New RN needs Senior RN Advice

[RN-4Ever, DNP]

I am a new RN looking for job prospects. I have been applying everywhere. My question is... I have my eye on a psych nurse position, but I'm worried that a specialized area like psych would get me stuck in that field of nursing. I love psych and would love a psych position, but would it hinder me if down the road I wanted a medical surgical position?

Should I be applying to only med/surg positions for the experience? I feel like I shouldn't be picky, but then again I don't want to just jump into something I will regret later. Any advice?

[SierraBravo]

This is only my opinion, so take it for what it's worth. I feel like specialized areas such as psych, OB, and the OR are great, but they may or may not make it more challenging if you want to move into M/S later. The thing is, if you love psych then go for psych. If you want to learn how to be a hospital nurse, by all means go for M/S. I feel like it would be an easier transition to go from M/S to psych as opposed to going from psych to M/S. Also, once you're in psych and if you end up leaving and trying to come back, from what I understand it is relatively difficult.

So, it comes down to what you really want to do right now. Don't do M/S if you have no intention of ever working in that area just to have done it. If you are a psych nurse at heart, then I say go for psych right off the bat. You really want your first RN job out of school to be a good experience!

[VANurse2010]

If you want to work with acutely ill medical patients, you have to have acute care experience. You are better positioned to do that as a new grad than as a several years experienced psych nurse with no medical experience. You can always try one and do the other PRN, although most M/S units would expect a PRN nurse to hit the ground running faster than an extensive orientation would allow.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

A job is a job. If you thinkyou would like that work do it. You can always change your mind later. And do not worry about "forgetting" stuff. You will recall them when you need them.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

In this market, I'm thinking that choices between mutiple offers are mighty rare. I think you should apply for any-and everything. The time to worry about making choices is when/if you have a choice to make. Most new grads are in the same boat.

[TakeTwoAspirin, MSN, RN, APRN]

In-patient psychiatric patients often have comorbidities so you will not be completely out of M/S experience as a psych nurse on an in-patient unit although it will, of course, be more limited. On the whole, I have always found that going with my heart works out one way or another. There are other ways you can gain more diverse experience, you just have to get creative. Perhaps volunteering, or doing part-time or PRN home health shifts on the weekend.

[Whispera, MSN, RN]

I worked psych right out of school, for 5 years, and then the unit closed. I tranferred into Med/Surg. What I had forgotten came back quickly...

[RN-4Ever, DNP]

Thank you! This is just the type of advice I was looking for! Keep it coming! lol I love allnurses.com!

[RNKPCE]

Is this a psych unit where you'd use med-surg skills? Our psych unit won't even take a patient with a saline lock. If you have two job offers one in each area, which would be awesome. I think I'd take the med-surg as I do feel it would be easier to transfer to psych later. You get patient's with psych issues on med-surg but unless you are a medical psych unit you would not be doing many other med-surg like skills in psych and might need a refresher course to get back into med-surg if it is a long time from graduating.

[Gooselady, BSN, RN]

I think this is an issue but not nearly as dire as you've heard or imagine. I went from 17 years of nothing but psych and did an RN residency to go into medical oncology. A nurse is a nurse, we have the nursing 'mind set' no matter what specialty area we work in. In all the years between nursing school and when I actually worked in acute care, I overestimated how much I 'forgot'. It all came back, like riding a bicycle. All those years as a psych nurse, I was still a nurse :)

Your situation is a little 'different', in that you are a new nurse and looking for your first job. How badly you need to start work will dictate you taking the first position offered to you. If you can wait at all, in your shoes I'd wait for med surg. If you need to generate income, go ahead, take a psych or whatever position. The opportunities for retraining are somewhat limited, and as it is, you need training for ANYTHING you do. I was constantly surprised at how much being an experienced psych nurse made my job in acute medical nursing easier. You have to get your foot in SOMEWHERE.