Specializing

How do you feel about specializing right out of nursing school? Do you think Med-Surg experience is necessary? I would like to specialize in OB or the OR.

I also wanted to specialize in OB but both hospitals I applied to wanted me to have Medical/Surgical experience first.

I went straight into Peds when I graduated because I knew I NEVER wanted to care for adults.

Same. I've been a nurse for 6 1/2 years and have diverse experience (acute care, school and home health) but have ZERO desire to ever work with adults. I applied only to pediatric jobs when I was a new grad and only to pediatric jobs when I was changing jobs a couple years ago. I don't see how not having med surg experience has hindered me in any way. I don't ever want to work with adults so my pedi experience is more valuable for those positions.

Depends on what you enjoy and what your goals are for nursing. Everyone has areas that they prefer for various reasons, and this may change throughout your career.

I have some med surg experience, but I've been working LTC for three years. I probably won't stay in LTC, but I am certain that I want to work with geriatric patients. LTC, geri psych, rehab, oncology and palliative care are my areas of interest. I have no intention of ever working med surg.

I have friends who specialized in mental health from day one, and have no intention of ever working med surg. They don't need to.

Nursing continues to have this odd hierachy, but in reality, the way we provide care is transitioning away from the typical medicine units to community based and specialized practise. All areas of nursing are important, and there is a skil set for each of them. Pursue areas of interest so that you will feel the most content in your career.

"Stay curious, open and humble, teachable. "

I love that statement so much!!!!! I'm printing it out for my locker right now!

I agree with the posts above, even though they differ. It really comes down to what you want to do. L&D nurses lament to me that they are unfamiliar with some of the lines my patients come with from the OR, because they just don't see them much. OR nursing is very specific and prepares you for staying there or maybe being an RNFA. The two fields are incredibly different from each other. Then there's all the "nurse stuff" that you learn no matter where you start: delegating, prioritizing, documentation, safety, assessment, etc.

If you really don't know which you prefer, med-surg would not be a bad place to start because you'll get a cross-section. Even in med-surg there are sub-specialties; I had to basically re-teach a 20+ year veteran ortho nurse how to deal with my post-op pt's continuous bladder irrigation when she found herself working on a urology floor!