Graduating with a BSN and specializing...

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 11, 2010

Assuming you are in the United States ...

You don't specialize in a certain sub-field of nursing in your initial education. You get your entry level education and your RN license. Then you get a job -- and learn more "on the job" about whatever specialty you are in. For example, if you get a job on a pediatric unit, they will teach you more about pediatrics as part of your orientation. If you are hired into a cardiac care unit, they will teach you more about that as part of your "on the job training."

As you get more experience, you become more knowledgable about whatever type of area you work in. You can also take some additional classes, go to professional conferences, read on your own, etc. to learn more about the types of patients you see at work. After you have a couple of years of experience in a particular specialty, you can take an exam to get officially certified in that specialty if you would like. That extra credential tells the world that you are experienced in that field and knowledgable about it.

At the Master's level of education and above -- nurses choose particular specialties or tracks that give them still further education in areas that interest them. But at the undergraduate level, everyone in the US is educated as a "generalist" and you will get a taste of a wide variety of specialties as you go through your initial nursing courses. By "sampling" a wide variety of areas in your initial education, you discover which types of nursing (which types of patients, which areas of specializtion, etc.) interest you the most.

You are at the very beginning of your nursing career. For now, just focus on doing a good job in school and getting a strong foundation in the general principles of nursing that apply to all areas. As you go through the different clinical experiences, you'll notice that you like some more than others -- and that some seem to come more naturally to you than others. Pay attention to those things as they give you clues as to the types of jobs you might like after graduation. That's how you figure out what to specialize in.

Me? When I graduated 33 years ago, I knew I wanted to work with babies. So I became a Neonatal ICU nurse. I have since gone to graduate school twice and now specialize in Nursing Professional Development (which is in education for nurses after they have graduated from nursing school, "on the job training," etc.)

Good luck to you.

borinick1492 · Aug 11, 2010

Assuming you are in the United States ...
You don't specialize in a certain sub-field of nursing in your initial education. You get your entry level education and your RN license. Then you get a job -- and learn more "on the job" about whatever specialty you are in. For example, if you get a job on a pediatric unit, they will teach you more about pediatrics as part of your orientation. If you are hired into a cardiac care unit, they will teach you more about that as part of your "on the job training."
As you get more experience, you become more knowledgable about whatever type of area you work in. You can also take some additional classes, go to professional conferences, read on your own, etc. to learn more about the types of patients you see at work. After you have a couple of years of experience in a particular specialty, you can take an exam to get officially certified in that specialty if you would like. That extra credential tells the world that you are experienced in that field and knowledgable about it.
At the Master's level of education and above -- nurses choose particular specialties or tracks that give them still further education in areas that interest them. But at the undergraduate level, everyone in the US is educated as a "generalist" and you will get a taste of a wide variety of specialties as you go through your initial nursing courses. By "sampling" a wide variety of areas in your initial education, you discover which types of nursing (which types of patients, which areas of specializtion, etc.) interest you the most.
You are at the very beginning of your nursing career. For now, just focus on doing a good job in school and getting a strong foundation in the general principles of nursing that apply to all areas. As you go through the different clinical experiences, you'll notice that you like some more than others -- and that some seem to come more naturally to you than others. Pay attention to those things as they give you clues as to the types of jobs you might like after graduation. That's how you figure out what to specialize in.
Me? When I graduated 33 years ago, I knew I wanted to work with babies. So I became a Neonatal ICU nurse. I have since gone to graduate school twice and now specialize in Nursing Professional Development (which is in education for nurses after they have graduated from nursing school, "on the job training," etc.)
Good luck to you.

THANK YOU! This is the best possible answer I could have ever wished for. I'm a very good student. I focus on what's important, mostly because my mom's a teacher and she basically raised me that way. So I will be taking your advice for sure! Again, thank you.

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 12, 2010

You're welcome. It sounds like your Mom has given you some good guidance that will come in handy throughout school. Focus on what's most important for each particular class and do well on each one -- one at a time. My guess is that you'll do fine.

borinick1492 · Aug 12, 2010

Thank you so much! I was wondering something though. I'm just starting the university. But I'm sure this is what I want to do. Is it okay that I'm really lost sometimes with the abbreviations on this site! LOL I mean, I understand some. Like RN, BSN, CNA and a few others. But a lot of it is confusing. Hopefully once I really get into the nursing classes, I'll understand a lot better!

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 12, 2010

It's fine. It takes a while to learn the terminology and slang of any group. Sometimes, I don't know what some of the abbreviations mean, either -- and I've been a nurse for over 30 years and have a PhD in nursing!

borinick1492 · Aug 12, 2010

That actually makes me feel so much better! Thank you!