What are different things I could specialize in as a RN

PMFB-RN, RN · Sep 16, 2010

In my opinion all the best jobs in nursing require intensive care unit experience. Things like flight/transport nursing, rapid response jobs, CRNA, PACU, those day shift - no nights or weekend or holidays surgical center jobs.

For me the best thing to do was to go directly into critical care. It has lead to some really cool jobs including the fun one I have now.

jmelvin17 · Sep 16, 2010

That's a great question. I guess you have to start with what you are interested in and go from there. There are tons of opportunities in nursing and the great thing is that you don't necessarily have to be a mastery in all of them but it does help to have an area or two that you are really passionate about and would consider doing that throughout your career.

mandyc · Sep 16, 2010

When I first started nursing school, All I knew was that I wanted to be a nurse! When I graduated, I was employed on a cardiac/ICU unit....After doing research I realized that the unique part of being a nurse is that you can be just about ANYTHING you want to be and still be a nurse! There are sooo many different choices, avenues, decisions, paths and directions that it is almost overwhelming at first, but find what you enjoy and you will find which path you want in life....Good Luck to you! Follow your Heart and you cant go wrong.

Bobbkat · Sep 16, 2010

LOL, I'm a Neonatal nurse.....so......

Everyone I went to school with wanted to be a LD or Mother-Baby nurse, an ER nurse, or a CVICU nurse. There are so many other areas though. Are you in school yet? Clinicals will help. Also, I found that school opened my eyes to many other areas of nursing that I had never even considered, such as community-health nursing and case management.

Try out different areas that interest you, and if after a little while it is apparent that it is not your 'home', no one will fault you for trying out other areas. It's the very nice thing about the career. Ultimately the answer of what other areas are 'enjoyable' can only be answered by you. Good luck with it, I'm sure you'll figure out something that you love.

helster83 · Sep 16, 2010

I work in acute care for Neuroscience. Nurses in this unit can eventually get CNRN (certified neuroscience registered nurse) and/ or CCRN (critical care registered nurse).

mustlovepoodles, RN · Sep 18, 2010

When I came out of school I thought I loved L&D. I really do love women's health, but after 2yrs in L&D I just didn't want to do it anymore. I did a lot of things,med-surg, ER,& postpartum, and then I got into the newborn nursery(this was before the rooming-in movement.) I absolutely loved helping new moms learn to breastfeed their babies and helping them understand their baby's "language." Eventually, i went to NICU & PICU for about 10 years. After my youngest child was born with severe disabilities, I could no longer give my NICU/PICU patients my full attention so I moved to a nurse advice line. All night long I talked to parents of mostly normal children about mostly normal childhood illnesses & injuries. That's where I really developed my ability to listen "between the lines" and became really good at ferreting out information from upset non-medical people.

Three years ago, I discovered school nursing. Every experience I've ever had comes to bear in school nursing. I have spent about 25 years in peds, mostly in critical care & triage and I can truly say that almost nothing scare me. I have a healthy respect for children's illnesses, but I'm confident in my practice. I couldn't have done this job as a younger, less experienced nurse. But I am very satisfied with my career choice.

regularRN · Sep 18, 2010

Med/surg is great because every day is totally different and you have to know everything about anything that can ever happen to a pt. It's a career long learning experience...