What nursing specialty interests you the most for the future?

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I am just going to be starting nursing school in the fall, but as of right now from doing research, watching shows and hearing from people with the experience, I'm leaning toward perioperative (OR) nursing. How about you?

I finish in december, and got a job offer in a NICU yesterday.

I am really fascinated by neonates/infants and how fragile they are. Really cool environment.

OR is also awesome! If you do OR you will really know your anatomy inside and out.

If you don't mind me asking, how did you get a job in the NICU as a new grad? I am currently a student and interested in NICU and OB in general. Thanks in advance :-)

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If you don't mind me asking, how did you get a job in the NICU as a new grad? I am currently a student and interested in NICU and OB in general. Thanks in advance :-)

Sure, it's because I have a job as a NICU tech/clerk right now, got my shoe in. You should try that too.

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I'm trying very hard to keep an open mind since I am just starting too...I don't want to go in with any biases and miss out on something I would love. *But....I have a feeling I will like oncology.

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I always told my students to ask every nurse they came in contact with to ask why s/he did what s/he did. Everybody tells you that. But also be sure to ask why s/he doesn't do what s/he doesn't do.

Example: "Mother-baby all the way. What better opportunity to get a new family off to a good start, establish breastfeeding, usually a healthy population."

"Mother-baby, blechhhhh! Tits and fundi and screaming babies and pushy mothers-in-law, addicted mothers who won't ever care for their addicted offspring, and if I never see another entitled princess with a six-page birth plan it will be too soon."

See?

It's fine to have an idea or three in mind. Bear in mind, though, that you have no idea about what nursing in various settings is like and it's much more likely than not that you will end up in something you never knew existed. Those thousands of students who confidently declare they've got it all figured out -- a year in critical care, then CRNA school, a year in ER then NP school, whatevs-- will very likely not end up there because the odds are steeply against them.

So walk your path with an awareness of your peripheral vision. An open mind allows the possibility of something falling into it. ;)

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I am just starting out but thinking NICU. I have always worked with kids in previous careers. However, I am trying to keep an open mind.

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Specializes in Pediatric ICU.
I always told my students to ask every nurse they came in contact with to ask why s/he did what s/he did. Everybody tells you that. But also be sure to ask why s/he doesn't do what s/he doesn't do.

Example: "Mother-baby all the way. What better opportunity to get a new family off to a good start, establish breastfeeding, usually a healthy population."

"Mother-baby, blechhhhh! Tits and fundi and screaming babies and pushy mothers-in-law, addicted mothers who won't ever care for their addicted offspring, and if I never see another entitled princess with a six-page birth plan it will be too soon."

See?

It's fine to have an idea or three in mind. Bear in mind, though, that you have no idea about what nursing in various settings is like and it's much more likely than not that you will end up in something you never knew existed. Those thousands of students who confidently declare they've got it all figured out -- a year in critical care, then CRNA school, a year in ER then NP school, whatevs-- will very likely not end up there because the odds are steeply against them.

So walk your path with an awareness of your peripheral vision. An open mind allows the possibility of something falling into it. ;)

Like so many things I've read of yours GrnTea, so perfectly said. Do you know how many times I've heard from classmates, since I started my program, their exact path to what they want to do or to their promised land? Hahaha. To each their own though. I'll just stay in my lane. I have always said, although pediatrics, and critical care, is what led me to nursing, I will always keep an open mind because I don't know what I don't know, and I don't know what may fall into my lap and all of a sudden I'm in love with something. Because of my previous experience as an EMT, I just always thought I'd want to do ED if/when I got into nursing, never even thought twice about little human nursing; then one night 8 years ago, I witnessed something in a pediatrics unit by a nurse and his young patient that moved me beyond words, and now I have two/three specialties that I'm very interested in. And I'm still in my senior year of my program; who knows what else I may fall in love with. Point is, keep your "likes", but you haven't even gotten into any classes or clinicals yet to even see what you'll like, or dislike. Most definitely keep an open mind. Good luck to you.

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing.

ER all the way. As a previous poster said...treat 'em and street 'em ;) I'm also a hopeless adrenaline junkie. I don't like for others to get hurt, but hey. If you're gonna get hurt is rather it be when I'm there. Lol

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

How about listening to your 85 year old surgeon father tell you about how loose and fast most nurses are and form your opinion from 50 year old data? LOL

"Watching shows" is a TERRIBLE way to decide on a career area. Seriously.
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Specializes in Mental Health, Maternity & Well-Woman Care.

While I have not yet started actual nursing school, the fields of most interest to me are public/community health and anything geriatric related. I would love to complement my (eventual) BSN with a Masters in Public Health :D.

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Specializes in HH, Peds, Rehab, Clinical.

Then don't set the bar too high. A LOT of ER is handling a 3 year old with an ear infection that comes to ER because Mom doesn't want to have to make a clinic appointment, a bean pushed up a 6 year old nose, a fever that the parents haven't even tried to bring down with tylenol. You're in for a rude awakening if you think it's 24/7 knife and gun club with the occasional code thrown in to make things interesting.

Emergency, I love the treat 'em and street 'em mentality. I'm also a bit of an adrenaline junkie.
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Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.

I, too wanted Peds. Until I witnessed a child in severe resp distress during my capstone. I was a teacher and I am a parent. Working with children is either really boring (which is a good thing!) or it's not and that may mean a bad outcome. Same with L&D. And anesthesia.

I ended up in ortho where most of my pts are not terribly ill and most go home healthy. It is still different every day as we get trauma and off-service. You may have plans, but please have an open mind. I see that most of you want NICU. There aren't that many positions around. Geriatrics is the specialty of the future and they are a great population to work with.

Good Luck to all of you!!!!! You will find your way :)

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Specializes in Hospice.

I too am an EMT who thought ER would be the direction I wanted to head.

Where I've landed very happily.... hospice.

They were a little hesitant to hire an RN who still works part time as an EMT - because the mentality is so different. Turned out I was a very good fit for hospice.

Take every opportunity to explore different specialties - you might be surprised at what catches your attention.

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