What is your specialty, and why do you like it?

I'm headed to school in the fall and have little idea other than that I'm not cut out for pediatrics or geriatrics, and would love to hear about your experiences.

Don't be so sure!! You'd be amazed at how your opinion changes once you've experienced school! I thought I wanted to be an L&D nurse - NOT!!! By the end of college, I found that I really took to cardiac stuff. It was the only thing that really kept my attention. I had worked on Tele as an aide, so I started there. After about 3 years, I went to ICU. Now I can't imagine doing anything else. Well, sometimes, but then I have a couple days off and I feel better!

Go into it with a very open mind. You never know what will catch your attention!!

Jen

Forgot to add why I like it!! The biggest reason is the time I get to spend with my patients. When I worked on the floor, it seemed like I only had enough time to zip in, quick assessment, give meds, check on...on to the next one. I always felt guilty. I spent more time checking charts that giving patient care. Actually, patient care cut in to my chart time!! Imagine that! I like having the patient and sometimes the family as my focus. That is what nursing is about - not paper work.

Jen

I have always wanted to be an ER nurse since I was a very little girl, because my aunt was. After graduating high school, I wasn't sure about a four year college and thought I would become a medical assistant to get my feet wet and make sure before I invested the time and money. I worked in Docs offices for about four years and hated it and decided it was time to do what I really wanted. I accepted a job in a hospital as a phlebotomist while I began nursing school. This position allowed me to go everywhere in the hospital (ICU, ER, L&D, Nursery etc.) I was on the code team and went to all the codes. This experience only confirmed my love for the ER.

While in nursing school I found a great love for pediatric and geriatric patients. When I started my psych rotation I loved that too. The summer before my senior year I gave up the job I loved in order to become a nurse extern. I was assigned 5 weeks on a med/surg floor and 5 weeks in the ER. While in the ER I began to see everything I loved, Peds, Psych, Geriatrics, and just everything from the sickest of the sick to toothaches. It just completely fits for me, even though I love each of the seperate specialties, I couldn't imagine myself working in Peds with sick children every day. It takes a very special person to be a nurse in general, especially in some of the specialties.

I just graduated from my nursing program three weeks ago and start as a GN in the level 1 trauma center where I did my externship. They only hire one GN a year and they were impressed with my skills. I am so excited because my dream is comming true, but also very scared. I have so much to learn. I will still be studying every night and reading everything I can, as well as asking lots of questions. Good luck to you in what ever you decide.

How did you choose your current specialty, and what about it makes it the right "niche" for you?

And if you care to elaborate, was this the specialty you knew you wanted to choose right out of school, or did it take a few false starts before you found the right field for you?

I'm headed to school in the fall and have little idea other than that I'm not cut out for pediatrics or geriatrics, and would love to hear about your experiences.

I work in the ICU. I'm not so sure it is the "niche" for me, but I like to constantly learn and grow. In school, I leaned toward hospice or flight nurse. So I don't know what the heck I'm doing! :rotfl:

Med-Surg trauma. We're about to open a trauma step-down intermediate unit soon that I'll be a part of. I like the variety and the age spread of the patients I get.

I learn something everyday about a wide variety of meds, treatments, disease processes, and pyscho social issues.

I know some don't think of "med-surg" as a "specialty", but that's my area!

I work in High Risk OB and I absolutely love it. I always wanted to be in L&D. I worked as a nurses assistant in L&D while in school and was able to take on a RN position as a new grad. I can't see myself working anywhere else. I enjoy helping coach new moms through their labors. I thought Psych would be good, however clinicals proved that wrong for me.

I just graduated on May 7th. I have worked as an extern for two years. One year in adult med surg and one year in peds emergency. I have wanted to be a pediatric RN from the time I decided to go to nursing school. Many people told me in school that I wouldn't want to do peds after I had my peds rotation. Not true for me, the rotation just made me want it more. I love children. I love their resilience(not sure I spelled that right!). A child can be extremely sick and be up and playing, whereas an adult in the same position would be in bed.

I start a pediatric nurse residency program in July at a level one regional children's hospital in July. I am excited as well as scared to death!!

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies! Very interesting to see the diversity in what keeps you going as nurses.

Another question though as I see a couple of you were nurse externs while in school - did they pay you for that? My local hospital offers an extern program starting in the summer after the first ADN year, and I was wondering whether it was likely a volunteer position or whether they would pay a little.

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies! Very interesting to see the diversity in what keeps you going as nurses.

Another question though as I see a couple of you were nurse externs while in school - did they pay you for that? My local hospital offers an extern program starting in the summer after the first ADN year, and I was wondering whether it was likely a volunteer position or whether they would pay a little. [/quote

Yes. I was paid $11.00 an hour and the experience was priceless.

I started off as a volunteer EMT to "get my feet wet" and absolutely loved it. I have been an LVN since 1992, am working on my ADN now but have worked alot of home health and really like that. Have done pediatrics, geriatrics, hospice and it is great. The money is good too. But the best job I have ever had was in Orthopedics. I worked in a multi- doctor practice in the office. I got to triage the patient as they came in the office. Then I got to schedule surgeries for them and even went to the OR and assisted in surgery. Then saw the pt. back in the office. That was my dream job, did it for 8 years, but was working with 3 great RN's doing the exact same work, and got the big head and thought I needed to go back to school to get paid for what I was doing, so I quit!!! Haven't found anything since to even come close.

Debbie

I've finally found my niche -- the med/surg/transplant ICU. I use my pathophysiology to constantly problem-solve pt status, am mentally challenged, can focus exclusively on 1-2 patients & give them total care (& yes, they talk just as on the med-surg floors -- I love the interaction with my patients), help pts/families at a really critical point in their lives, have great autonomy, and am respected by physicians & other hospital professionals.

I was on an ortho med-surg floor for almost 2 years. It was not for me, though I enjoyed med-surg clinicals in school. It sometimes takes a while to find your love.

Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies! Very interesting to see the diversity in what keeps you going as nurses.

Another question though as I see a couple of you were nurse externs while in school - did they pay you for that? My local hospital offers an extern program starting in the summer after the first ADN year, and I was wondering whether it was likely a volunteer position or whether they would pay a little. [/quote

Yes. I was paid $11.00 an hour and the experience was priceless.

When I was in nursing school I thought that I definetely would want to work on an oncology floor. Upon graduation no positions were open, so I ended up working in a step-down unit with a Resp. focus. We took slow wean vents, telemetry patients and some gtts. Well within a year I decided ICU was the place for me. I've not looked back and that was 5 years ago. I absolutely love my job...not everyday...but the majority. I work in a hospital which has a medical ICU and surgical ICU, all RN's are cross trained for both units and since we're a trauma one hospital--> We get a varitety of patients. I can take a fresh CABG from the OR to a Septic shock then turn around and admit a trauma. It's perfect for me, I never get bored with the same population because it's always changing. I really think that if a nurse isn't happy in the job that their in...keep looking until you find your niche because once you find it and work with other people that feel the same way, it's a very enjoyable experience.