To specialize or not?

ShantheRN, BSN, RN · Apr 25, 2011

At this point, take what you can get. However, if given the luxury of picking between a specialty or med surg, I'd go with med surg.....the exception being if the offered specialty is your career goal. I work in pediatric oncology as a PCA and many of the nurses have told me they wished they'd had a year of med surg before specializing. Specializing is great until you get floated!

I'm applying to med surg as well as any specialty that interests me. I'm not too picky about which unit will finally give me a chance! Good luck to you :up:

amayzingnurse · Apr 25, 2011

Thanks for the advice. Good luck to you too.

southernbelle08 · Apr 25, 2011

ITA with ShantheRN! I did 9 mos in Oncology/Med-Surg and then 9 mos in Med-Surg before going to a speciality area. The things I learned from my Med-Surg experience has been invaluable. I have co-workers that have only worked a speciality area and they have absolutely no clue when it comes to being floated. The few in Nursery that have only worked there don't even feel comfortable helping out in Postpartum. It may not be your ideal place to be, but I promise the things you learn there will stick with you and be useful in the future!!

WIN007 · Apr 25, 2011

I am wondering which is better to enter a specialized area right after passing the boards..........or to start out on the floor?

By all means start on the floor! I recommend Med/Surg if you have no prior experience as you'll get a good well-rounded exposure.

Even if you move to a "hands-off" specialty, you will gain medical knowledge that is invaluable in any healthcare related specialty and in fact you may not be any good at the specialty without having this experience.

My rule of thumb is at least a year of full fime med/surg if you're intending to go hands off into say, a non-clinical Administration role and even then I'd stay on the floor prn and keep my skills and education up.

At least two years if you want to go on and get an NP, certified in wound care, etc

If you want to go on and get a particularly advanced clinical speciality, like say a CRNA, then at least a year of med/surg and 2 years of critical care or trauma. If not more.

If you're young, may I suggest also looking at going on and becoming a Physicians Assistant.