Why is it everyone's favorite?

NCRNMDM, ASN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

Mother-baby, no, definitely not. That is far to calm a unit for me. I do love the ICU and ER because of the high adrenaline and fast paced experience of working there. However, the longer you stay in the ER, the more burnt out you become. I like the ICU best because it's the right amount of adrenaline rush, coupled with just enough patient care, education, and contact, as well as family contact. For me, it's the best choice.

cogath · Apr 17, 2011

I liked mom and baby :) Also like geriatrics and med-surg so far.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

I'd like to know what all of our alternative careers would have been and see that compared to your nursing areas of preference.

That Guy, BSN, RN, EMT-B · Apr 17, 2011

Fire/EMS was my previous endeavor. Wonder why i like trauma so much....

JROregon, ASN, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

Insurance claims - interesting legally and medically but I am really enjoying the "hands on" skills and being an advocate rather than always being suspicious and cynical. I am looking forward to labor and delivery rotation but I too enjoy having different types of patients on a daily, weekly basis. Really enjoy seeing people improving and going home.

I remember my clinical instructor asking if any of us (8 students) wanted to do a L&D rotation and only 3 were interested. The other 5 had absolutely no interest. SO glad there are so many different types of jobs and types of people.

ImThatGuy, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

Insurance claims - interesting legally and medically but I am really enjoying the "hands on" skills and being an advocate rather than always being suspicious and cynical.

Funny. I think about this almost daily. I trust almost nothing anymore and am cynical about everything. Odd life that creates.

enchantmentdis, BSN, RN · Apr 17, 2011

I know this doesn't apply to everyone, but..........
Why is everyone's favorite areas mother/baby, ICU, and ER???
Just curious to know the reasons :)

More respect from the doctors? Less poop? Being able to keep away irritating family members in these specialty areas? High turnover, without the heavy paper work of admissions and discharges. ER can toss folks to med-surg/tele--where those poor nurses are stuck with reams of admit paperwork, or ICU--lucky folks who don't do admissions. ICU can send patients to med-surg. Mothers have their babies and can leave the next day. Sounds good--staff don't have to put up with the same patient more than a few days. But, the same TYPES keep coming into to icu and ed.

Lennonninja, MSN, APRN, NP · Apr 18, 2011

I hate Peds/OB. I don't feel comfortable around kids or pregnant women, so I'll just leave those areas to the people who love them.

My dream is the cardiac ICU. I realized this summer that I LOVE cardiac, and that I'm an adrenaline junkie. I like how our ED works at my hospital too, you get assigned to different sections of the dept every 4 hours, and I think that might work well with my semi-ADD brain.

I'll be starting out in Med Surg though. I'm hoping to get some good skills under my belt and then move on to one of my dream units :)

Despareux · Apr 18, 2011

Peds all the way. I love kids, love advocating for them, and love that they have so much to offer the rest of the world when nurtured properly.

I'm in OB right now--definitely not interested.

NeoNurseTX, RN · Apr 18, 2011

You know your patients better in ICU and have more time (usually) for education and quality patient care. ED..eh, not my thing but some people are adrenaline junkies. Mother/baby...heck no.

ohcomeon · Apr 18, 2011

Funny you should mention this...these are definitely the top three areas that people seem to want to go in to at my school as well. For me, OB-no way, no to psych, although it was interesting, no to ER, too many "my kid has a sore throat" type of stuff for me. I will be doing ICU my last semester (in the fall). But honestly, I am one of the odd ones out who actually likes med/surg. I am hoping to do my preceptor there in the fall. The floor I did my clinicals on this semester was great. A lot of very ill people with all sorts of chronic illnesses. I had three of my patients die this semester, but it was a great floor to learn on and a great experience. I also like OR, just wish I could have more experiences in there.

JenniferSews · Apr 18, 2011

I really thought I wanted OB or mom/baby until my clinical rotations. Then I realized that the few hours you have with a mom and then mom and her baby were never enough to make an impact on her choices and parenting. What I wanted out of it (ie, helping families to make good choices) was never going to happen.

I never got a chance to do peds. I do love kids and may love it, but who knows.

I only know ER from my one day in clinicals. I haven't had that much fun since. I loved the adrenaline rush, and the challenge. It was amazing! I'd do it again in a heartbeat. But in reality there is no way for me to get there from here. ICU I have no experience with unfortunately.