What area/nursing specialty do you prefer?

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I'm going back to the nursing workforce soon after a long time of not working. I used to be a medsurg nurse. What area do you prefer? I still can't decide whether to go back to medsurg or try different areas. Any advice and recommendations are appreciated.

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After a long time of not working, finding any nursing job will take time.

After one year of med-surg, I have been in ICU for 20 years. My next move will probably be in PACU or a procedural area when I am ready for full-time again. Around here, nothing happens without a BSN, so I am looking at that now.

Where you begin again depends on your local job market.

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Outpatient settings/hours

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Public health: Steady, family-friendly hours. Decent pay and good benefits. Much more healthy work load and more sense of accomplishing good outcomes for my patients than hospital environment

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Specializes in ICU, Research, Corrections.

Corrections:

- No patient families

- Tons of officers for security incase pt's misbehave in any way

- No Press-Gainey surveys

- If you don't feel like smiling you don't have to

- If the patient is surly and uncooperative you can send them back to their cells!

- Great variety in disease processes including many psych mixed with medical cases

- You will see things you could never imagine or even make up with this patient population. Truth really is stranger than fiction!

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Specializes in NICU/Mother-Baby/Peds/Mgmt.
14 hours ago, Hoozdo said:

Corrections:

- No patient families

- Tons of officers for security incase pt's misbehave in any way

- No Press-Gainey surveys

- If you don't feel like smiling you don't have to

- If the patient is surly and uncooperative you can send them back to their cells!

- Great variety in disease processes including many psych mixed with medical cases

- You will see things you could never imagine or even make up with this patient population. Truth really is stranger than fiction!

One of my good fb friends (meaning I've never met him) used to post funny/scary stories about his life as a corrections nurse. It wasn't on FB, I can't remember the site but I was fascinated. It sounded so interesting, and crazy (lol) that I thought I might want to do that someday. And the fact that you don't have to smile if you don't want to is a plus! ?

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If you loved med-surg go back to it. Do you have to take a refresher course, your clinicals may help you decide

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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

Been an ortho nurse for almost 8 years now. LOVE it ?

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Specializes in Psych (25 years), Medical (15 years).
On 1/3/2020 at 8:21 AM, IamaNurse001 said:

I used to be a medsurg nurse. What area do you prefer?

To bastardize a George Bernard Shaw quote, "Those who can work as a nurse, work medical. Those who can't, work psych."

(With all due love and respect to psych nurses everywhere including myself.)

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On 1/7/2020 at 10:42 AM, mmc51264 said:

Been an ortho nurse for almost 8 years now. LOVE it ?

I'm glad you love it. ? Ortho was part of my Med-surg experience. I don't think I could ever do it again. Someone has to love it...

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I've done pediatrics, community, and now school and I have loved all!! They are all interrelated and I have really enjoyed everything I have done. I love the flexibility I have as a nurse.

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