Telemetry or Med-Surg/Oncology?

[Vani1925]

Hello everyone!

I just graduated from nursing school in December 2016. I was so eager to finish school, but now that I am done I feel so scared to start working. I have shadowed in 4 different units already: 2 med-surg units, a medical unit, and a telemetry unit. out of the 4, I think I like the one that is med-surg/oncology and the telemetry. Well, I don't really like telemetry to be honest. Cardiac was my worse subject, but while shadowing the nurse told me that it would be a great unit for me to work at and that I would get lots of experience. She said that I would get to work on my skills and that a telemetry unit was basically a med-surg unit, but with a cardiac monitor. I would really like to work ER and ICU one day and she told me that having tele experience was essential for those places. The thing is that I don't know which unit would be of most benefit for me. In the med-surg I have a friend that works there and she said that they are required to take a 5-hour telemetry class. I do not know if this would be the same class that I would have to take for the telemetry floor, does anyone know? Also in the med-surg/oncology unit I may have to opportunity to get chemo certified which is a plus for me, but it is further away from me (7 miles compared to 1 mile for the telemetry unit). I need some advice to help me make a decision. which one would you choose? what would be the pros and cons?

Thank you so much in advance :)

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

If you want ER/ICU (why?), Telemetry is the place to start. You would need more than a 5 hours class to learn to interpret telemetry, and treat arrhythmias. This skill would make you very desirable for ICU/ER. Once you learn it, you will wonder how you could ever take care of a patient without it.

Chemo certification is also a great skill to have. However, it's mostly limited to chemo patients.

One mile or 7 miles .... still a great commute!

Best of luck in your decision.

[Vani1925]

If you want ER/ICU (why?), Telemetry is the place to start.

I didn't quite understand the question. Did you mean why I'm going to a med surg or tele unit if I want ER/ICU? I applied for ER and ICU positions but I did not get an interview. A nurse manager told me that they do not take new grads in the ICU and the ER I just never heard anything. So I want to start out in a unit where I can build my skills and that will get me a step closer to the ER or ICU. Thank you so much for the advise.