3KittiesRN

Having worked med/surg for a number of years, I got burnt out. I have found a new love for nursing now that I am an L&D nurse . Been doing it for about a year now. What gets me through is knowing that I am working with seasoned nurses I can rely on to help me when I have questions. I work with wonderful role models and mentors. Good luck! You will love OB nursing!

Thanks so much everyone for all of your wonderful replies! I am glad to know that it has been done before! I am going back to work in less thank 2 weeks and am very much dreading it. But I know that I am going to make breastfeeding work. Thanks ladies for all of your tips! =)

Hello there fellow nurses! I have been away from these forums for a long time! But i am back now! =) I gave birth to the most amazing baby boy 8 weeks ago. I go back to work at 20 weeks to a busy med/surg floor. (12 hr nights) My question is for mothers who have managed to exclusively nurse past a year while working 12 hour shifts (or 8!). How many times did you have to pump? Do you have any tips for me? Did your co workers support you? I would also love to hear some success stories for encouragement! How long were you able to nurse your little one? I love breastfeeding my little guy and just want to hear about your experiences! Thanks so much!!

Congrats on the new job!! Your current nursing textbook (med/surg) is a great resource as well as your NCLEX study books. I started in med/surg as a new grad also. You are going to learn so much. The most important thing you will learn is TIME MANAGEMENT. Brush up on all the systems (cardio/GI/GU/resp etc) because you get it ALL in med/surg. Brush up on care of the post-op patient and things like diabetes, pneumonia, COPD/CHF exacerbations. Most of your learning will take place on the job, I hope you have a great preceptor because it makes all the difference! Good luck and please keep us posted! p.s. It takes a good year or more for you to start feeling comfortable in your role!

Hello fellow nurses! I want to move back home to the Bay Area where all of my family lives. I was born and raised in the Bay Area. After nursing school (graduated in 2008), I landed a job on a Med/Surg unit VERY FAR away. I have been there for almost 3 years. Can you guys tell me about the job situation in the bay right now for an experienced Med/Surg nurse. I want to do either meg/surg, telemetry, oncology, L&D, or post partum. I was never really into ICU or ER, but would be willing to give ICU a try. What is the job market like right now? Which hospitals are the best? I was looking into the east bay area, preferably Antioch or something close-by (I am really looking into Sutter Delta). What are the wages like for Bay Area nurses these days? Can someone survive working part-time, 64 hours a pay period? I see a lot of part time openings. Thanks so much in advance!! 3KittiesRN

You did everything right. You recognized your error and took responsibility for it. I know it is hard not to beat yourself up about it. Every nurse has made a med error, and if they say otherwise they are either lying or never realized it! =) Luckily your patient is alright. When a med error is made it is a time for learning, I bet you will never make the same mistake again! *HUGS* Don't dwell on this, you did everything right!

As I browse through job postings I sometimes see under Schedule: Short Hour. Instead of part-time, full-time or Per Diem. What is working short hour? Thanks!

Med/Surg nurse here! With a whopping 1 year of experience! LOL I love med/surg because you get a variety of patients, you learn something new everyday, and like another poster said...we use a lot of our nursing SKILLS. I chose med/surg after graduating because I wanted to learn time-management...which is so IMPORTANT for a med/surg nurse. I learned that and a whole lot more! Med/surg is a specialty all on its own, and med/surg nurses work HARD! I plan on staying in med/surg for a while...my dream job would be on an oncology unit and I know a strong med/surg background will prepare me for that.

I read that book before I went to nursing school and became a nurse. I love her books! Tending lives is a really great book too!!

Hello everyone! My little sister has been diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, she is very young. She has stage two non-gestational choriocarcinoma of the ovary. Does anyone know of any good websites to find information on this type of cancer? When I look it up all I come up with is a articles. I just want to read general information about this type of cancer. Has anyone ever dealt with this type of cancer? Had any patients with this type of cancer? What was your experience like? She starts chemotherapy pretty soon and is recovering from surgery. I appreciate any input and any positive thoughts! Thanks in advance! 3KittiesRN

Good lord! That is a lot of medical/tele patients. Were you taking care of that many patients recently or was that a long long time ago? The most I have ever taken care of by myself were 5 because it's the law! Med/surg patients that is.

I second this!! For example tonight at work someone brought the nurses a whole bunch of candy, gummy worms, chocolate raisins etc. It was the end of the night and I needed sugar so I gobbled them up!! Another example is when I left this morning there were 2 dozen donuts in the breakroom that the nursing students brought for the staff! It is all up to us though to have the motivation to make healthier choices!! However if someone makes brownies for us nurses it can be hard to resist!

Hi everyone! Sorry is this has been asked before but here goes... I have always had a passion to work in Oncology. I know that it is a difficult area of nursing to work in but I find myself drawn to this area. Some of my most favorite patients have been my cancer patients. I find it rewarding to be able to care for them in their time of need. An appreciative patient makes all the stresses of the day worthwhile. I am a new grad working in adult med/surg. I plan on staying in this specialty for at least 2 years before moving on. I want to work in an oncology unit. Is working in med/surg the best way to start if I want to eventually specialize in oncology? How do you like working in this specialty? What are the pros and cons? What do you like the most? I am also particularly drawn to pediatric oncology...do I need to have peds med/surg experience for this? Is there a possibility for an adult med/surg RN to work pediatric oncology? Thanks in advance for the replies!

Hi there!! Here is my $0.02... I am a new nurse. I know it may sound cliche but... nursing does take a special kind of person. If you were to change majors to nursing you would need to start off with completing your nursing school pre-requisites. The most important classes that you MUST do good in are Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology. You also need to take a bunch of general education (English, Psychology, History, Math etc.) These pre-req's can take about 1-3 years to complete depending on if you go full or part time. You also need to take Biology and Chemistry in order to advance to the A&P and Micro classes. TONS of science classes if you like science! But for me personally I LOVED learning about the human body. Then you need to apply to Nursing School...at either a university or a community college. The above poster did great about differentiating the different roles of the healthcare team (RN, LVN, CNA etc.) If you want to become a nurse it is not necessary to become a CNA first, but it will definitely give you a great foundation for hospital nursing. I never worked in a hospital before nursing school. Oh yeah and about the "gross" stuff. It comes with the job. Especially if you work bedside nursing. I empty bedpans, commodes, clean and change incontinent adults. There are also CNA's to help with this, but they are not always available. I do dressing changes and see some crazy looking wounds, and have worked with a tracheostomy. This stuff can be gross at times but I guess I am used to it. You will find that nurses can talk about the grossest things while eating lunch and not get sick!! LOL Well there is my two cents for what it is worth!! I am the only nurse in my whole entire family, I just decided after high school I want to become a nurse!! Nurses are educated professionals...I am so happy with my chosen career. It is stressful and rewarding at the same time. If you have an "itch" for nursing...then check it out. Do some more research into the field. There are tons of opportunities for nurses and you can specialize in an area when you find your niche. GOOD LUCK and welcome to allnurses!! Be careful because you may just become addicted to it!! LOL

Hi there! I graduated in the Bay Area in May 2008. Me and many of my classmates had difficulty finding jobs. However, I do know for sure that some hospitals are starting their new grad programs soon (Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley and San Leandro Hospital), there are a ton of new grad positions listed on their website so try there. SO START APPLYING NOW! I know it is only January, but I wish I had received this advice when I was in school, you need to start looking for a job NOW!Eden is a good hospital and they pay well. I really wanted to work in med/surg, so I took a position far far away!! I am no longer in the Bay, I don't miss the traffic by the way! I made a good choice, I am getting great experience at the hospital I am at currently, and I may return to the Bay eventually! Good luck and please keep us posted!