Wondering how u decided where 2 work after nursing school.

RN4NICU, LPN, LVN · Jul 12, 2007

1. what area of nursing did you work in right out of school?

or

2. how did you end up there? (choice or chance or a little of both)

a position in my area of first choice (nicu) was not available, and i knew that i was not willing to work med/surg, so i was looking for something different. one of the local hospitals was offering a paid training program for or, so i decided to apply.

3. was that area your 1st choice?

no

4. did you stay (or do you think you will stay) in that area of nursing more than 2 years?

no

5. if not, why not?

a nicu position became available and since it was what i had gone to nursing school to do, i had to go for it. i've been in nicu ever since, but will be moving on after i complete my msn.

Happy2CU · Jul 12, 2007

Hi and welcome!!!:welcome: I recently discovered this site as well and I hope that you will enjoy it as much as I do. I'm a fairly "new" nurse (two and a half years). As an LPN I don't have anywhere near the opportunities available to me that an RN does, but I will be happy to answer your questions.

1 - I worked in long term care right out of school.

2 - I ended up there because it was very close to my home, so I guess by choice.

3 - Yes, at that time long term care was my first choice.

4 - No I did not stay in long term care for two years. I worked at that job for almost a year. I then relocated out of state. I now work in a dialysis facility doing Peritoneal Dialysis. (pt teaching, phone triage, labs, etc.)

5 - High nurse to pt ratio (1 nurse to 30 pts). Some of those 30 are in "rehab", so heavy med passes, tx, lots of prn pain meds, etc. I just found it to be exhausting and not as rewarding as I initially thought it would be. I feel that in my current position I now have the ability to establish a great rapport with my patients and feel that I truly make a difference in their lives.

Best of luck to you!!!!!!!!

agent66 · Jul 12, 2007

I started out in Neurosurg right from school which was a big big eyeopener. Had no choice really, there were 90 girls in my orientation group at that time and we all sort of went to whereever needed, and at that time, just thankful to get a job. Stayed there 5years and they were hell, but I met some great people , 2 of whom are still great friends almost 20years later. Starting off in a med/surg area gives you a great basis for knowledge and application and from there you can confidently go anywhere. I think you develop a 6th sense in nursing, and starting out in a specialty unit you just don't have it developed enough yet. You can learn everything from school, but it takes experience to really know how to apply it.

I am now in a cardiac unit, and it is physically much lighter but the emotional side is heavy. Again I stay because I work with a great group of girls. It is my fourth unit to work on and likely will be my last. Good luck where-ever you end up!!

caliotter3 · Jul 12, 2007

1. Long term care and home health.

2. Started in LTC as a CNA, only places that would hire me. Stayed with LTC after getting license. Hired in home health while still in school. Hired into LTC position partly because of fact was in RN school at the time and DON looked at having a new, experienced RN on board by hiring an LVN.

3. Not first choice. Had no choices per se, because I knew that job market was such that I would have a hard time getting hired into anything as there were few to no positions open in that area.

4. Did not stay more than two years.

5. Was downsized out of full time job at LTC by new owner of company.

suzy253, RN · Jul 12, 2007

I went to a step-down tele unit right after graduation. This was my 1st choice because I enjoyed doing my clinical rotations there, the staff were great and I met this wonderful nurse who encouraged me to come to this tele unit. I told him..'only if you will be my preceptor'...which he was. Very best preceptor ever! I'm still there and have no plans on changing.

incublissRN, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2007

1. What area of nursing did you work in right out of school?

cardiac medical

2. How did you end up there? (choice or chance or a little of both)

I worked as a student on a progressive care unit

3. Was that area your 1st choice?

yes

4. Did you stay (or do you think you WILL stay) in that area of nursing more than 2 years?

I stayed on that unit for 6 months before I switched to cardiac recovery.

5. If not, why not?

I was tired of working with the same patient population.

ICRN2008, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2007

Hi everyone:
1. What area of nursing did you work in right out of school?
Pediatric acute care
2. How did you end up there? (choice or chance or a little of both)
Choice
3. Was that area your 1st choice?
Yes (It was between peds and icu)
4. Did you stay (or do you think you WILL stay) in that area of nursing more than 2 years?
No- I just interviewed for a family practice clinic position and I'm only 6 months out of school
5. If not, why not?
Do not like working 12 hour nights and no day shift positions available in my area
Want ambulatory experience before I finish my MSN
Thanks so much! I'm kind of hoping to learn from the experience of others and share this info with my classmates, lots of us are confused!

Good luck to you!

RN007 · Jul 13, 2007

1. What area of nursing did you work in right out of school?

oncology

2. How did you end up there? (choice or chance or a little of both)

loved studying the subject in nursing school and worked as a student associate my last semester after being recruited by the hospital

3. Was that area your 1st choice?

yes, but hospice is a very close second (actually my first, but I need experience first)

4. Did you stay (or do you think you WILL stay) in that area of nursing more than 2 years?

yes

Daytonite, BSN, RN · Jul 13, 2007

1. What area of nursing did you work in right out of school?

Long Term Care

2. How did you end up there? (choice or chance or a little of both)

My actual first job was 100 miles away from home at an acute hospital, but a week into orientation I was told they were cutting the salary I had been promised in half and not putting me in the area I had been hired for (OR) so I quit on the spot. There were no other acute hospital jobs open back where I lived which was a small town, so I had no choice but to work as a charge nurse in the LTC where I had been a nursing assistant when I was in nursing school.

3. Was that area your 1st choice?

No. My area of 1st choice was the OR.

4. Did you stay (or do you think you WILL stay) in that area of nursing more than 2 years?

I stayed at the LTC for 9 months until I couldn't stand all the back-biting from the LPN charge nurses who were making my life as a new grad miserable. I finally left and went into private duty nursing for the next 2 years until I was able to get an acute hospital job. I primarily worked in acute hospitals after than. However, I often worked part time jobs in LTC over the years and my last 4 years of nursing were worked in LTC as my health declined because the work was physically easier.

5. If not, why not?

I have, and always did, like LTC.

Let me say, that as I approached graduation all I could think about was doing OR. I never did get to work in the OR. At one point I did work on a post-op surgical ward and found that I really didn't like it. It was too routine for me. So, sometimes, I believe, fate steps in and intervenes for us. I believe I was never supposed to work in the OR. I've spent most of my career working medical units, stepdown and was an IV Therapist for a total of 6 years before I went into nursing supervision and management.