Hello!
I am in my last semester of nursing school and close to receiving my BSN. Aside from worrying about studying for NCLEX, I am immensely worried about my externship placement this semester.
In the past semester, I’ve been a student extern at UCSD in the ICU. I also currently work as a CNA in a hospital on a neurology med-surg tele floor, but will constantly float to ED, ICU, or PCU. As much as I love critical care nursing, I’ve always found myself aiming towards the ED. No matter how many different specialties I’ve tried in my clinicals, the ED always captivated me. I feel that it is both challenging and rewarding.
That being said, I submitted an application to another externship this semester for an ED position, with Urgent Care and Cardiology as my alternatives. However, I was placed in the OB/GYN unit at a clinic, which was not even a choice I considered. As interesting as it is, I was immensely sad to not have received the department I wanted, especially since my classmates are spending their final semester preceptorships in their desired departments. Please forgive me for sounding ungrateful as that is not my intent; I just feel pressured in the sense that I may be behind on gaining experience in the specialty I want when my counterparts are getting theirs as it is very competitive to find jobs in the ED where I live.
My question and point is, how can I, as a soon-to-be new grad nurse, stand out against other candidates when applying for ED positions? I understand some nurses opt to gain experience for some time in other units before applying for ED. However, I really would like to initially try for an ED position as I’ve heard and asked other nurses who were able to work in an ED as new grads. Also, is it wrong for me to be upset about being placed in OB?
Thank you in advance!
