New Grad wound care vs. med surg

[syrosaneli]

I just graduated this past May. I've had 2 interviews and have been offered both positions. I don't know which offer to take, thus I need your advice. I really liked wound care. I did my preceptorship there so I more or less get an idea of how things run there. With this option I will be alternating working in a clinic and hospital. Hours are great, 8-5, since I have little ones a home this is really appealing to me. Only problem is I will not be using any of my hands on nursing skills. Med surg is my other option. I really didn't like med surg during my clinical rotations. I'm not to found of floor nursing. I am concerned that if I choose the wound care position I will pigeon hole myself into only wound care. In the future I would like to do case management or nurse educator, not sure yet. What should I do?? I would really appreciate any advice, thanks. :)

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

If your career goal is case management or clinical education, you will need to achieve competency in bedside nursing care. These positions require practical expertise in the 'big picture' of patient care - direct care, health care infrastructure, intra-professional collaboration, etc. I find it interesting that you're "not fond" of floor nursing even though it seems that you don't actually have any experience yet. Were your school rotations that terrible?

Career growth doesn't just happen. In order to realize your goals you'll need to take some deliberate steps such as advancing your education to MSN because this is the level at which nurses obtain educational preparation in a specialty. If education is your goal, I would also advise you to begin accumulating practical experience as early as possible in your career. You can do this by becoming a CPR instructor, volunteering to provide peer inservices, precepting, etc. This is the pathway for clinical (non-academic) educators - employers simply won't fill nurse educator positions with people who have no practical experience. Moving into case management can also be challenging - get to know some CMs and find out how they did it.

Specialty certification will also be a "must" for either specialty area & this is only possible after you have accumulated some relevant experience. Wishing you the best of luck on your career.

[melizerd, ASN, RN]

I'm a new grad still too. I've been at my first job 4 months. It's med/surg/oncology. I didn't think I would like to much because I didn't really enjoy the rotation of med/surg either. The actual job is so very different that clinical. It also depends on the type of med/surg floor. It's such a cat all name and means very different things to different people and in different places.

I think it's a great place to start, to learn your basic skills and really think through all the things. On my particular floor we see so much and the patient acuity varies widely. It's a steep learning curve but I'm really glad I'm here and already thinking I'll be staying for several years because I'm enjoying it so much.

Start in med/surg and then decide later, wound care is SO specialized. Many of our wound care nurses have many years of other type of floor experience first which I think is important.

[VivaLasViejas, ASN, RN]

I echo the above sentiments. To be honest, you need a well-rounded experience of bedside nursing before going into a specialty where you are apt to be pigeon-holed. Med/surg nursing certainly isn't most nurses' idea of a great time, but both the technical and assessment skills you'll gain will serve you well throughout your career.