new RN's in specialty areas

[sunny261]

I have been noticing many posts of new nurses being overhelmed. Many seem to be entering specialty areas soon after finishing their RN programs. Does anyone else see that perhaps a trend here that going right into the toughest areas before getting comfortable in assesment skills or even just time management is not the wisest choice? I was an LPN for 10 yrs before I got my RN and I was offered a job right out of school in my hospital's SCU. I turned it down ...I felt that I needed to feel more comfortable in getting my skills down before I entered one of the most high stressed areas in the hospital. I worked on the Med-Surg floor and although it wasn't glamorous it made me a better SCU nurse... I learned charge duties and how to call miserable docs in the middle of the night and all sorts of valuable education that I might have felt overwhelmed in a high stress area while learning these other invaluable lessons......

[TRINI_RN]

If doctors don't HAVE to do a year in Med/surg out of school why should we?

[scrubing77]

"i agree with you about facilities trying to fill slots but do you think that a new grad will be fully aware of the downside of these jobs? they sound good but then when you are in that situation of having a code plus other unstable pts and phones ringing and families. not to mention that just starting out in a new job is stressful in itself. i think that if the new nurse was aware of the not so nice sides of these areas they would be better prepared. schools do not train nurses for specialty areas you pretty much get the basics and then you are on your own. there are many people who walk away from nursing due to the fact that the real world isn't all rosy and clearcut as in school."

this is true with all areas. at least in my program at school we had a class that at least addressed this. it give some understand to the students about the book world and the differences in the real world. also, not all but a big portion of the people going thru nursing school did some type of medical work before. i myself was a surgical tech for 9 years before i graduated from nursing school so i had a very good understanding of how the real world is.

[Km8011]

I would like to know how to get into the PICU or NICU when you cannot get hired. They hire new grads all the time, but will not hire an experienced nurse unless they have PICU or NICU experience. How are you supposed to get experience if no one will hire you? I have been trying to get into critical care for 4 years. New grads, if you want critical care, it seems that the way to go right now is to start there, or good luck getting in later. Please if anyone has advice on how I can get into a critical care unit, please let me know. I have been a nurse for 5 years and have worked in pediatrics in 2 large children's hospitals.

[amesor]

I would like to know how to get into the PICU or NICU when you cannot get hired. They hire new grads all the time, but will not hire an experienced nurse unless they have PICU or NICU experience. How are you supposed to get experience if no one will hire you? I have been trying to get into critical care for 4 years. New grads, if you want critical care, it seems that the way to go right now is to start there, or good luck getting in later. Please if anyone has advice on how I can get into a critical care unit, please let me know. I have been a nurse for 5 years and have worked in pediatrics in 2 large children's hospitals.

:up:there are some hospitals who provide training and seminars in special areas like the one you are looking for...since they have some requirements/documents i think everything is in your hands now...like TOR, cert. of employment and others.i just don't know from what state are you now...are you just in the Phils.?If so, PHC is offering one...try to check it out...Good luck!