How to choose the right type of nursing?

k_girl153 · Jul 31, 2012

I'm still a student but I have to say that, for me, I have a much easier time figuring out what areas are not for me. For example, I hated ortho with a passion so I have no desire to apply to an ortho floor.

I do think that you should really give all areas a fair shot though. I really believe that you shouldn't have any preconceived notions. You may fall in love with a specialty that you would have never imagined being in.

Good luck

mrshoskins · Aug 2, 2012

While in school I thought I wanted to do nothing other than hospital until clinical & I found it was totally not for me...I was going to give up on nursing as a whole because with my lack of knowledge I thought nursing home which is also not for me & what am I going to do now?!"...well a close friend reassured me to not give up becasue of how broad the field is...... more than likely one of them would be my nitch...she suggested home care which I had never thouhgt of so I tried it as a home care aide while in school & fell in luv with it...with this being said, maybe you should try in get a job in a area you may be considering while you are in school to kinda feel it out & see if it's for you.

allnurses Guide · Aug 2, 2012

Honestly? Right now, new nurses are not often able to choose a specialty. You get whatever job is willing to hire you. Go through school with the mindset of building connections and relationships and practicing core skills as much as you can. Worry less about what type of specialty you want. Even if you choose one you are unlikely to get to work in it immediately after graduation. New nurses are having a lot of trouble finding any work at all.

zoe92 · Aug 3, 2012

I agree with not.done.yet on getting the core skills out of the way. Work in wherever you can get a job, get your feet wet with a few years of experience, and then try to pursue a specific area. I know in the long term I want to be a geriatric nurse or a nurse educator but right out of nursing school I will probably try ER, ICU or wherever will be hiring at the local hospital.