U of A students, did you get to pick specialty ?

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Any U of A students,

Did you get to pick your specialty when you signed contracts with your sponsors in the accelerated program ? Or did you get recruited for high need areas like med-surg ?

You know honostly, I wanted to get right into ICU or ER right out of school. I am so glad I didn't! I had my reserved thoughts about Med-Surg floors as all of you do. They all sucked! from when I did my clinicals on them. But now, I really think that I made a wise choice to accept the job to work med-surg for my first year of nursing. There are different types of med-surg as well. The unit I'm on is more of an intermediate care style of med-surg. But it's great! I deal with trauma patients and transplants and sometimes your typical gen surg patient. I am learning a lot by being in this floor which I believe will better prepare me for when I go off and pick a specialty. But, I'm not on a contract like all of you may be on. They asked me to do at least a year verbally and of coorifice I will honor that. But anyways, I believe that all new grads should start off on a med-surg unit for at least a year. I used to not believe that and I had this misconception that all med-surg is about is your nursing home type patients, and that's not the case where I'm at because for the most part I see all age from teenagers to the older folks, with the majority of people being in their 30's or 40's. This is where the real learning begins and the text books go out the window. Don't be so discouraged if you don't get what you want. I didn't get what I wanted either but it all worked out. University Medical Center is a great hospital and so far my favorite that I have worked in the past 5 1/2 years. It's the only reason why I moved to Tucson.

-David H.

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You know honostly, I wanted to get right into ICU or ER right out of school. I am so glad I didn't! I had my reserved thoughts about Med-Surg floors as all of you do. They all sucked! from when I did my clinicals on them. But now, I really think that I made a wise choice to accept the job to work med-surg for my first year of nursing. There are different types of med-surg as well. The unit I'm on is more of an intermediate care style of med-surg. But it's great! I deal with trauma patients and transplants and sometimes your typical gen surg patient. I am learning a lot by being in this floor which I believe will better prepare me for when I go off and pick a specialty. But, I'm not on a contract like all of you may be on. They asked me to do at least a year verbally and of coorifice I will honor that. But anyways, I believe that all new grads should start off on a med-surg unit for at least a year. I used to not believe that and I had this misconception that all med-surg is about is your nursing home type patients, and that's not the case where I'm at because for the most part I see all age from teenagers to the older folks, with the majority of people being in their 30's or 40's. This is where the real learning begins and the text books go out the window. Don't be so discouraged if you don't get what you want. I didn't get what I wanted either but it all worked out. University Medical Center is a great hospital and so far my favorite that I have worked in the past 5 1/2 years. It's the only reason why I moved to Tucson.

-David H.

That's very affirming! Does anyone else have anything positive to say about med-surg? Are new grads typically welcome onto "intermediate" med-surg floors or telemetry? Thanks for any input!

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Great to hear. I want to start in med-surg and I figure that I will see in nursing school what I want to do.. What floor/unit are you working on? I have been reading the site and trying to decipher the floors..

Thanks

I have an interview next week with the ABSN program. They want us to pick 3 hospitals . I think UMC is for me because I really want to learn and go around but not sure if that is what they are looking for

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I work on a tele unit, day shift. It is super busy and lately, for me, very stressful. Everyday we're short staffed. I've been called in work every day that I've been off this week. Didn't go in because I've been sick. And, speaking of being sick, I've been working since October and been sick 5 times! agh!

Thankfully, everyone on my unit has been very supportive and helpful and don't mind my millions of questions I have every shift.

Lately we've had surgical patients too due to previous low census and admin trying to cut down ER to bed time. A month ago you would kinda know what you were getting, now you go in and you just don't know. I stresses me out to go in and have 2 suicides, 1 detox, nasty foot ulcer dsg changes, total care quad with pneumonia and maybe one person that can get up the the bathroom or talk. Very heavy loads lately....steep learning curve.

In the interview, just be yourself in the interview. I found it very cut throat as they ask the same question of all 3 of you and one person decides to one-up the others with their answers. they can see right through it.

good luck!!

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Thanks I was wondering about that in the interview.. I will politely forget everyone else and concentrate on my own answers.. Good Luck,,, hope it calms down some for you... I can see a very steep learning curve.. Glad to hear that your co-workers do not mind questions. I am full of them...

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Hang in there Aznurse08!

With the bad also comes the good. It will get better and when it does, you'll be initiated and ready. You'll be a seasoned, confident RN after this! Do most hospitals share this on-call policy?

As for the interviews, I have been trying to anticipate some of the questions they may ask so that I am prepared and not influenced by others' answers. I guess it's a dog eat dog world out there- but I'm a vegetarian!!! :chuckle

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