4 replies to this topic

[Patricia Mees]

I'm trying todecide where I'd like to most work inthe nursing field.
I just love the current floor where I'm a student nurse--Surgery--preop,
intraop, and postop. Does anyone agree with me that hospital nursing
is the best training there is? Is there an advantage to floating?

[FSU/RN]

The best place to work as a nurse is the best place for you!!! Hospital nursing is not the only thing out there. If you only look at hospital nursing, you really limit your choices and that is the great thing about nursing! You can do so many things. I have done ortho..ICU..doctors office..agency…and now teaching. What a greatly diverse profession we have!!

[AngryAngel]

I have to agree that if there is a best part of Nusing as a career it is the incredible diversity that the profession holds. I have had many different and exciting aspects of my career. Some I never had a clue about until long after I was into the profession. Do not limit yourself while in school to a particular floor or service. You are doing yourself an injustice. I would consider taking some personality indicator the best I have seen is the Myer-Briggs Personality Type Indicator (MBTI). I was 27 and in my Junior year when I took it. It was a 134 question instrument back then, now it is available online and even for free on some sites. it is 40-73 questions now and only takes minutes to finish. It was a revelation to me. Gave me insights into my personality that have served me well to this day. When you start to understand who you are, then your movement through Nursing, or any other career, could be so much more interesting, and so much more rewarding.

I went into Nursing in 1968 to become a Male Nurse-Midwife. That was to early for the profession to grasp it. I did 2 years of OB Nursing in the Military setting and loved it. It dealt with life, Joy, and potential yet to be experienced for the Clients involved. I became a Lamaze Instructor, and was oncall 24/7 for clients telephone inquiries about their pregnancy and impending labor and loved it. I was never able to get an OB position in civilian Nursing, so I dropped out of Nursing after I did Med-Surg for about 4 years. I became a professional Paramedic after serving as a volunteer for 5 years. I was served in that capacity for 2 years, but I went on food stamps and WIC to keep my family intact as the South Carolina area was not lucritive in the Paramedical field. I loved those 2 years as the happiest in my career. I went on to teach Paramedics, and eventually became involved in Emergency Nursing for over 20 years. When the handwritting on the wall became evident that Emergency Nursing was becoming generally unsafe; and as usual the Nursing Profession could not solve it. I went back to school and became an MSN, ARNP. That was a big mistake, as the doctors are harder to work for then nurses were. What ever you do in nursing, keep your 401K well feed and diversify. I am now disabled, teaching for a pitience, no pension, and my 401 was in company stock, which went south, and halved in value. Good Luck
AngryAngel
In life it does not matter how high or low you go,
the important thing is how well you bounce.

[EDRNINCT]

There are wonderful experiences and opportunities in floating but give yourself some time on a single home unit first to become sure of yourself or it could eat you up and you could find yourself very insecure and alone.

[lberghood]

I have to agree about the floating. Adjusting to the transition from student to professional is a difficult time and it is important to master skills and develop relationships which is much easier when you have a "home"
That being said, I have worked at many institutions as a float and thoroughly enjoyed it as i get bored easily and was able to see things from many different aspects and it improved my communications with other departments. Also it helped me not to get too sucked into the gossip and politics of individual units.
I would suggest that you give yourself a year in a stable work environment before you consider floating. The suggestion about the personality test was a very good one. It also helps when recruiters try to match your skills, strengths and personality with an area of the hospital that has an opening. Good luck in your career and remember that you never have to stay anywhere where you are truly unhappy, as one person put it, there is huge diversity in our profession and you will find your niche. Just remember that transition period is a difficult time and seek out others who will support and encourage you.
Lisa