Who enjoys med/surg??

hakunamatata, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2012

I came here looking for positives on med/surg & mostly found new grads drowning...I am looking into a med/surg floor on days at my local hospital. I did all my clinicals there so I know the floor & the computer system well. I am not a an incredibly new grad anymore. I graduated with my bsn in 2011 & was a lpn for 5 years prior. I am a smart, competent nurse, but I feel as if I have been wasting my skills and time at a dead end clinic job. I am bored out of my mind and spend most of my days browsing the internet or putting name labels on charge tickets. Not what I had in mind, but thought it'd be worth it for the hours. I am now finding myself with a new baby (5 months now) and I don't have a sitter. She bounces from aunt to Grandma. The hospital has an on-site daycare, I would work 3/12's & they would pay my $30k in loan debt. What is holding me back is the fear. I came on here to search for uplifting and positive experiences but unfortunately the theme with med/surg is the same....anyone have any positives or advice they can send my way?

I was actually going to come on here today to post some positives for the same reason you're talking about - it seems like there are none on here! I am a new grad on a super busy Medicine floor at a large, teaching hospital (and Top Ten Honor Roll Hospital). We are a huge Medicaid floor so a lot of our patients are very sick and many don't properly take care of themselves - so it's a very tough floor. That said, so far I've found it more than doable. There are good days, and bad, but that's any job. My staff is awesome and we really have fun at work and make it the best environment we can be it. I am a new grad with no healthcare experience (besides volunteer) and I am not finding it that difficult. I think it depends on your prioritization skills and your ability to have work-life balance. I exercise, make sure to eat breakfast (you'd be surprised how many don't, bleh), stay hydrated, and stay ahead of my stuff. Don't be lazy, get things done, and manage your time well. I think with your situation it sounds too good to pass up, yeah? With your experience, and a good attitude, I think you could really not even tolerate it but LOVE it. Good luck. I have really learned, especially in nursing, to listen and do what's best for you and not listen to what other people are saying. People always complain more than they do stay positives anyways, just because it's human nature and totally natural. But I think you should go for it and you will possibly find the challenge very rewarding! :)

LobotRN, BSN, RN · Jun 14, 2012

I love med/surg! It can be crazy busy, but like amm1255 said, if you have good organization, it does a lot to make a good shift. If I were in your shoes, I would jump at the chance. Pay off student loans? 3x12 a week? Daycare onsite? You had a ton of clinicals there? Holy smokes, batman! If you are ready for a challenge, jump on in. Now, to answer your question more directly....

I love med/surg because I get to see people progress and get discharged. I work on a floor that does a lot of ortho, and I love helping people get their pain controlled, mobilized, back to walking....and ready to go. And when it is challenging and the pt isn't doing well, I love figuring out what the deal is and getting orders or interventions to change the situation. And I love the occasional "ego-pop" when just doing my job makes a pt feel like they were my only pt that shift and they take the time to send me a note or tell my boss. And I love my 4 days off a week......

Hay, RN · Jun 14, 2012

well, every unit will be different. i work on a 25-bed med/surg unit and i actually like it. sure, some days are busy and everything but also some days are more relaxed and you have time to breathe.

(:

amandagayle · Jun 14, 2012

I start a med surg job real soon (providing I pass boards on Saturday) I too have heard so much negative about med surg but I turned a NICU job to take it because I feel like I really need some experience and skills. Plus I will also get to work 3-12's weekdays only at this job vs every other weekend and some nights and a 3/2 split at NICU.

Tzs1981rn · Jun 15, 2012

I have worked med-surg for 2 years, and I really do enjoy it. Some days are more relaxed than others, but the chaotic days aren't so bad once they are over. You can look back at the day and realize what you accomplished.

My day today was a chaotic one - had a patient go for cardiac cath that went to cardio icu due to sick sinus syndrome and the proposed need for a triple bypass, had one patient exhibit new stroke symptoms who transferred to the neuro floor, and my admit from ER that arrived at 615 (right before shift change) ended up going to icu for septic shock... And that doesn't include my 3 discharges and the remaining 4 patients I was assigned to (I was also working with an lpn and cna on my team). My patient load today was much more acute than usual, but I sure get to see a lot of variety on med-Surg.

.I guess what I'm saying is that of you look for good in any job and focus on positives, you'll enjoy your job more days than not :)

KlassiiRN · Jun 15, 2012

Hello I have been doing med surg for 2 and a half years and I enjoy it soooo much you gain so much experience it's tough but it's way doable I get pulled to other areas and I'm like super nurse

tokmom, BSN, RN · Jun 16, 2012

I have worked in a variety of departments in different sized hospitals. I could have had a nice day surgery job at a former hospital and at my current hospital. I worked there part time and became bored. To me, I felt like I was on a factory line. Admit them, off to surgery, receive them and then discharge them. I had no real contact and any education was simple and quick.

You will see a variety of illnesses and surgeries when you work med/surg. I have been a Med/Surg nurse for over 20 yrs and was certified in Feb. I proudly sign CMSRN behind my name. :)

Now with that being said a hospital can make or break any nursing floor. I used to float at two other hospitals. The bean counters totally understaffed every floor. All the nurses worked their a$$e$ off in every single dept. It was not fun. It caused a lot of burn out and I was included in those casualties. It wouldn't have mattered what floor I worked on. Again, I floated and everyone was understaffed.

Fast forward to a wonderful hospital, good management and DECENT staffing. Do we have crazy days? Sure we do. So does ED, ICU, FBC, OPS and everyone else!

Your coworkers are your lifeline. If you work with a good team, anything is possible on those nutty days. When it get's bad at work, we have one RN that will break into songs and soon many of us are doing a little dance move down the hall, lol. We tell bad jokes, we do all sorts of goofy things. I know I will always have back up, because I have a good nurses working with me.

Sorry about the rambling and the long post. I just become so frustrated when people come to the med/surg forum and whine about med/surg. It's not med/surg that is bad. It's your hospital that sucks.

Now.. for you.. Sounds like you have a sweet deal! Take the job and run. If your hospital is like mine, get yourself involved in committees. If you don't like where you work, then take the time to change it.

Good luck, welcome to Med/Surg and please keep us posted.

amandagayle · Jun 16, 2012

According to the Pearson trick I passed boards. I will start June 25 at my hospital. Any brand new nurse advice, especially for med-surg? I feel like I don't know a thing and did practically no skills during clinicials.

nightengalegoddess · Jun 17, 2012

You will learn anything you ever need to know to go anywhere you want to go. Just do it.

HyperSaurus, RN, BSN · Jun 17, 2012

I'm on a Medical/Oncology (although, half the patients on the oncology side are actually surgical pts) floor and am about 5 weeks off of orientation. So far, I love it. I see a lot of different things, the nurses I work with on nights are great. It's definitely hard sometimes (lots of pts, not a lot of help, not used to team nursing at all, we're short staffed), but it's a good place to start out.

tokmom, BSN, RN · Jun 18, 2012

i'm on a medical/oncology (although, half the patients on the oncology side are actually surgical pts) floor and am about 5 weeks off of orientation. so far, i love it. i see a lot of different things, the nurses i work with on nights are great. it's definitely hard sometimes (lots of pts, not a lot of help, not used to team nursing at all, we're short staffed), but it's a good place to start out.

or it's a good place to stay, if your facility staffs adequately.