WHEN and HOW to chose a specialty??

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I have been thinking about if I want to be a specialty nurse in a specific department and am just wondering if there are any specialty nurses out there and how you came to your decision? Also how did you become a specialist nurse? Is there extra courses/classes or exams you have to take?? Just curious. :)

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I have been thinking about if I want to be a specialty nurse in a specific department and am just wondering if there are any specialty nurses out there and how you came to your decision? Also how did you become a specialist nurse? Is there extra courses/classes or exams you have to take?? Just curious. :)

A lot of times, you get a job just to get a job- lol.... then, as you get into work, you learn more about what you really like (I thought I'd never work geriatrics or psych, and ended up loving both). To get certified, you get info from the particular specialty area association (Emergency nurses, pediatrics, OB, neuro, oncology, etc) that will tell you their requirements, and when you can test (most want some amount of experience in that area before you can take the test). You don't have to take extra courses for certification- but if you want to be a clinical nurse specialist, I think you still need a Masters....

Lots of folks here will let you know what they had to do :)

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Thank you :) I am just going to be starting nursing school and have always thought about well, do I want to be a specialty nurse or just do it all lol but I completly understand when you say you work in whatever department and after a while find out which one suits you best..it makes perfect sense thank you!

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No problem. When I went to school, I wanted to work peds... then I moved to TX at a time when hospitals in Austin didn't have peds floors or a childrens' hospital...so I ended up in neuro and I liked it!! Later (much later) I got a peds job- while I liked the kids, the floor was a nightmare. Plus I was getting sick, which didn't help. You never know where you'll find your niche... :)

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See Im thinking either Peds or Neonatal!! I just love kids!! But we will see what I end up going for once I get in the work place! I cant wait! Im so excited

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I'm glad for you. It's a long haul, but I'm so glad I went into nursing. I'm disabled now, and miss it so much...

Something about kids- when it's good, it's good.... but when it's sad, it is ground-shaking pain that the families go through. I heard several families in the PICU (connected to peds by a small hallway) when they lost a child- it's a sound you never shake. But, the kids who got well, or at least didn't get worse (a lot of frequent flier kids, since those kids in NICU with longterm health problems have to go somewhere...) were good to watch.

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Im sorry to hear that you are disabled!! :(

All of which you are saying is exactly why I debate about going through with NICU or PEDS...I love kids and I cant imagine how it would be to see those poor families that lose a child..or just to watch a sick kid that you are trying to help, but just isnt getting better..it would make me think of my kids!!

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No matter which area you go into, I'd strongly suggest a year or two of plain old med-surg, to get the basics down better before having to deal with little patients who can turn on a dime and go sour. You can't get too much of the basics :D

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The question is not how or when. but it is 'what do want to specialize'.

In my case, before I decided where to have my experience, I asked first myself, what specialization do I really want. Since Field or disaster nursing is my interest, I decided to get out of the group (because my circle of friends chose clinical nursing), followed my heart's desire. First, I served as a Volunteer Nurse at the blood service Red Cross here in the Philippines, where I also got my basic foundations in Disaster Nursing. And after many months of experience, I went out of ther Red Cross and now, I'm serving as a volunteer nurse in the rescue unit where I'm giving my service as a part of ambulance crew, providing best care suited to a worst scenario case. My passion in Field Nursing started when I was still young because I was so fascinated about the tough jobs of the rescuers, paramedics and nurses who are racing against time while saving the lives of the victims. Besides that, I considered it as a 'calling'.

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As you rotate through nursing school, you will find what interests you and what doesn't. When I entered nursing school I was 100% sure that I didn't want to go into OB, Labor & Delivery or Psych. I was right about OB and L&D. However I really like the psych portion, which is good because you will find this everywhere! I like Med-Surg, too but I really love cardiology (which kind of came as a shock). As for my first job, I would really like it to be in an ICU however I wouldn't mind if I ended up in med-surg. Good luck and just be open to a lot of different areas! You will find where you belong!

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I also have this same question, so I'm glad you asked. I love kids but I don't think I could watch them get worse on a daily basis. My little brother has an auto immune disease/ GI disorder and I hated all the years on the peds floors watching kids there one day and gone another. I am thinking I would like to be a GI nurse or Osotomy Nurse but not really sure. I have also thought about nurse anesthetist, but I'm not sure I will get enough patient interaction. I also have done really well in high pressure fast paced situations. I'm not really sure where that leaves me? Any thoughts anybody?

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As you rotate through nursing school, you will find what interests you and what doesn't. When I entered nursing school I was 100% sure that I didn't want to go into OB, Labor & Delivery or Psych. I was right about OB and L&D. However I really like the psych portion, which is good because you will find this everywhere! I like Med-Surg, too but I really love cardiology (which kind of came as a shock). As for my first job, I would really like it to be in an ICU however I wouldn't mind if I ended up in med-surg. Good luck and just be open to a lot of different areas! You will find where you belong!

For some folks, this is true...during school I did like peds (and even the newborn nursery- can't imagine being in a room of screaming babies for years on end - LOL- God bless those who can!). I hated psych... I didn't like geriatrics much (though did like being a CNA in LTCs during school) and forget neuro/trauma/ ortho.... but after school, when I didn't have instructors chasing me around, I found my own niche in several ares. Neuro, LTC/SNF/MDS, psych, med-surg/ortho, and alcohol/drug rehab were my favorite jobs. :) That's why I'd recommend a couple of years in something before making a decision :D JMHO

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