I got out of school way back in 1996... back when there was no nursing shortage. Actually, there was a glut of nurses and you had a hard time finding a job, especially if you were a new grad.
I worked as a nursing assistant on a surgical floor in a hospital with hopes that I would be hired on after passing the boards... no such luck. They didn't hire 'new nurses' and there were about 4 of us who worked there who were in the same class.
So, I went off to the nearest nursing home that would hire me, I think I made a whopping $13 / hr as a GN before I took my boards. I learned some, mostly gave meds and did treatments so I got some good knowledge of that and wound care.
As luck would have it, my hospital called me after a month or so and said they were hiring us all, and I had a job on my floor, 5 north, the post-op unit. I was elated.
We did an classroom orientation for a week and did IV certification, and then it was off to the floors. I had a few really great preceptors and learned so much during that period; much more than I ever could have learned in nursing school. Eventually, after about 6-8wks I went to my position on nightshift. The unit was a 32bed unit, and generally there were 3 nurses on nights, 4 if the census was at capacity.
I worked on that floor for 2 years, and I will tell you that it set me up to be the great, knowledgeable nurse I am today. I definitely advocate everyone gets at least 1 - 2 years of good med-surg experience. You will be the well-rounded nurse who knows his/her stuff.
Once you get the experience, then go to your specialty. OB, Critical Care, ER, ETC.
I don't think new nurses should be working in ERs or ICUs, I think those units are specialty units where highly trained nurses ought to be. You can't be highly trained nurse if you just passed the boards. I think a new nurse would learn a great deal, but it's just too much at once.
Learning the basics and getting comfortable with your assessment skills on not so critical patients needs to come first, before you can assess critically ill patients. Just my opinion, so please feel free to disagree; it's ok, but keep it nice.
I'm a nurse, A critical Thinker and Jack of all Trades. These are skills I have learned from being a nurse.
Common Sense + Good Knowledge Base + Adaptability = A great nurse who will succeed.
BSN NOT REQUIRED!!!
I guess you know my stance on that subject!