Nurses Career Support
Published Jul 15, 2007
Natkat, BSN, MSN, RN
872 Posts
This isn't the usual "to med-surg or not to med-surg" question, but something a little deeper.
I want to work in the OR. It is the one thing I have a passion for. I don't want to work med-surg as a career, but I think I would like to do it for a year or two for the experience. I don't necessarily feel like every nurse should go to med-surg first; I just think I want it for my own development as a nurse.
I thought I'd like to do med-surg for about a year and then switch over to the OR. Then if I truly love the OR as much as I think I do, I'll stay there. If it turns out I don't like it, at least I have med-surg experience to fall back on or as a foundation for moving on to something else.
The problem is this; one of the requirements for every OR internship I've seen is that the candidate "must have no prior nursing experience." I'm afraid that if I don't go right into an OR internship I won't get accepted later on.
So I don't know if it would work the other way around - OR first, then med-surg or go right into the OR? Has anyone else done it this way?
nursekatie22, RN
195 Posts
That's weird....I have yet to see a post that required no nursing experience. I might not have started in Med/Surg if I'd found one!
STEADYJ
3 Posts
This isn't the usual "to med-surg or not to med-surg" question, but something a little deeper.I want to work in the OR. It is the one thing I have a passion for. I don't want to work med-surg as a career, but I think I would like to do it for a year or two for the experience. I don't necessarily feel like every nurse should go to med-surg first; I just think I want it for my own development as a nurse.I thought I'd like to do med-surg for about a year and then switch over to the OR. Then if I truly love the OR as much as I think I do, I'll stay there. If it turns out I don't like it, at least I have med-surg experience to fall back on or as a foundation for moving on to something else.The problem is this; one of the requirements for every OR internship I've seen is that the candidate "must have no prior nursing experience." I'm afraid that if I don't go right into an OR internship I won't get accepted later on.So I don't know if it would work the other way around - OR first, then med-surg or go right into the OR? Has anyone else done it this way?
I can see what you are saying but I think that to become well rounded you really need Med-Surg experience. Let's be truthful - the real part of your education comes when you hit the floor. The books and clinicals are practice but you learn when you go to work. Med-Surg is the only place that will give you a well rounded education in the areas you need. If you can learn to be a good and competent Med-Surg nurse you can handle anything! I am a Med-surg nurse that has to chuckle when I hear a L&D or CCU nurse say they hate to float down here because of what is expected from them. I also have ACLS, PALS, NALS so I really choose where I want to work. I would have never had the confidence if it weren't for Med-Surg being my first job. Hooray for Med-Surg!
nursejcarrie
24 Posts
I would have to say go for the Med-Surg experience. I did two years of Med Surg before transferring to Pediatrics, which I love. I feel that I am a much better nurse due to my med surg training and wouldn't go back and change anything about it.
Hope this helps!
Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN
11,305 Posts
That is weird . . . . I've never heard of asking for no experience. That means they only hire fresh graduates.
You want to work med/surg. It should be your decision.
I have worked for 9 years in a rural setting. If I were you, I would go straight to the OR.
Everyone is different.
steph
Thanks. This has been helpful.
I was trying to find the hospital that had that post, but the web site changed and I can't find the graduate nurse information page anymore. When I have time I'll poke around and see if I can find it. Yeah, I thought it was weird that they would only accept nurses with no experience.
Thanks again everyone.