I just watched the video on matching your nursing career with your personality type. I am a soon to be new grad RN in May 2015 (YAY!) and I have concluded my personality type is ISTJ. So, for me, I already know acute care is not my favorite. However I have heard so many times that it is important to do your first year in a hospital (in acute care) in order to fine tune your skills. I know that doesn’t need to be the path I take, but I am afraid that someday I will regret not getting extensive training as hospitals generally provide.
I am wanting to end up in management or administration. Funny this is the same as your website suggests! So my question is, should I follow my personality type and start in Long Term Care (I like the consistency of knowing and building relationships with patients)? Or should I get the training from a hospital and work for a couple years before I go back for my Master’s in Nursing Administration?
Thank you for your help!
Brianna
This question was asked in the nursing forum section.
S.L. Page says
Hello Brianna,
First, I want to say CONGRATULATIONS on graduating in May. I know you must be so excited! Also, thanks for liking the video I made :-). Here is my opinion about what you should do. In the video, I talked about how working in a hospital setting after your first graduate helps you learn nursing skills and how to be a nurse.
I think this also applies to a long term care facility. In a LTC facility you will be learning some of the same skills you would learn on a medical surgical floor and this will help you develop a foundation for basic nursing skills. Many (I mean many) new nurse graduates start out working in a LTC and then after that they move on to other things. I think it is a great career starter. Then after that you can pursue your master’s in nursing. In LTC they are always looking for RNs to enter nursing management.
I wish you much success in your nursing career and stay in touch and let me know how everything goes. I’m sure everyone else on here who is in nursing school would like to know as well.
Sincerely,
Sarah BSN, RN
Brianna says
Thank you for your response! I am glad I came across this website. It has helped me feel comfortable with my decision about not necessarily wanting to work as a floor nurse. I think in school, we are sort of guided to the mindset of acute care bedside nursing. That is what I struggle with most. People say there are so many career options in nursing, but for some reason it has been difficult to see anything but floor nursing. Your website has helped me find other types of nursing and realize that other types of nurses are needed too!
Thank you again. I will keep you posted!
S.L. Page says
I’m so glad you find the website helpful 🙂 Yes, there are so many other fields than just bedside floor nursing. I have seen so many people leave the profession because they thought that was all the nursing field had to offer but it is not true.
I meant tell you in my last post but forgot…since you will be graduating in May and preparing for NCLEX…I really recommend you check out our free nclex practice tests. We are constantly adding more exams along with dosage and calculation quizzes. I thought you may be interested in them because you can never practice too many NCLEX questions.
Look forwarding to hearing how everything works out for you!
Sarah
Brianna says
I will check out the practice tests! Thanks!