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I'm coming across some of the same decisions right now. I'm enrolled in an NP program but need to decide my specialty. My decision is between Adult Primary Care NP and Adult Acute Care NP. I don't know what state I will end up practicing in, nor what field I really want to get in to. For now I would just like to specialize in whatever is more general and will give me more opportunities in the future when I do make a decision. Any suggestions?

All hospitals are different, but many hospitals in big cities (where it's harder to get a job) are requiring a BSN. My hospital (NYC) no longer hires anyone with just an associates and I have heard that more hospitals are heading this direction. There are a few hold over associates prepared nurses and I know the pay rate is different for us as well. Plus....enjoy college! Really! There's plenty of time to work. Go to a 4 year college, enjoy it. If you have to take out loans, do it. Pick a public university, instead of a private, expensive one if you have to but go. College is one of the best times of your life.

I'm 6 months out of nursing school and I took my first job on an acute cardiac rehab floor. My patients are mostly CABG, valves, CHF, etc. I went through a period where I thought it was a bad decision too, so know you are not alone. I have found my floor to be a really good experience, not that I want to stay here forever, but I do think it has been a good place for a new grad. In my experience, my patients still have emergent issues from time to time. So I do get the occasional emergency. I do get experience with wounds and dressings and the like. I also find that my assessment skills are better than some other new grads because I don't have the machines to rely on that they do (no tele, etc). I run IV's, draw bloods and even start the occasional IV. If your floor doesn't have this kind of stuff hopefully you will be able to find something that excites you. And in the worst case scenario, make you assessments better than anyone elses, learn what you can and then move on when you've put in a year or whatever you hospital requires. It's not the worst thing that's happened. Try to see the positive and give it a chance. Good luck!

I'm 6 months out of nursing school and was hired straight to an acute setting Cardiac Rehab floor, attached to a large hospital in NYC. Our patients are generally 7-10 days out of CABG, valve replacements, etc. I deal with IV abx, heparin pumps, PICC's, wound dsgs including JP's and vacs. I've been in on numerous MRT's and one complete code. Nurses who have been to other places say this floor is busy for a rehab unit and is more like med-surg at times. Many of these patients probably should not acutally be in rehab but pressure on the attendings causes them to be transferred to us early. I'm working nights, which I don't love but I am dealing with it okay. The leadership and other nurses on the floor are supportive and I do feel like it has been a good learning environment for me as a new grad. My assessment skills may be better because I don't have as many monitors to rely on. However, as someone else mentioned I am afraid of being "pigeon-holed" into rehab nursing. Any ideas on how to present yourself in an interview to show you are competent to handle med-surg like problems? I feel that in an interview I could describe the kind of patients I deal with, but on paper I am a rehab nurse and that might detract from furture employers even wanting to interview me. I like my floor and I'm okay for awhille. But things are slow on nights...rehab patients sleep. At least they should be. We all know that's not how it always goes. It definitely has moments of craziness but it also has moments of being boring. I see myself moving on. Though I don't know what it would be to...I just think I want to do something else....at some point.

As everyone has said....not every new nurse has to go to the night shift, but many do. You may get lucky and not have to. It just depends what the situation is when you get out. I passed by boards in February of this year and started in March. Most of my classmates, if they have jobs are also on the night shift. I'm not saying you are going to love it, i certainly don't. But I have found that I am able to manage. I'm not a night person either but you'll figure out what works for you. I've discovered that I'm existing pretty well on not even as close to as much sleep as I used to get. I don't even know how my body is doing it. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. But I've been sleeping 5-6 hours during the day when I am working 3 in a row. I used to be upset if I didn't get at least 8! You also figure out what is important to you. Sometimes I sleep less because it's really more important to me to see a friend for dinner or get a workout in. It's all about sacrifices. I'm not saying you are going to love it. But you can make it work. And remember, it's most likely temporary. Many new grads get a day position within a year or two. Good luck!

Slow in general. Probably part of the problem. The shift seems to drag on a lot of the time. I get to work at 730p. Get report, meet my patients, look at labs, research conditions, whatever. From 830 to about 1030p I'm handing out night meds, doing dressings, settling patients into bed. Usually have some time to kill over the next couple hours. Get report from the evening nurse that is leaving, stock the carts, etc. Occasionally have 12am iv's to hang or other meds. Take a quick break and eat dinner after that. All that's left until morning is charting. I chart for a couple hours, or post on here, as I am doing now. Break around 330-430. By 5 I start morning stuff. Give report at 730a and out of here by 8a. The beginning and end of the shift are really busy. But patients on my floor are usually pretty stable, which means hopefully they are sleeping, so the in between hours can be pretty slow. I'm still hanging in there. I have my miserable moments and then the ones where I think I can last a few months longer. I feel like I am crying less but still sleeping pretty bad unless I take something which I really don't want to get in the habit of doing. Also, realizing that if I ever want to change units I am going to have to go back to nights. I also don't want to get pigeon-holed into this unit forever....

I go through good weeks and bad weeks. I still feel like I really need to get off the night shift though. I just don't think it's for me. But, trying to find new ways to cope and also making the most of the time I am not at work. I'm worried though. My unit is okay, but I would like to get onto a different kind of unit soon. But, I'm sure that's going to mean staying on nights, and going back to the bottom of the totem pole, in terms of getting a day shift. As always, advice and stories and experience are always appreciated!

I am a new grad, about 6 months into my first job. I hate it too a lot of the time. Literally want to cry before I start 3 in a row on. I'm on the night shift. You didn't mention if you were or not, but I think that's what I hate about nursing. I'm having a really hard time on nights. Not so much because of the time adjustment but because I feel very isolated from my friends and family due to having to sleep when I am not at work. When you work nights, you dont' get together with your friends after work to go to dinner or have drinks or play sports in rec leagues or anything. You get off work, go to sleep, wake up and go to work again. It's making me depressed. My worry is that it's not nights I hate, but nursing. I'm hoping that's not the case and just hoping I can get on a day shift sooner rather than later. If it is nursing I hate, well then, I have no clue. Know you aren't alone. I wish I had someone on my floor to commiserate with. It's pretty lonely here. No other new (or even recent grads) at all. Good luck! Hope you find your place in it all.

At my hospital there is overtime available sometimes. However, we only do overtime on our own unit (usually). It's not plentiful but if you prove you are good at your job and make sure your nurse manager knows you are looking for it she may seek you out to fill it first. I'm coming up on a year as a nurse and while I like overtime from time to time I find I treasure my days off more than I treasure the extra money. Just me, everyone is different.

There's no day position open on my unit right now and I made a year committment to this unit (I'm about 7 months in). There was an evening position available but my nurse manager said no because as a new grad she wanted me to have a more structured schedule (the evening position does more admissions, etc.) I've made my feelings about a day position known to her but there is not a lot of turnover here.

Thanks for your responses. I guess I just worry that my discontent is with nursing in general and not just the night shift. I'm trying to remember that I do have a good job, leadership is acutally really good here, and the other nurses (even if they aren't ever going to be my "friends") are pretty good at answering my questions. I've just really had a hard time with this new schedule affecting the rest of my life so much. Not knowing when/if I will ever get to days is making there seem like there is no light at the end of the tunnel. I don't want to feel like I chose the wrong career path.

I'm a relatively new grad (less than a year) working the night shift at a large hospital in New York City. My unit is okay, the nurse manager and leadership have been great but there's no support among the nurses on the floor. There's also no one my age which is making it harder. I'm really struggling and I don't know if it's the night shift or nursing in general. I'm depressed, sick, and unhappy way too much of the time. I'm sleeping okay, but not great (5-6 hours). I feel isolated from my friends and family and I'm sick of missing things with my friends to go to work, only to sit around much of the day alone. Sometimes I feel like I would be much happier in a 9-5 job. No idea when I will be able to get off nights (probably at least a year). Looking for a little inspiration. Anyone been through the same thing? Is it nursing in general I am frustrated with? Or would things be better off the night shift? I think I might do better in a 730-330 job, no weekends or holidays setup. What jobs should I look for that might have this schedule? I really would really appreciate any help or advice. I don't know how much longer I can feel like this.

I'm a relatively new grad (less than a year) working the night shift at a large hospital in New York City. My unit is okay, the nurse manager and leadership have been great but there's no support among the nurses on the floor. There's also no one my age which is making it harder. I'm really struggling and I don't know if it's the night shift or nursing in general. I'm depressed, sick, and unhappy way too much of the time. I'm sleeping okay, but not great (5-6 hours). I feel isolated from my friends and family and I'm sick of missing things with my friends to go to work, only to sit around much of the day alone. Sometimes I feel like I would be much happier in a 9-5 job. No idea when I will be able to get off nights (probably at least a year). Looking for a little inspiration. Anyone been through the same thing? Is it nursing in general I am frustrated with? Or would things be better off the night shift? I think I might do better in a 730-330 job, no weekends or holidays setup. What jobs should I look for that might have this schedule? I really would really appreciate any help or advice. I don't know how much longer I can feel like this.

Hey all- I'm a new grad (graduating in two weeks). I got my first job offer today and would love some input. The job is on a 22 bed cardiac rehab floor. (it seems much like medsurg though). The patients are all post MI, CABG, angio, etc. They come out of PACU and go to an acute floor for a couple days and then are transferred to this inpatient unit. The patients were described to me as generally complex and though usually stable they can turn unstable very quickly. In the nurse manager's words "we call the MRT somewhat often". My original worry was that I wouldn't gain many clinical skills working on this kind of floor but I can see after my interview and tour of the unit that would not be the case. I would love to work at this hospital, the nurse manager seemed great, it's a great stepping stone to cardiac ICU, etc. On the flip side a lot of hospitals in NY (Manhattan, where I am looking) won't interview until you take/pass your NCLEX. Therefore, i haven't really interviewed anywhere else yet and won't have the chance til Feb/Mar. PLus with the economy and the status of some hospitals I don't know if I should take my chances at finding something better.. Two drawbacks: 1. The nurses on the floor have all been there for years. They are all older and seasoned. As a new grad I am worried about not being welcomed to the floor and about them not being eager to teach/precept. Does anyone have any experience in or wisdom about a situation like this? 2. I would be starting on nights. There's only 2 nurses on the floor during the night shift which means I would be reponsible for 11 patients. I'm worried. It sounds like a ton. I have great organizational skills and decent time management. But I am worried I am going to be over my head. Granted, they are rehab patients but the manager described them as complex (Wound Vacs, IV abx, heparin drips, etc.) Is 11 rehab pts too much for a new grad? Anyways, are these reasons enough to turn down an otherwise good job? Thanks!