Your Specialty: Do You Have Regrets?

Nurses General Nursing

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Do you have any regrets about the specialty you have chosen?

Have you worked in other specialties before your current one?

Do you plan to stay in your present one and for how long?

No, I'm not a student, although this would be a good survey, perhaps, for a student. I am in Ambulatory Care/Public Health, have done a couple of others, and I plan to stay in my present care for the known future. Good hours, good benefits, pay is low but no weekends or holidays or off shifts. I regret not having experience in critical care and other hospital areas besides MedSurg. Please feel free to say what you like best and least about your area.

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No regrets.

Yes, I worked ER for 19 years

No, I don't plan to leave home health until I burn out or retire.

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Specializes in Cardiology, Oncology, Medsurge.

do you have any regrets about the specialty you have chosen?

no, i like telemetry nursing! we have critically ill patients that need a lot of special care and we have ambulatory patients that ambulate and are soon to be discharged. i am up to speed with my skills by working tele! and i like patients that can tell me what's wrong and not have to play on my hunches regarding their health status.

have you worked in other specialties before your current one?

i was a cna in icu and really got tired of my clothes stinking of dying clients, intubated patients with vent alarms and many other alarms going off all the time, multiple lines in all orifices. but, i don't regret having done it as a cna because it helped me to be a better nurse and understand my role.

do you plan to stay in your present one and for how long?

yes, probably for a long time. i'd rather know my area of nursing well rather than bounce from one specialty to another. besides, it's best to come to work less stressed with experienced behind me.

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I have no regrets about my specialty, home health, other than the fact that I did not have acute care hospital experience prior and that I did not complete my BSN and obtain my PHN certificate. I got the education in school about home health but not the letters after my name that would be helpful if I ever wanted to go up the administrative ladder or go a different route. It holds me back in certain aspects of the job. I left long term care for now and do not regret this decision. There was too much at each job that I had to close my eyes to or risk everything by blowing the whistle. I also was not satisfied in not being able to take proper care of my patients and being in atmospheres that encouraged nursing assistants to sleep all night long and nurses to not chart conditions, etc., etc. Demoralizing.

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Specializes in Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm currently in nephrology but don't think its my life's calling. Liked ER much better. Actually, I liked staff nursing much more than what I do now - advanced practice.

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I'm currently in nephrology but don't think its my life's calling. Liked ER much better. Actually, I liked staff nursing much more than what I do now - advanced practice.

TraumaRUs,

Please elaborate..what aspects of advanced practice do you not like?

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Only regret- that I didn't do it sooner!

Worked Labor and Delivery- loved it in the beginning

Been a CRNA for 16 years, love it, will do this for years yet- don't really know how many more!

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Specializes in Behavioral Health, Show Biz.

I work in psych/addictions/entertainment industry nursing and like the song goes,

:lol2:

Nah-nah-nah nah

Nah-nah-nah nah

Hey, hey, hey...

I ain't goin' nowhere!

:welcome:

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Specializes in A myriad of specialties.

Oh yes I have regrets; should have stayed with with the RN program (instead of stopping at the LPN level) when I'd had the chance---more job avenues from which to choose--too late now for me, financially and age-wise.

I've been in a number of different specialties(just not the one I really wanted--LPNs aren't hired in my state in the specialty I wanted).

I will probably stay in my current specialty for 10-15 more years due to the great pay and benefits.

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Specializes in LTC.

Hey, Drifternurse, I'm just now going back to RN school at 43, will nearly 45 when I graduate so my personal opinion is you're never too old. As far as the $ goes, can you look into scholarship and loans?

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.
I work in psych/addictions/entertainment industry nursing .....

Sounds different! Entertainment industry nursing? What does that involve? Just curious.;)

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Specializes in midwifery, NICU.

really have not one single regret at working in the NICU. Love the tinies to bits, dont miss L&D, or any of the pregnancy/postpartum stuff.

I'm sad, (I KNOW!), but when im off for a spell, I start to miss the babies, and actually look forward to goin back to work.:uhoh3:

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