What was your first Nursing job?

Published

What was your first nursing job and where are you now? Pros and Cons of each job? Were you picky about what kind of job you had right off the bat or did you narrow your focus later on?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Graduated at 11am

charge nurse in CCU 3-11p

same day

diploma nursing program, 1972

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatrics, Wound Care.

Med-surg, geriatric unit. Same place, 4 years later. Still like it, though thinking I should try for something new and exciting. LOL. :D

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Med-surg, geriatric unit. Same place, 4 years later. Still like it, though thinking I should try for something new and exciting. LOL. :D

How do you like Geriatrics? I loved working in Memory Care as a CNA, but I like to have a bit of surprise at work and working in Geri-care was rather predictable. Is this your experience or no?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Trauma, Med-Surg/Tele, LTC.

Graduated in 2010 as an LVN, started working per diem in nursing homes and hospice. In 2012 started working Med-Surg at an LTACH still as an LVN. Became an RN in 2013 at the same facility. They cross trained me for ICU at the LTACH so I could float. Started in ER at a level I trauma center in 2014.

I was never picky about what job I had right off the bat. I took whatever was available to me that I felt would give me the most opportunities for advancement. I still haven't narrowed my focus [emoji12]

Up Vote Up Vote ×

3 years of planning to make sure I landed myself in the ICU as a new grad, and it worked! Still there and sticking around for awhile.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Graduated in 2010 as an LVN, started working per diem in nursing homes and hospice. In 2012 started working Med-Surg at an LTACH still as an LVN. Became an RN in 2013 at the same facility. They cross trained me for ICU at the LTACH so I could float. Started in ER at a level I trauma center in 2014.

I was never picky about what job I had right off the bat. I took whatever was available to me that I felt would give me the most opportunities for advancement. I still haven't narrowed my focus [emoji12]

How do you like ER? Do you think it would be a manageable job as a single mom? Could you have gotten it without experience as a LVN and RN?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Complex Continuing Care. Did my final placement there. Applied for a job 2 weeks before graduating. Been there 9 years. Mostly rehab and palliative care. Love my job, love the old people and love my coworkers.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Private Duty Pediatrics.

I'm a hospital-based diploma grad. The hospital had a job fair after we graduated. The different floors set up a tables and each of us new graduates signed up for whichever unit we wanted. The hospital always wanted to hire it's own grads; we were already oriented and ready to work. I chose 11p to 7a float, as that would help me the most to cement my knowledge.

Boards (read "NCLEX") were only offered twice a year, so we worked as graduate nurses until we passed boards and earned our RN. Anyone who failed boards was immediately demoted to patient tech.

After working float for over a year, I switched to cardiac step-down, as I was being assigned to either that, ICU, ICS (Intensive care surgery), Peds ICU or NICU. I quit the hospital after about 2 years total, started private duty home care, and I have never looked back.

The pros for the hospital were all about cementing my knowledge and gaining experience.

The cons, were the inflexible schedule, and - especially - the difficulty that I had multitasking. I think that's why I gravitated to the intensive units; I could handle 2 or 3 patients no matter how involved. After switching to days and having to run up and down the halls on cardiac step-down, trying to keep track of my patients and keep them safe while the doctors changed orders all day long ... that was just too stressful!

I'm all about private duty home care. :yes:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
How do you like Geriatrics? I loved working in Memory Care as a CNA, but I like to have a bit of surprise at work and working in Geri-care was rather predictable. Is this your experience or no?

Not OP but I am a charge nurse in long term care. It's incredibly challenging and varied, in my opinion. We deal with tons of comorbidities and assessing patients I'd a challenge because many of them can't tell you what's going on. You don't have as many disciplines to work with so you end up doing a variety of things that you wouldn't expect. You become great at critical thinking and decision making because there aren't as many people to bounce ideas off of. I love it and am challenged everyday!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I started in Adolescent psych (also worked casual in forensic psych). I loved and hated adolescent psych. I don't think I clicked with the kids that well and it was just so many personality disorders or jackass parents that I was easily frustrated. I moved around a bunch but I'm currently day charge in long term care and it's great. I love being a care coordinator! It suits my organization style. I struggle with making tough decisions and standing up for myself/patients to doctors/other staff sometimes. I hate confrontation but there is a lot of it in my job.

I also take my work home with me a lot- or work late/skip breaks.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I started in a small town ER. Moved to a big city Psych floor, hated it. Went to level 2 trauma ER and now at a level 1 peds ER. Love it.

1
Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion