like a hospital in any way, shape, or form. You need to be tough, independent, and assertive. If you aren't, it's not for you.

DTWriter · Dec 25, 2019

Drawing from my own observations:

Med-surg, easier time getting into other nursing fields later on.

Corrections, be prepared to defend yourself when you want to interview for another nursing field. You will need to "connect the dots" for recruiters/interviewers when explaining what you did is an asset for the other field, and hope that they can relay what you said to the hiring manager.

Fair? In my opinion, no.

Advice: Do not let anyone push you into area of nursing that you do not really want to do. Your first RN job (that you last pass orientation) sets the foundation for the rest of your nursing career, but, you can "reset" that foundation by doing a residency or fellowship in a field that you want to work in; there are hospitals that allow experienced RNs to do a residency program in another field, along with new grads.