SSWRN

Thanks for another point of view. One of my friends said that its nothing like when you're in school...but she'll be the first to tell you that she likes running around like her pants are on fire! In nursing school, we also had to do the work of the CNA's, plus their assessments, etc. So I luckily had the opportunity of doing everything that the nurse did as well as follow them to procedures on some days, discharging them, admitting them to the CCU, etc. So I have a pretty good understanding of what I would be doing, and you're right, the time does fly....but it's just not the type of work that I love. I've had alot of jobs over the years that I like. I want one that I love...I worked hard for it, and don't want to settle. I'm happy that you found something that suits you! Good luck in the future! :)

I'm glad this posting has helped! I passed the NCLEX on July 6th as well...small world, huh? Anyways, I hope the year goes by fast for you...what kind of community nursing did you want to do that requires that experience? Hospice, home health care? I've seen some jobs that don't require med/surg, but they are few and far between. Good luck to you. I hope you find something that makes you happy!

Thanks nurselacey..I'm glad you chose the path that made you happy! I think that when you make any big life decision, you're always going to have some kind of "what if" feeling. But you just have to trust your instincts...you're right, life is WAY too short to be miserable the entire time.

I agree with the fact that money isn't everything...someone said to me recently, (when I was thinking about doing med/surg regardless of the fact that I didn't like it) "how many people do you know that love their job?" She had a point. Sure, I'm not working in a hospital, but I'm an RN that loves her job. :) Thanks for the in depth explanation on PHN.That sounds really interesting! I think that no matter where I end up...it will be helping others in the community. I feel as though I make a difference there. Nurses in other specialties do as well, but I have to be where I feel needed and useful. We need all kinds of nurses, and that's just the kind of nurse I am! Nice talking to you. Thanks again.

changeofpaceRN, what type of work do you do as a public health nurse? We went through it briefly in school, and it sounded interesting, but I never got a full grasp of what a typical day would include. Also, what kind of experience do you need to be a public health nurse? I am also interested in maybe doing nursing research someday. I did some environmental research while in community nursing. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the info...and the thoughtful comment.

Thanks for all your support so far...I look forward to hearing from others (for better or for worse) :wink2: I agree with a lot of what people have written. I respect med/surg nurses for all that they do...but I can't find the will to enjoy it for myself. Alot of positions in the hospitals not only require med/surg experience, but they require recent med/surg experience. Therefore, I could go be miserable for a year and try to come back to it in a few years and they would still have to retrain me because I would be "out of practice"! I guess I'm just afraid of forgetting everything I've learned...but then again, when you specialize in a field, you're not going to remember everything you've learned in school. And if you'll never use it, I guess it doesn't matter...and if you do need something you don't remember very well...I know plenty of books in which I can look up the information! :wink2: And as for Jules A...one of my favorite classes, aside from community nursing was Psych! It was so interesting and complex. Many nurses that I've talked to while in clinicals think that it's boring and you just hand out meds...I can't agree with that at all. The job is what you put into it. If you want to just hand out meds, then that's exactly what you'll do. If you want to really engage in therapeutic communication etc., then you will be a Psych nurse. Thanks again for your posts...I really needed to hear it.

I just graduated in May with a RN BSN and have been hired as a supervisor in donor services (RN required) at a local bloodbank where I've worked as a lab assistant for the past 3.5 years while in nursing school. I am really happy that I have been hired for this position. I get to travel to the mobile blood donation sites and supervise the phlebotomists, assist with collections, perform QA etc. It's exactly the type of thing I wanted to do when I graduated from nursing school! I really enjoyed community nursing and was depressed when everyone kept telling me that I needed to do med/surg (as if you're not a real nurse if you don't....believe me, people have actually said that to me!) I don't like the stress of running around, taking care of 5-7 patients (with my license on the line), dealing with doctors, patients' families (I feel as though I don't have the opportunity to help them as well as the patient), discharges, meds, admits, surgeries, testing, labs, low staffing...aaaaahhhh! Part of me thinks that I made the right choice in deciding to take this job and not go to the 3rd shift med/surg interview that I had. But there's still a little part of me that feels as though I didn't make the right decision. Alot of nurses say that I'm limiting myself and my career, and everything I learned will be lost. I was going to try to find per diem med/surg work...but since my FT job is already every other weekend, that would leave me with NO weekends off! That, on top of having to do med/surg, would make me so miserable. Does anyone else, that is already a nurse in the field, think that you NEED med/surg, even when you know that you're NEVER going to work in a hospital. The closest I would get to med/surg is a community clinic or outpatient setting. One of my friends that is a nurse said that if in 5 years or so I decided to do med/surg, that it may be a little more difficult, but I would just need to find a hospital willing to train me, and that not all would be lost because I didn't do it right out of school. Now that's only assuming that I would ever change my mind...I sincerely doubt it. I do want to continue with my academic career, and hope to get a masters in community health nursing. And who knows, maybe I'll go for my PhD. As for right now, I want to get comfortable in my own skin as a new nurse, and not think of what the future holds...but I find it hard to do that because of all the med/surg pressure that I'm under. Please let me know what you think...

I wouldn't leave nursing just because you hate med/surg. I just graduated in May with a RN BSN and have been hired as a supervisor in donor services (RN required) at a local bloodbank where I've worked as a lab assistant for the past 3.5 years while in nursing school. I am really happy that I have been hired for this position. I get to travel to the mobile blood donation sites and supervise the phlebotomists, assist with collections, perform QA etc. I really enjoyed community nursing and was depressed when everyone kept telling me that I needed to do med/surg (as if you're not a real nurse if you don't....believe me, people have actually said that to me!) I don't like the stress of running around, taking care of 5-7 patients (with my license on the line), dealing with doctors, patients' families (I feel as though I don't have the opportunity to help them as well as the patient), discharges, meds, admits, surgeries, testing, labs...aaaaahhhh! Part of me thinks that I made the right choice in deciding to take this job and not go to the med/surg interview that I had. But there's still a little part of me that hopes I didn't make the right decision. Alot of nurses say that I'm limiting myself and my career, and everything I learned will be lost. I was going to try to find per diem med/surg work...but since my FT job is already every other weekend, that would leave me with NO weekends off! That, on top of having to do med/surg, would make me so miserable. Does anyone else, that is already a nurse in the field, think that you NEED med/surg, even when you know that you're NEVER going to work in a hospital. The closest I would get to med/surg is a community clinic or outpatient setting. I hope this helped you nursedani08...you'll be fine, just stick with it. And hopefully someone, on the flip side, can help me as well... Best of Luck! You'll be great...just give it time. There are other opportunities out there. :wink2: