Please Help!!!! Confused

[gradyrn2b08]

I will be finishing with my RN in Aug 08 and I can not make up my mind where I want to work. I have been a CST for 8 years and I do not want to stay in the OR as an RN. I love pathophsiology and the whole disease process and I also love working with technical equipment. I am currently employed at a Level One Trauma center in Atlanta and I love this hospital. I have seen some amazing things come through our doors. The problem is I can not decide if I want to start in the ICU or ER. I know some wonderful people in both departments and I think most of the preceptors are wonderful. I'm just want to make the correct decision and I want to start in a department where my training can be used and enhanced later. PLEASE HELP!!!

[MzKGoRN]

HI, I graduate in May 2008 and I had the same decision to make between ER and ICU. But after interviews and job offers for an internship in both areas. I decided in ICU. I felt ICU would be a better learning experience for skills and patho. Good luck in whatever decision you choose.:nuke:

[carolinapooh, BSN, RN]

I, too, love patho - and pharm (I call it "drugs and bugs"!). I knew I could handle an ICU but decided not to jump right in at this point (I just graduated in December). I took a position on an adult oncology unit and I love it. All kinds of disease processes and fascinating drugs to go with it. We just had our initial core oncology classes and I'm already looking forward to the second one - LOADS of patho. I went home and looked up the pharmacokinetics on all the drugs because I was dying to know EXACTLY how they worked, and then looked up the patho of about six diseases I wrote down during the lectures that we didn't even cover! Plenty of interesting stuff for an info junkie like me.

There's an adult bone marrow and a peds bone marrow unit at my hospital here. If there's anything like that where you are, those units are considered intensive care units.

I never thought I'd end up in oncology. But I'm quickly becoming hooked!

[Sillynicunurse]

I just graduated in March and accepted a position in ICU. I worked as a tech in the ER for a year before I graduated. Even though I loved it there and the people that I worked with I believe that I will have a better learning experience in the ICU. I decided on the ICU after I shadowed a shift there. If you are undecided set up shadow days in the areas that you are interested in. If you want to work nights ask to shadow at night so you can get a real feel for what to expect.