Which nursing career path to choose

9 posts · started Aug 16, 2004

klcarlozzi Aug 16, 2004, 2:48 PM
HI all!

I am a bsn senior nursing student who is trying to decide which nursing path to choose. I have completed all but pedi and preceptorship clinicals.I have enjoyed all clinicals..but med-surg not as much.

Basically.. I would like to ask for your help. Who really enjoys the nursing career they have? The hours, pay, ability to advance their career, etc. I know each situation is different, I just need somewhere to start. We have a career fair in February and most students get their jobs at that time and before graduation.

I have seen seasoned nurses in my clinicals who hate their jobs.. I dont want to end up hating something I love so much. Thank You for any input.
cassioo Aug 16, 2004, 9:47 PM
like you said it depends on each person.

I have done: ortho/neuro/uro, oncology, peds, home health and L&D (which includes postpartum and gyn at my hospital)

I have liked everything I've done but I always wanted peds/nursery/L&D (my home health I saw mostly newborns)

Sure I have bad days (some days I'm about dead myself) but I also worked in a factory for 9 years so even a bad day nursing is better then that.

Is there anything you are really good at. How about families...everyone has one but some places they are much more involved at different levels (peds, L&D, nursery, ICU, home health) Is there any group you really don't like to work with?
The good thing about nursing is you can still change your area and still be a nurse.
klcarlozzi Aug 16, 2004, 10:11 PM
Thanks for your reply.

I did enjoy my nursery/L&D rotation, but I heard its not good to get into L&D because of the liability.(but what do I know. I also liked Post-Partum but all the pts spoke spanish-i know not every hospital is like that..so i could keep that into consideration.

I really didnt like med-surg, and the nursing home.

ICU wasnt so bad.
Aaron C. Aug 16, 2004, 10:48 PM
not a big fan of med surg either....

I'd think about what you enjoyed the most, and decide if those clinicals were realistic and if so, try it out. Remember, it's not like you are going to be held to that forever, you can always change.
cassioo Aug 17, 2004, 8:15 AM
Yep the liability is bad in L&D and anyplace with kids. But really anyplace. If you do your job like you should go by P&P chart chart chart. Carry insurance you might not have a problem....none of the nurses that I work with have ever been sued. They have been to court though but they go for the docs..everyone wants a perfect baby and sometimes that doesn't happen and the blame goes someplace and usually not on the parents (not that parents do things wrong also) The liability is also a big reason for so much invasive monitoring and treatment and big number of c-sections.

By the way my daughter had her baby yesterday (5 days postdates) and I sat in my chair and was a good girl even with the heart rate was in the 70's. But she had a good nurse and was progressing so what to do? Same thing I'd do with anyone give it time. Baby was 8#5oz and looking at him I think he really might have been a little early instead of a little late. Little booger went straight to breastfeeding but he's a boy what do you expect always wanting boobies their whole life LOL.
klcarlozzi Aug 17, 2004, 11:42 PM
Congrats, both to you and your daughter!! My little girl girl just turned 11 months yesterday- they grow so fast.

Thanks for the input, I think maybe a good place to start would be post partum or nursery. It is true I could change my mind- and if I didn't like it just move to another area.