No sick adults please.....can I still be a nurse?

leenak · Jun 19, 2011

I dunno, that is how I feel about obstetrics and babies :)

The question is... what happens if you get through nursing school and can't find a job in OB/peds?

Calinurse4 · Jun 19, 2011

I'm the same way. I don't want to work with "sick adults", I would also prefer OB or peds. I have finished a year of nursing school and I have survived with all the sick adults I only had 3 weeks OB, the rest has been med-surg. It's not my preference but I still go in and do my very best and I end up having some wonderful patients. I know I have to pay my dues and tell myself that I will one day get to where I want to be; in the meantime I just do my very best and get all I can out of the experience. We only do clinical in hospitals, not nursing homes, although some med-surg floors are pretty much glorified SNFs You'll be fine, it's not so bad! Good luck :)

anny08 · Jun 19, 2011

It depends on the nursing school you attend as to how much experience/exposure you get to each area. If I remember correctly, I spent 7 weeks in L & D and also 7 weeks in pediatrics, with the other half of each of those semesters in Med/surg. But for me there was also community health which wasn't like being in med/surg and pysch which is good exposure for everyone because you will deal with psych patients no matter what area you are in. I think you would be just fine-many of the people in my program wanted to do L&D or peds as well and they all made it!

FLhusker · Jun 19, 2011

So, the fact that I say "eeeewwwwwwww" when I even think about doing bed baths, catheters, wound care, etc. on adults.....this will go away in time?

leenak....EXACTLY! What if I can't get a job in OB or PEDS after I graduate? It seems that a lot of pre-nursing students I know all want these areas as well so maybe they are in high demand. I guess I'm not opposed to "paying my dues" somewhere else for a year....but right now I just can't imagine working with adults.

Funny, my husband asks WHY I want to go into nursing when I can't stand it when HE is sick!

Oh, how I wish there was just a program for OB or pediatic nurses!

Seas · Jun 19, 2011

I understand when someone doesn't want to deal with acutely ill people like in med-surge and want to work in L-D, nursery, etc. But what do you mean when you go to clinicals in LTC, you will run the other way? Sorry, you will spend quite some time in LTC, and med-surg. If you think you can't stand it and what is worse if you show this to patients, and your instructor, you need to get out now. You know you don't just walk into your favorite area of nursing. If you can't or don't do med-surg, no way you can graduate NS. Because med-surg is where you go most.

By the way, L-D area is a critical area where many places require some experience in acute care.

cnnconstance · Jun 19, 2011

There really is not that much difference in LTC and children, true they are alot bigger. They have the same needs and wants that smaller people have. I love my LTC residents. They are some of the most kind and gracious people you will ever meet. During clinicals I had the most amazing resident, she cried on my last day so hurt to see me go. Now I also work with re-hab residents. What a joy to see them rehabilitate to go home. I have a deep faith and look nightly for the opportunity to share Gods love. Look deep into your heart, simply put aside those feelings and try to look for the compassion and grace that these frail elderly and disease ridden people deserve. If being a nurse is your true desire, you can overcome your fears.

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2011

If you have any amount of compassion for people who are hurting, you will do just fine. And I get the husband thing. When husbands catch a cold, they are at death's doorstep and everyone needs to know it. After 3 terms of med-surg, I haven't had a single patient that I didn't like. There were maybe a couple that were difficult to deal with but okay once we got pain under control. I am actually a little scared of peds because the kiddos are usually pretty sick and the parents can be very demanding - can be very high stress situations.

allnurses Guide · Jun 19, 2011

You can do pretty much anything you make up your mind to do. I would, however, encourage you to recognize those areas are the highest demand areas for what nursing students are hoping to do. L&D in particular has a low turn-over rate and jobs in that area for a new grad are super hard to find. You should have a plan in place for what you will do when your dream job isn't there for you when you graduate due to high competition and few opportunities.

Caring for adults who are ill really isn't much different than children. Just bigger.

Always_Learning, BSN, RN · Jun 19, 2011

Just food for thought...at the largest magnet children's hospitals in my area, there are also adult patients. Adults with congenital heart defects and other conditions such as severe GI problems and cystic fibrosis are treated there as well. It's very likely that if you are lucky enough to snag a peds job, you will occasionally care for adults as well. I can understand having more interest in some specialties than others, but if the time comes and you care for adults, I hope you will be able to do so without saying "Ewwwwww."

DLS_PMHNP, MSN, RN, NP · Jun 19, 2011

In today's job market, I would take whichever position you can get.

I know it's your first choice, but don't hold your breath for L&D. Really, med/surg is your stepping stone to more specialized areas. And the information and skills you learn are invaluable.

I wish you all the best in your career! :nurse:

Diane, RN

FedupLPN · Jun 20, 2011

L&D is pretty hard to get into. Pediatrics is med surg just with little people. but like the others said...there is a chance you may have to take what you can get. Fresh grads have a hard time getting jobs now days. Patients are patients...you have to do the same amount of work with all of them