Please help me make a decision!

[MoriahRoseRN]

Hi,

I am interviewing for med-surg jobs. From previous posts you may have seen that I am pretty scared about starting a job on a med-surg floor. While in school I did not like it at all. I am a double triple checker and so I am very cautious, low confidence, etc; therefore, a slow poke. With that being said, what type of acute care floor would be better then others for me. I interviewed for two jobs. One was a general medical floor 5-6 pts, and one that has 4-5 pts/nurse that takes CVA, GI bleeds and pulmonary patients. So there will be a lot of blood to hang, insulin drips and heparin drips. I have tried to avoid med-surg, but in my area you really can't do a lot of other areas of nursing without at least one year in med-surg. Any advice would be appreciated. Btw, I am interviewing for two other positions, Dialysis, and private duty pretty soon (I need a job). Thanks all, and please, any advice will be appreciated. You all are great!

[Daytonite, BSN, RN]

What about a post op surgical unit? You need to be on a unit with a regular routine.

[SweetLemon]

Med -Surg sounds like a great place to start.... You will get lots experience and will be trained to deal with a wide variety of patients. Being a double triple checker as a brand new nurse is a GREAT thing and not something to be ashamed of.... double checking as a veteran nurse I think is also very commendable (and while time constraint do force us to become more "efficient" or whatever you want to call it... it is in the best interest to the patient as well as the nurse to be meticulous). I would recommend asking lots of questions about the training process in the units you are interviewing... the truth is as a new nurse most floors are well aware that you have a very new set of skills and your hands experience is limited to the patients in which you were lucky enough to care for as a student. Your speed and skill is not going to up to par with you more experienced colleagues...that's really okay... Don't let this scare you... be humble as you continue your training and ask lots and lots of questions....even if people seem to be annoyed. *Their annoyance is never worth making a mistake later and harming a patient because you were not sure.... Find out how they will train you to get you up to par and maybe this will help you decide which unit will be the best fit for you.

GOOD LUCK in your new career as a nurse I am sure you will be amazing!

Manda:nurse:

[JazzyRN]

if you think its not right for you, chances are that you are right. Listen to your intuition on this one. I was told as well, that I must do my one year of med surg to be marketable and its not really true. The nursing shortage is such that a lot of places will accept and train you on their specialty unit. I graduated and went straight into peds. i have friends that went straight to ICU, PICU, NICU, ER, hem/onc without that year of med surg. So I say get out there and interview on a less hectic unit. Good luck!

[neurorn6]

I have to be honest, I'm a big believer in starting on a med/surg floor first. Let me explain why, You learn how to become organized, how to pick up on things with out the bells and whisles that we have in the units. You learn really quickly to trust your gut when it comes to your patients. I also believe that your confidence grows, as well as respect from your co workers and physicans. Yes, there are alot of opportunities in nursing other than med/surg. But, I am grateful for each year that I stay on med/surg and yes our nurse/pt ratio was any where from 1/6 to 1/10 on a 36 bed unit. 1 CNA if we were lucky. Some days it was a damn dirty day. Don't sell yourself short. I bet you didn't go into this profession because you thought if was easy. All of us have doubted ourself and we all have days that we still do. That's why you ask questions and ask for help. That's why we are called co worker. Let me know how you do. Good Luck and stay strong. YOU CAN DO IT!

[RNsRWe, ASN, RN]

Since you're a new grad, I'd have to advocate that you choose the job that gives you the greatest opportunity for learning experiences. Of the choices you mentioned, med-surg sounds most like the best choice.

I've not been silent in advocating for all new grads to spend some time honing skills and learning new ones in med-surg. I recognize the pros and cons (it's been repeated ad nauseum on these boards!) but still feel that a year, two, or more in med-surg strengthens a new nurse's skills and abilities. I hear those who say that starting in other areas is just as well; you don't seem to be confident enough at this point, IMHO, to really consider that. Take some time to make yourself the finest nurse you can be :)

That said, please don't think that you should be afraid of med-surg because you are very organized, very thorough! It will be your saving grace, actually, and make you quite the success. The speed-demon who doesn't work as thoroughly as you will soon find him or herself under a pound of poop (I could have said in a heap of trouble, but am feeling frisky, LOL...!).

Anyhoo, don't get caught up in whether or not a year or two in a med-surg unit is the issue: what's really the issue is building your confidence level, and finding a place that you feel a good fit. New nurses are always a bit unsteady, always a bit nervous....the ones who aren't scare me to death! To be perfectly honest, I don't see private duty as a good choice for ANY new grad at ALL. Private duty means considerable autonomy (no one to ask questions of, no one to check things with you, or make sure you're doing something correctly). Your own skills have to be quite up to snuff, and they aren't going to be straight out of school. At least, not for what I'd consider to be the needs of a patient who needs a private duty nurse.

Dialysis, too, requires some considerable assessment skills; while I understand that in some areas the demand is such that they'll hire new grads, I've been told it's not a good idea....and in my neck of the woods, simply not done. Experience first is the rule here for a reason.

Not sure if this helps or confuses! I hope it helps. You'll make the right decision, and if it turns out that the situation isn't what you had hoped, you can always make a new one :)