What was your first nursing job?

FLArn · Apr 10, 2011

My first job was on the ventilator unit of a rehab facility. I learned a lot but it was a little like getting thrown into the deep end of the pool and only knowing how to tread water. It was very scary for a while but would not have done any differently looking back. Having that kind of experience got me in lots of positions I wouldn't have gotten any other way.

annakutty · Apr 10, 2011

My first job was in icu,but ididn't work as a nursing assistant before,so it was tough for atleast 6 months.But after that i made some firiends( good experienced nurses) in ICU &enjoyed the life.............Any job will be difficult first i guess..............:)

hopefulwhoop · Apr 10, 2011

My first job was at a Nursing home--hated it. I only took the position out of desperation. I was there for roughly 1 month. Definitely wasn't my dream job. If I could do it again... well, I wouldn't do it again.

sunnycalifRN · Apr 10, 2011

My first and present job was in ICU. It was a very easy transition for me because I had 10 yrs of RT experience before switching to nursing. So, I was familiar with ICU, all the nurses, docs, RT's, et al. I would say that it is my "dream job" because I have great colleagues to work with; nursing, RT, as well as the attending intensivists.

Skips, MSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

My husband is an LPN, starting an RN program in June, and his first job as a nurse is home health. He really likes it! He pretty much schedules his own hours, as long as it's convenient for the patients, and if his supervisor approves (it has to be within a certain time frame for a nursing visit). One thing he doesn't like is: he doesn't know the exact hours he will have from week to week, since it varies. I'm not sure if this is the norm at other home health agencies.

mystory, BSN, RN · Apr 10, 2011

Med/Surg. I worked in a hospital facing financial ruin in nyc so the staffing and ratios were incredibly unsafe. I hated it, so hectic and task-oriented. I stayed 3 years, earned my "street cred" and mosied on over to psych which I love!

RNperdiem, RN · Apr 10, 2011

Med-surg. I hated the job, but in the 90's recession I took what I could get.

After one year I transferred to ICU where I have remained ever since.

Perpetual Student · Apr 10, 2011

I started with private duty home care as an LPN, then stayed with it for a while as an RN while looking for a hospital job. I enjoyed it, even if it was indeed boring most of the time. I loved that I could provide excellent care. Getting paid to sit and study (or watch DVDs) during the down time was also awesome. The experience (with vents & such) helped me to get my current PACU job.

Idaho Murse · Apr 10, 2011

Thanks for the replies guys, I am just really torn if I should hold out for an ICU job/residency program. Or take a tele job which I am told I can transition into their critical care floor when they get their expansion in the fall

saltwaterstat · Apr 10, 2011

my first job was as a camp nurse in Upstate NY...Adirondacks. I'm pretty sure I was my own first patient, as when I opened the door to the "infirmary" lol, an old army cot w/ STEEL legs fell & hit me smack in the head (yeah, the steel part). I saw stars. I figured it could only go uphill from there, and it did. ;->

Perpetual Student · Apr 11, 2011

Thanks for the replies guys, I am just really torn if I should hold out for an ICU job/residency program. Or take a tele job which I am told I can transition into their critical care floor when they get their expansion in the fall

My advice would be to take the tele job and give 100%. Holding out can be risky in the current environment. It will be easier to get into the ICU or whatever once you have some experience.