new nurse needs your help please!!!!!!!

[laronda134]

First let me tell you a little about myself:

LPN for 3 years in LTC, nights

just recieved rn

I have the option to go on a med-surg floor, nights and maybe get some experience doing that or going on TCU which is a subacute floor. i want to make sure that i have options if i want to change jobs or postions.

Most of rn's i know that went to med-surg right after school quit, saying that it was too much.

What I would like to do is go to the TCU unit and get a slow paced experience and then try med surg. What do u think?

[DukeNurse86]

ron-

med-surg floors vary greatly, depending on the organization and what types of patients that floor usually sees. most of those nurses you speak of quit because they are overwhelmed with patient load. ratios are as high as 1:10 in some places--> talk about burnout. find out what kind of patient population you might see. interview on those floors and check out the morale, even try to ask some floor nurses a few questions. most people i've talked to start in ms and then move to a more acute floor with fewer patient loads after they get enough experience. you will always have options as an rn, no matter which floor you decide to work on. also, many hospitals will allow you to switch floors (within the organization, of course) if you find you can't handle the floor you're on. best of luck to you!

[missionnurse]

I agree with DukeNurse. Find out what the floor is like. What the pt population is. What the ratios are. How many ancillary staff members they have.

One of the best pieces of advice I ever received is to remember that when you interview for a job you are there to interview them just as much as they are interviewing you! Ask EVERY question you can think of! Then you may find your choice is a lot easier.

Also remember that if you start on one floor and find you don't like it....there are thousands of other nursing areas to work in. You are NOT stuck!

Just go for it! You'll do just fine.