New Nurse Needs Advice

[Sara RN]

hello everyone,

i'm a brand new rn freshly licensed and just beginning my career on a cardiac intervention unit at a leading cardiac institute. so far i just love my job. i'm an education minded individual, nursing actually being my second bachelor's degree. i have always wanted to peruse graduate school. i really need some advice about my different options in the nursing and related health care fields. i know that i want to spend a few years as a bedside nurse to gain experience at this level before moving on but i do want to start planning for my next step. when it is time for me to take the leap into a graduate program i want to make sure i'm prepared. i would really appreciate any advice about different career paths or suggestions. at this point i just want to keep all of my options open.

my sincere thanks in advance!

[Peanutter1]

I had an advisor in nursing school (I've only been out since May 10) who told me opportunities will present themselves in nursing. She said it's great to plan that next step, but not to worry about the details. It's hard, because I'm always thinking about the next step even though I've only been a bedside nurse for three months now...but, I think she was right. I was really worried about planning to start a family, and going back to grad school, and which direction to take (CRNA? PA? NP? CNS?) but for now I'm contenting myself by learning as much as I can for my current job, being well aware of the programs in my area and their pre-req's/admission requirements, and know that an opportunity WILL present itself. My advisor was really great about this. She told me she has never known a nurse who didn't have so many opportunities for career advancement thrown in their laps.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

I recommend you continue to learn your present job, perhaps get certified in that area at some point, then decide about graduate school UNLESS you know exactly what you want to do with the advanced degree.

[Guest27531]

Congratulations!!!

You are not asking these questions too soon...keep asking even as you get familiar with your new job. I also suggest you post in the "Students" section of this forum as it includes Master's level students also and there are discussions there about different types of nursing masters and there are some great ideas there.