NursingLink

I am in the Nursing program and will need to pick a area of concentration. Or a good place in the field to start my practice. I thought about ER (on the front line). . . or even Psych. But, now I don't know. Some say start on the floor, or go into a specialty. I just don't know.

I have been told my teachers to do a year or so in Med-Surg/E.R once I graduate to get the "all-round" experience but the more working nurses (as in working in a hospital setting) I speak to the more I hear that they actually went into their field of choice and with on the job training felt comfortable not having Med-Surg/E.R experience. If you have a passion for a particular field you will be more productive working in that area, so it would be better for you and the hospital you are working for, no?

I think if you are undecided, then time on a med surg floor is a spectacular idea. I also think a year or two on a med surg floor makes one a better nurse, once one gets into their speciality. You will encounter many things on a med surg floor you may not on some specialty floors. I spent two years doing orthopaedic and medsurg before I was accepted into the OR program where I eventually stayed for the next 29 years. I am honestly convinced I would not have been as good a nurse if I had not had two years of general nursing before I became an OR nurse. I have also found, those who go right into a specialty, sometimes become so narrowly focused on their specialty as to lose basic nursing skills/knowledge and don't know how to handle, spot, or act on situations outside their specialty.

shan, I'm not always right, I think just more "seasoned" sort of , or maybe alot of cayenne pepper

I've been a nurse for 18 yrs. started in sicu, have worked in er, micu, prison, interventional radiology and, the cath lab.  I have not ventured to the floor.  As I see it, its all about your own personality and what you want from your career.  I started out wanting to be a flight nurse.  But, found my home in intensive care.  Good luck and just jump in.

 I would recommend you start out on the surgical floor and get some general experience under your belt. Most hospitals want at least one year on med surg. Then you can get an idea of what kind of patients you are interested in focusing on. I started in med surg then went into post partum, nursery and finally after a year into Labor and delivery which is what I wanted.