What specialties or jobs are easier than a med-surg nurse?

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I’m a new grad with 3 months experience on a med-surg floor. I usually had 5-6 patients and it was too much for me. I was constantly running around the whole day with hardly any time to even go to the bathroom. There were a ton of meds to give out, constant calls from doctors and family members, a bunch of wound changes, getting patients ready to go for procedures, a lot of admissions, etc.

What is something that would be more slow paced and easier for a new nurse? Would working at a LTC/rehab facility be better? Is night shift better? 

My main goal is to become a post-partum nurse, but there are no jobs I’m qualified for where I live. Most want at least one year of nursing experience to be considered.

Thanks for any advice!

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22 minutes ago, medapop said:

I’m a new grad with 3 months experience on a med-surg floor. I usually had 5-6 patients and it was too much for me. I was constantly running around the whole day with hardly any time to even go to the bathroom. There were a ton of meds to give out, constant calls from doctors and family members, a bunch of wound changes, getting patients ready to go for procedures, a lot of admissions, etc.

What is something that would be more slow paced and easier for a new nurse? Would working at a LTC/rehab facility be better? Is night shift better? 

My main goal is to become a post-partum nurse, but there are no jobs I’m qualified for where I live. Most want at least one year of nursing experience to be considered.

Thanks for any advice!

If your ultimate goal is to work in acute care, it would be best for you to stay in acute care. I imagine that post-partum is fast paced and has super-fast turnaround.

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Specializes in Mental health, substance abuse, geriatrics, PCU.

There's really not an area of nursing that I would say is easy, every specialty has different unique challenges and skillsets that require time and effort to obtain. But depending on your personality you may be better suited for one specialty over the other and thus feel it comes easy to you. LTC is an area of nursing where the patients aren't as acute but you will have many more than 5-6, anywhere from 30-60 depending on the shift and facility. There are a lot of meds even on night shift. On night shift, without any acute events all of my time is usually accounted for, depending on the facility your mileage may vary. The relationships you form with the patients and their families over time are what in my opinion make LTC rewarding.

I would really advise you though to stay where you are, because as a new grad you're going to feel overwhelmed and stressed almost anywhere until you catch your bearings. The first year of nursing is really hard and it's normal to feel like your drowning. Leaving a job after 3 months of graduating doesn't look good especially if you plan to return to the hospital. 5-6 patients on med/surg is a pretty good and standard ratio even though it probably feels unmanageable right now. Take a deep breath and keep on plugging away.

Good luck.

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Specializes in New Critical care NP, Critical care, Med-surg, LTC.

It sounds like you've already moved on from the med-surg position, but if not I would also recommend that you stick it out a while longer. If you want to do post-partum, are you talking about acute mother/baby care? If so, the best way to find a hospital job is to network within the hospital. If you're talking outpatient then there's not a real need for acute care experience if you think it's not a good fit.

As has already been pointed out, not much in the way of slower paced positions for nurses. Outpatient clinic nursing might have some opportunities, although most are staffed by MAs. 

If you can give the med-surg job some more time, you will find that you can juggle the workload more easily with a bit more time and experience. Good luck!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I'm late to this post but for anyone else who comes here looking for specialties besides the craziness of med-surg, this thread had some good advice: 

 

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

There is no "easier" specialty. All are challenging in their own ways. You have to find what you like, that's the only way to have it "easier", as it were. Good luck.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
On 1/28/2021 at 11:02 PM, Sour Lemon said:

If your ultimate goal is to work in acute care, it would be best for you to stay in acute care. I imagine that post-partum is fast paced and has super-fast turnaround.

Trust me, postpartum is BUSY.  You are hunched over trying to get babies to breastfeed and that can be murder on your back. L/D is very physically and mentally draining too. New moms and babies are demanding....... I know, I did both PP and L/D for 15 years.

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I heard OR is not bad! But you shouldn't pick a unit just because it is "easier". Every unit has its own challenges. Maybe consider outpatient clinic.

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