Where is a good place to start nursing career?

RedCell · May 14, 2008

Start working as a tech now in an area of the hospital/nursing home you are interested in working in. This will allow you to meet key people involved with hiring you as well as let you know if where you are working is a place you would like to stay. As an added bonus, it will also give you valuable clinical time that is sacrificed with all the theory crap and nursing diagnoses they are shoving down your throat.

aloevera · May 14, 2008

if you mean a job after you graduate, go wherever your desire takes you....hospitals will give you a long orientation period with a preceptor so you will not be alone....long term care will give you a good orientation also....just about anywhere you go you will have someone to train you....I would get some training and experience at your local hospital if I were you first....

123sunnid · May 14, 2008

A med/surg, floor in a hospital will give you a nice, well rounded view of the profession, with much opportunity for learning. With your experience there (especially if you have to float, and who doesn't???) you can then decide on a specialty that interests you if you so desire.

For example, during the 3 yrs I did med/surg, I floated to urology, cardiac, ortho, and neuro. When I switched to an OB (high risk antepartum, postpartum, and NBN) floor, I floated to L&D and peds. I feel the experiences in all these areas has made me well rounded as an employeee. That caregiving now directly inpacts the comfort I feel in proividing care to the students I now see in my school nurse role.

Not a day goes by that I do not rely back to prior learning that took place in a hospital on various units. It is my opinion that hospital nursing on a general floor will best serve you in the long run.

You will have ample oppurtunity to find what suits you best.

lorbal · May 14, 2008

I think you need to start a job in the area which interests you the most. I agree with 123Sunnid who worked on a Med/Surg unit - you can gain alot of experience there, if hospital work is for you. I personally love the elderly and knew LTC was where I wanted to be. The facility I work at has a rehab unit, this is a great place to put your assessment skills to use. On the LTC units, you also use skills learned in NS.

I believe you need to follow your passion - whatever that might.

RNperdiem, RN · May 14, 2008

Start where you can get an extensive orientation as a new grad. Unfortunately when finances get tight, hospitals often cut new grad programs and try to hire only experienced nurses.

Without a proper orientation (the "here is the PYXIS, the supply room is over there..any questions?" type orientation is setting you up for a miserable first year.