OR vs CTICU vs ED

[LVAD RN]

i am having a little trouble. i am about to graduate as an rn but i cannot decide between the or, cticu and the ed.

or pro & con: great hours, shadowed a few times and loved it. new environment. my question is if i work as an or nurse is that the only place i will ever be able to work except medsurg? i am planning on becoming a np so where do i go?

pay is great starting as gn and the increase after a year is highest in area. commute is 1 hour

cticu: i have worked on this cardiothoracic unit for the last two years as a patient care technician and the way the techs and some nurses are treated creates a high turnover. i am afraid that if i stay on this unit the other techs and some nurses may still treat me as a tech (have seen it done with the nurse manager saying nothing). is it a bad idea to stay? best cardio thoracic icu in area. pay is great starting as gn and the increase after a year is highest in area. commute is 1 hour

ed trauma: i have always wanted to work in the ed but in the trauma area. the gn job in this ed requires a year of training which i do not mind because i know training is essential. however, once my year has ended i may not get the trauma area because the # of applications for this area is high. all trauma in area goes to this hospital the commute is 40 minutes. the pay is less than than the other two starting and the increase after a year is still less.

my np tuition would be free would only need to buy books

please help i am confused. can someone help me please, guidance would be great.

thanks in advance

[just_cause, BSN, RN]

I would choose the ED - as it sounds like you are partial to it and it leads to a great transition to being an NP.

However, if you do the OR - it can also be a good transition to becoming a surgical focused PA - if you have the remainder of pre-reqs done.

v/r

[Winnie04]

I agree, you sound most excited about the ED. And even though it pays less than the other options, the tuition assistance probably makes up for the lower salary. While financial considerations are certainly important, I think it's also important to think about what position will make you happiest on a day-to-day basis, since you will be spending many hours doing it. Good luck with your decision! : )

[Southern Fried RN]

I went to the ED one year out of nursing school and loved it. I saw a variety of things and became very proficient at skills (IV, foleys, NGs, etc). Working in the ED developed that "sixth sense" that something bad might happen to the patient! I liked the pace and the patients usually didn't hang around forever, like sometimes in ICU.

Even if you don't get to trauma, you will still gain valuable experience in the ED. Plus the shorter commute time, even 20 minutes, may be nice after a long shift.

The downside to my experience in the ED was dealing with rude, demanding, aggressive people. Like drug seekers, drunk/high people, prisoners, frequent flyers who manipulate the system, etc.

[shodobe]

If NP is your ultimate goal then I would choose the ED. The OR is a great place to be but for you the ED would give you the oppurtunity to evaluate patients better, because they are awake, and patient contact is a must with being a NP.

[suzanne in hawaii]

Free tuition for your NP if you work in the ED? This sounds great.

OR would have less bearing on your work in the future, unless you wanted to become a first assist, or become a CRNA. Both choices are satisfying careers. Good luck in making the best choice!