What is the best area for a new graduate nurse to start in?

wonderbee, BSN, RN · Jun 9, 2004

I suggest you post this under the grad nurse forum or general nursing discussions for the most exposure.

Med/Surg and Med/Tele are the busiest floors in our hospital and require a lot of everything a nurse has to give. If you want a variety of experiences, this is the place to start. Some never leave.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 9, 2004

I always recommend you go where your heart tells you to do. If your heart is in adult med/surg nursing, then that is where you should go. However, if it is not there, then you could have a bad experience that will start your career off on the wrong foot.

Starting in adult med/surg is not the best advice for everybody. The children's hospital I work for finds nurses often have trouble switching from adults to pediatrics and would prefer the new grads simply start in peds if peds is really what they want.

What type of nursing interests you most? What do you want to be doing in the long run? Once you have figured that out, then you should talk to people in that specialty and make a career plan to get there.

llg

klone, MSN, RN · Jun 10, 2004

Our nursing instructors are big fans of the "do one year in med/surg" rule.

finchertwins, BSN, RN · Jun 10, 2004

I always recommend you go where your heart tells you to do. If your heart is in adult med/surg nursing, then that is where you should go. However, if it is not there, then you could have a bad experience that will start your career off on the wrong foot.
Starting in adult med/surg is not the best advice for everybody. The children's hospital I work for finds nurses often have trouble switching from adults to pediatrics and would prefer the new grads simply start in peds if peds is really what they want.
What type of nursing interests you most? What do you want to be doing in the long run? Once you have figured that out, then you should talk to people in that specialty and make a career plan to get there.
llg

My favorite is cardiac, ICU of anykind or maybe even ER, I was a paramedic for over 8 years and loved it but a lot of memories there. I put this thread here because I want to be the best nurse I can and not to limit my future abilities. Thanks for the response.

Jennerizer, ASN, RN · Jun 10, 2004

For me, I plan to do a year in med/surg or PCU & then either go agency or become a travel nurse. I was told you need a year of experience in either of those specialties in order to work agency or be a travel nurse. It all depends on what you want to do though. Since you like working in all areas of the hospital - you can be hired as an internal float - meaning you are able to work wherever they need you. However, I think you do need a year of med/surg or PCU to qualify for that. Internal float nurses make more money than unit specific nurses...so that is a good incentive, not to mention the different type of patients you'll be caring for.

I know for me, when I began nursing school - I thought I wanted to be in OB/L&D. I had heard so many nurses say that they too thought that's what they wanted to do but some point through nursing school they changed their mind. I couldn't understand it yet here I am about to start my final semester in August & I have changed my mind. So for those of you who are just starting school & trying to figure out what it is you want to do, give it time - you don't have to decide right now. Chances are you will know before you enter your last semester & have to choose a preceptorship.