Wound Care- Good choice for a new nurse?

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Aug 15, 2016

I have never worked with a Wound Care nurse who did not have extensive nursing experience prior to assuming the role. Wound Care is a very specialized field - if this is where you begin, it may be very difficult to transition into another area later on.

SarahisanRN · Aug 15, 2016

Thank you for your input! I don't know if I'm ready to commit to any specialty, even though it *seems" like I could be happy in Wound Care. Thank you again.

LadysSolo · Aug 17, 2016

I am a wound nurse practitioner, and have been a nurse for over 30 years. You need extensive knowledge unless all you plan to do is put dressings on. You need a knowledge of circulation (wounds do not heal without blood supply) metabolism (diabetes/renal disease/circulatory issues again,) cardiovascular (circulation/edema,) nutrition (wounds do not heal without adequate nutrition for healing,) etc, etc., you get the idea. All body systems are integrated, and you have to deal with patient non-compliance if patients are not in-patient and they do not cooperate with the plan of care, patient-family teaching, arranging for home care/supplies.... I think a med-surg background would be a good idea before going into wound care. YMMV

Ruby Vee, BSN · Aug 20, 2016

Hey everyone!
I am a recently-licensed RN looking for some career advice and guidance. This summer, after graduating nursing school, I have been working at an outdoor education summer camp as a camp nurse, which I love, but is soon coming to an end because the position is seasonal. I have a couple of options and choices to make as I move forward...
1) Accept an offer to work full time on a Med-Surg unit. This will be as a "New Nurse Residency" in a city I am unfamiliar with and don't know anyone in, but in a very supportive work environment. Also, I will get full time benefits (health insurance, tuition reimbursement, etc...)
2) Accept an offer to work part time in a local Wound Care Center, and also as per diem at the environmental education center I currently work at. This idea appeals to me because I won't have to move far away, both work environments are also very supportive, and I enjoyed Wound Care during nursing school. The cons are I wouldn't get any benefits until I go full-time, and I would be working more hours during the week.
I understand that generally, it is a good idea for all new nurses to get that "year of Med-Surg" under their belts, but the truth is, Med-Surg never appealed that much to me; I would more like to specialize in a specific area. The crux of my issue is that I am not sure Wound Care is a field I would want to stay in forever, and I'm concerned the skills I would acquire are not transferable, or nursing "marketable."
My bottom line question is: How possible is it to get out of Wound Care once I'm in it? Are those skills eventually transferable to other fields?
Thank you folks ahead of time for your time and attention to my post!
Sarah

I cannot fathom of going into a Wound Care specialty without background in Med/Surg. The WC nurses at my institution have advanced degrees and certifications in their wound care specialty.

I'd recommend taking the Med/Surg position. You might find, once you start, that you LOVE Med/Surg. If you don't, you will at least have a realistic idea of what you do and don't like about the specialty, and perhaps a more specific idea of where your passion lies.