We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Step down units may provide more advanced care and monitoring than floor care. Many experienced nurses might not agree with this, but I cannot stress enough the value of a good nursing preceptor. I'm by no means aged lol, but nursing will help you develop a thick skin if you don't already have one. I didn't go to L&D during my OB rotation, I was in postpartum other than a rotation in the NICU and a rotation with an LC. I think your questions highlight my priority concerns as well as some I hadn't considered. At the same time, if you end up Med/Surg and/or ICU, then run with it and maybe you’ll end up finding you like a completely different area of nursing that you enjoy. When you start your job search, you have to decide what area of nursing you want to work in. I can't wait to hear if anyone has any ideas. You sound young, like a person coming right out of school, nothing wrong with that. I know how hard general med surge is. There’s no denying that nursing school is tough, but life as a new graduate nurse brings its own brand of challenges — some of which can make a new nurse feel unprepared. I prefer surgical nursing to medical, but that is a personal preference. In the past, many hospitals required new nurses to complete a year of medical/surgical nursing before moving on to other areas. No matter where you go you can crash and burn if you are turned loose after just a few days. Other areas of nursing, such as the intensive care unit, are open to new grads, but they may be difficult to get into. Are their training classes as well as clinical time? As you look for jobs, keep your list of priorities handy and choose jobs based on how they meet them. The best floor for a new graduate is one that's willing to train you and mentor your adequately. I've gotten a lot of negative reviews from recent grad friends of mine! I did my critical care rotation and my practicum in the ICU at Grady. NEED Advice? Nurses may get to care for patients who are recovering from serious conditions, which required critical care monitoring. Nurses may get experience in administering cardiac medications and post heart attack protocols. My school may have just put us on the busiest floors or maybe it was just how it worked out for me or maybe they are all like that, with my limited experience I don't know. By using the site you agree to our Privacy, Cookies, and Terms of Service Policies. Our members represent more than 60 professional nursing specialties. Thanks! No matter where you go you can crash and burn if you are turned loose after just a few days. 4 No Fail Tips to Get a Spot in the ICU as a New Grad RN 1. Are you looking for the best gifts for a new grad nurse that you know? Finding the best nursing specialty as a new grad is a challenge. How long is orientation? You may be able to be more choosy in what you apply for or you may just have to apply for something and be glad they hired you. (And, for the record: I did not leave my other job d/t job stress, I was very comfortable there; I wanted more learning opportunities, to advance my career, utilize/expand on my clinical knowledge more). But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. My preceptor, who is an NP and was an ICU nurse for 10 years really ingrained that in me. I graduate in July and I am starting to look around for the kind of job I want when I graduate. After you graduate from nursing school, you probably plan on looking for a job right away. Since 1997, allnurses is trusted by nurses around the globe. Most nursing students are told to stop dreaming about becoming a perioperative nurse right out of school. I had a short orientation, was thrown to the wolves, became charge nurse very quickly afterward, but I am no worse for it. I also liked the special care nursery (preemies). I would still consider it if others say it is doable but I am not sure if it is the right job for a new grad. I would say it depends on the new grad, other factors can be location, make up of department etc. I love it there, and have no plans on leaving. Has 3 years experience. I then transitioned into the ICU after a year, and had a great orientation, newer nurse friendly, etc. I am in Georgia and have been at the Atlanta area hospitals if anyone in this area can weigh in more specifically on good hospitals/floors. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Initially, I was wondering where to begin. When you start your job search, you have to decide what area of nursing you want to work in. My preceptor, who is an NP and was an ICU nurse for 10 years really ingrained that in me. Every facility has a different policy about placing new grads into certain areas. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. I have friends who just graduated from my program who had as little as 3 weeks orientation. If you have serious physical limitations, you may also consider applying to work in capacities that are often overlooked in nursing, like working for health insurance companies or becoming a nurse educator. The best floor for a new graduate is one that's willing to train you and mentor your adequately. Since the type of conditions cared for on medical/surgical floors is so varied, it allows new nurses to gain a lot of experience with many illnesses and injuries. There is a lot of heavy lifting, but you learn and see a lot and it feels "cleaner" to me. I started out in pediatric ICU, which was a huge step for a new graduate. allnurses.com, INC, 7900 International Drive #300, Bloomington MN 55425 Originally I wanted to do ER but I am terrified I don't have what it takes and I am obviously not strong in pharm yet. Make Sure You Have a Good Preceptor. But fortunately I had a 12 week orientation and the staff on the unit was incredibly supportive. After graduation I was employed there as a nurse extern for 8 weeks and now I am officially a Grady ICU nurse (1 week).. Specializes in critical care. Specializes in Rehab, critical care. In the end, I decided to start with the most practical gifts for new nurses. Specializes in PICU, Sedation/Radiology, PACU. Experience is what you make of it. Any experience is valuable experience, though some experiences are obviously better than others. Some nurses will take anything they can get while others have a strong desire to work in a specific specialty. As far as experiences I enjoyed or have considered, for one, I liked the OR. That part of a lot of floors makes me uneasy. Need advice, Seattle Childrens Nurse Residency February 2021. Telemetry nursing can provide good experience before transitioning into working in a cardiac intensive care unit. Where do you wish you had started out? Do you have something in mind that you would like to do? 1-612-816-8773. Has 1 years experience. So those are basically the experiences I've had that I've enjoyed, certainly I haven't seen everything but maybe this will help people make suggestions about other floors with similar characteristics. Telemetry nurses care for patients who are being treated for cardiac conditions such as chest pain, congestive heart failure and strokes.