Soon to be BSN graduate in CA...OR training vs med surg??

[kathleenelund]

Hi Everyone-

So, I will be graduating with my BSN in May (with honors and as a sigma theta tau member), and I have been working in the OR at a local hospital for the past 7 years as a unit coordinator. I loved my pediatric rotation and really want to pursue a career in pediatric nursing, particularly critical care. I hope to go to NP school after I get some experience in peds.

My manager talked to me about doing the OR training program at the hospital i work at (which doesn't have peds) once I graduate, and she said she will mostly hire me directly out of nursing school. I know this sounds great, but it makes me nervous that if I do this OR program (minimum of two years), that it will make it very difficult to switch to pediatric critical care =/

I live in the Bay Area (California) and jobs for new grads are very hard to come by...so I am struggling with trying to decide to take a job as an OR training position or try to get into pediatrics/med surg somewhere???

I feel that if i start in med-surg it would allow me to build a good foundation. I have heard of people getting "stuck" in the OR, and not being able to transfer out...and thats what I am afraid of. I love the OR, but it just isn't the place that i want to start my career, I want to be able to work in the ICU and gain critical care experience.

Any advice or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you

[Ruby Vee, BSN]

I think your personal financial situation may dictate what you do. If the OR is the only job you can get right away, then go into the OR. Even though your hospital doesn't have peds, you will make contacts. For instance, some of our heart surgeons also do surgery at the local pediatric hospital. The nurse covering your breaks in the OR may have a sister who is nurse manager of the PICU in the hospital across town.

Of course, if you don't have to get a job as soon as possible, then you have time to wait for the best job to come along. I've never been that lucky, though!