Published
Look into it. See if you can shadow. How much overlap in skills are there between what you know and what you will have to learn?
Another factor: what is your energy level? Are you a tired nurse or do you have a lot of energy. Starting in a totally unrelated new specialty will mean almost starting over. This takes a lot of stamina because everything will be much harder because you are new. Are you ready to take on a whole lot of new information and put the work in to become competent. Are you humble enough to accept being a beginner of sorts despite you long years in nursing?
I once considered transferring to OR, but then I realized I wasn't up for starting at the very beginning again, that there was not enough overlap of my previous experience.
CindyP
3 Posts
Hi I’ve been a nurse for 29 years. Mostly surgical. In the past I’ve done ICU, CCU, and floated to every dept in the hospital except L&D. I’m tired of medsurge and running around for 6-8 acute patients . I was offered to shadow L& D and train for 4-6 months. Do you think it’s too late to learn a whole new specialty after 29 years ? IDK what to do.