I just graduated and passed the NCLEX a few days ago. I have a job offer at an acute care rehab facility, and on Friday (the day I learned I had my license) I got a call encouraging me to apply for a position on a med/surg floor where I did clinicals.
My ultimate career goal is to earn my CDE (certified diabetes educator). I only have one firm offer, and I am not counting my chickens before they hatch. But I\'d love some opinions-- which job do you think would be better for my ultimate career goal? (I don\'t have details like $$, shifts and benefits- so I can\'t use those things to decide).
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July 15th, 2011 at 10:05 am
Your best offer is the Med/Surg!!!! A hospital setting is where you learn how to be a nurse. Everything else is book knowledge from your curriculum geared toward passing boards. On a Med/Surg floor you will see once in a lifetime scenarios that you will never forget and you will learn how to be the best team player you can be. Congrats on passing and Welcome to the best life ever!
July 15th, 2011 at 2:36 pm
I agree with Andrea. If your goal is to be a CDE, then you should spend some time on a med-surg floor, where you will get a significant amount of experience working with diabetic patients, some of whom control their diabetes, others who do not, and you will see the general health effects (and disasters) of diabetes. You’ll also get a lot of patient education about diabetes under your belt.
July 18th, 2011 at 8:18 am
I took a specialty job in cardiac rehab and can see now where I should have worked even 6 months on a medical floor before moving on. My employers were not interested in providing general nursing education, and turned dowm any requests for ed that was not cardiac related.I was scared for about a year always worried I would miss something. There are things today that I am unfamiliar with. My hours are great and I love the work but still I would advise getting your feet wet on med surg and getting some firm nursing skills on board. good luck!
September 27th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
I graduated in December 2010. I took the Hurst review, took and passed my NCLEX, and was offered a job on a busy 36 bed Med-Surg floor. I oriented on days, but knew that I would go full time to nights. I do not regret this choice at all. I have learned so many clinical skills that I only “practiced” in school. I work with a fantastic group of nurses, all of whom are more than willing to help in any way they can. I plan on starting back to school in January to work on my Masters. I will continue to work and learn. I hope that seeing all that Med-Surg has will help me decide where I truly want to focus my attention. Congrats. And welcome!!!