What can I specialize in? (RN)

[Amberjones]

I am on the road to become an RN (with a bachelors degree), however, I want to be able to work in multiple environments. Is there a chance that I would be able to work as a Neonatal nurse as well as in the ICU and Emergency room? Can I only have one specialty? and if I am able to do all three, does it require extra schooling?

(is the neonatal nurse entirely different from an RN?)

[Asystole RN]

I am on the road to become an RN (with a bachelors degree), however, I want to be able to work in multiple environments. Is there a chance that I would be able to work as a Neonatal nurse as well as in the ICU and Emergency room? Can I only have one specialty? and if I am able to do all three, does it require extra schooling?

(is the neonatal nurse entirely different from an RN?)

You can specialize in as many things as you want, I have 3 specialties and am preparing to gain certification in another.

You can, I know people who do, float between the ICU, NICU, ED, and other units.

No other schooling.

Each specialty builds upon the core nursing education, there are no specialties that are "entirely different."

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

We have Critical Care floats that work in NICU, PICU, and ER in a children's hospital. I doubt you could work NICU, adult ICU, adult ER.

[guest769224]

We have Critical Care floats that work in NICU, PICU, and ER in a children's hospital. I doubt you could work NICU, adult ICU, adult ER.

My hospital has a NICU ER and Adult ICU critical care float pool. It exists.

[Buyer beware, BSN]

Why mess with the tabula rasa.

The NP calls you.

[RNperdiem, RN]

It is possible, but first you need to find an employer who will hire you into a specialty unit and give you ICU, ED or NICU training.

In most places these are very separate areas. So pick one. or since the employer does the picking, get hired(how difficult this is depends on your local job market).

If after a couple of years another related department calls, see if you can transfer. ICU and ED have a lot of overlap and the transfer between these specialties is usually not difficult. I work in ICU, and precepting an experienced emergency nurse involves filling in a few blank spots in their skills.

Once you get a base level of skills, getting hired and trained in related departments is easier. The core skills are often ICU skills.