question for nurses

[Snow White]

I'm going to nursing school starting this August, and I was wanting to know which specialty area you like the best and why? I'm leaning toward OB, but would love to hear your experiences with any other specialty fields (or that one). I'm finishing up my basics now and can't wait to start! Thanks!!

 

[doxdogy]

bump

 

[JC2]

Hi Michelle! I am so excited for you! Nursing is such a great field. In school the rotations I had were: Med/Surg, Geriatrics, Psych, OB, Peds, Renal, and Cardiac. I really enjoyed most of them. Go in with an open mind. There are people at school ready and willing to tell you what a horrible rotation "X" is. Please don't let that sway you. Different people like different rotations. And it's all based on different personalities, desires, goals, etc. Personally, I loved the cardiac rotation. I now work on an Intermediate Care Cardiac floor.
By the way, I just graduated from nursing school this past April. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask. PM me if you'd like.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Everybody seems to lean towards OB at first. I ended up in geriatrics due to that's where the need was. I am now specifically working in an Alzheimer's/dementia unit. I wouldn't work anything else at this point. I love it. I also worked for a short time on oncology and, given the chance again, might go back to that. That was an incredible experience.

 

[brernurse]

Hi Snow White!

I am also exicited for you. Nursing is a great field I have been an RN for 18+years. At times it feels we are underpaid and overworked but for the most part I love what I do. I also thought I wanted to do OB during that rotation. I work in a large teaching hospital. No OB jobs were available when I finished nursing school, believe it or not jobs were hard to come by. I started on a general medical floor. Which was good because it taught me great organizational and assessment skills. I did that for 3years. I then moved to a cardiac intensive care unit loved it. I love everything about the ICUs. I did that for 6years. Now the job I really love. I float all the ICUs in our hospital there are 7 adult units. I also float to the ER I have to be honest not my favorite place to work, just very choatic. I think it is great that you love nursing so far and welcome to the nursing field. There are many nurses who are negative about nursing don't let them get you down. Good luck as your finish. And remember you can also change floors if one isn't what your like.


You can PM me with any questions.

 

[nativetxn]

My niece is a new RN and we are so proud of her. She graduated in 2002. She has been working labor/delivery at Texas Women's hospital since then. She is growing tired of it now.

My mother was an RN for 54 years and her favorite was CCU/ICU and surgery.

Good luck in school. We need more wonderful nurses and I'll bet you make a great nurse.

 

[lsyorke]

Isn't it strange how many nurses think they want OB and then change their minds. I've been a nurse for 20(boy am I old)years. I have to say I love what I do!! I've always worked med-surg(leaning more towards surgical/orthopedic) except for a very short time in management(yuck!)

My best advice is keep an open mind on what kind of nursing you want to do. I never thought I would like surgical patients(a little scary) but now I'm bored when I work a medical floor.

Nursing is a great profession. The pay has gone up drastically since I started.

Good luck with school! Remember it can be very hard, but take it one step at a time and you'll do it.

 

[RNMOM]

Congratulations and welcome to the field!

I fell madly in love with surgery when I had my rotation. Of course, I went to a diploma school and we spent 6 weeks working, including scrubbing in, in surgery. It was amazing and I ended up taking my first job in a large city OR. I spent 4 years there and then another 12 years in recovery and preop. It was a good decision for me. I also have always wanted to work OB, there are some similarities.

What ever you end up doing, follow your heart. You will hear that you have to work 2 years med-surg floors first. Well, maybe you do but maybe you don't. Only you can make that decision. I have never regretted what I chose.

{I have been an RN for, uh, 28 years!?!? Man am I old.}

 

[NurseKim]

I always wanted to be a Labor and Delivery nurse...then I did my rotation and decided it wasn't for me. I liked working with the babies more.
So, now I work in a Special Care Nursery/Level II nursery. I take care of preemies and sick newborns. I attend high risk deliveries and stabilize babies for transport to the Neonatal ICU in Boston.
I never did the year of med-surg. My first job was in the newborn nursery. I probably should have, but if I did, I might not still be a nurse.
I love my job. It is challenging. Babies cannot tell you what is wrong with them. You have to have excellent assessment skills when you care for newborns because the signs that they are sick are subtle.
Explore all aspects of nursing. Nursing schools don't usually have rotations in NICUs/Special Care nurseries. But if your OB rotation has one, then ask to spend the day shadowing a nurse.
Good luck to you.

 

[Fire14]

I'm a LPN and working in geriatrics I love my job just not my Boss.
I personally HATED OB. I kinda liked Peds but I also had special ties to Hosp I did Clinicals at. I enjoy working in long term care since I get to see same Pts day after day and actually grow a bond with them . I personally love the flexible hours I have doing this.

 

[AZKathy]

I wanted to do L&D when I did my rotation my first year of nursing school. In my second year, we did a rotation in the OR. Well, I never thought about L&D again! I went immediately into an OR course upon graduation and was hired at that institution. That was almost 25 years ago (YIKES!).

I have scrubbed and circulated in most every specialty in the OR. I am happy scrubbing total hips and total knees and backs and trauma ortho now a days!

I was fortunate to be involved in one of the first artificial heart transplants in the 80's. I did open hearts then and we performed the first artificial heart bridge to transplant. That heart is in the Smithsonian now! I feel very honored to be in the beginning times with artificial hearts and heart lung transplants.

Now, I prefer to take care of less critical patients and am quite content doing Orthopedic Surgery.

Congratulations in starting nursing school. Lord, we need so many nurses right now! Good luck!

 

[Dan Murphy]

Just passing on my good wishes for you, Michelle. My best.

 

[shleybird]

15 years in, and still loving every minute of it. I have been in Home Health and Hospice the last 13 years. As far as I am concerned there is no better job. I have complete control of my day. I start when I want and I end when I want. If my boys have a function at school, I'm there, I just schedule my patients around it. If I'm saving for a trip to WDW, I take on more patients and make more money. Plus I get to go home every day knowing I made a difference for someone. I am blessed on a daily basis.

Shell

 

[stitch'sohana]

Thank you for asking this Michelle. I hope you don't mind me highjacking your thread and asking some questions too.
I am leaning towards going back to school for nursing and have wanted to talk to some nurses to ask questions. I have so many but wont bore you with them all.

My biggest concern is making mistakes. I used to be an interior designer and making a mistake in that profession doesn't cost somebody their life or a lot of pain. Is this irrational of me?

 

[JC2]

No, that fear is not irrational or unusual. In a way, that fear is good. It will keep you on your toes and not allow you to be "casual" about your job.

Feel free to PM me with any questions you may have.

 

[6_Time_Momma]

Ahhh.....mistakes. Everybody's fear. Believe me.....we all are afraid of making mistakes and believe me......we all make them.

Most are minor, but they are made. You do indeed have to be on your toes. Check, double check, and triple check and never ever assume anything. Even if something seems obvious, if you are in doubt, ask a colleague.
Oh, and two words..........malpractice insurance.

 

[lsyorke]

Mistakes are part of life. Luckily the nursing profession has alot of checks and balances to prevent these mistakes. Yes every nurse has awakened from a dead sleep at 3am and remembered something they forgot to do, but thats just the job.

You get your own system of organization over time which keeps you from making mistakes.

 

[Snow White]

Thanks for all the input!! I am lucky because one of the nursing instructors at the school I'm going to used to be my assistant teacher in the dance studio I had so she's being really supportive. I'm 38 now and that made me a little nervous, but she said there are tons of people my age in nursing school, so that made me feel better. I am really looking forward to this, it seems like it will be really exciting, but that darned old Chemistry just might eat my lunch next semester!

 

[Denine]

I too wanted OB when I first started out. I worked on Med/surg for a couple of years. I never made it to OB.
I switched to geriatrics. I now work at an assisted living for Alzheimer and Dementia patients and I really like it. I have been an RN for almost 13 years.
Good luck!

 

[Mishetta]

Not to hi-jack this thread or anything since I'm not a nurse, nor could I ever be one (I can't even wear the color red without feeling faint ! ) But I wondered, from those of you who said you didn't like working in the OB dept....WHY??? Would that be the same as LDR? If so, I would think that would be the best, most uplifting dept to work in....or was it the Doctors that turned you off of that dept?

I absolutely ADORE my OB/GYN but when I was in delivery, I heard from the nurses that he wants things "just so" & he is very demanding during delivery (of the nurses) but to me...he was such an angel & hero & made my 2nd delivery such a beautiful experience in comparison to my 1st delivery. So, would it be the Doctors that dictate if you like a certain dept of nursing or not? Just curious.....

Oh, and good luck to you Snow White. Seeing how much respect & also lack of respect I had for some nurses who handled by mother during her cancer illness.....it's quite a job & my hat's off to you!!