Choosing Your Nursing Specialty

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Eight Things to Consider before Choosing Your Nursing Specialty

One of the great things about working as a nurse is the array of diverse specialties available. Whether you are interested in a fast paced working environment or working in something low key, there are a lot of specialties from which to choose.

New grads are not the only ones who may want to consider which area of nursing to pursue. Nurses who have been working in the field for years may choose to move into something different with new challenges. But before you choose your nursing specialty or move in a new direction, there are several questions to ask yourself and factors to consider.

1. Are you an adrenaline junkie? Some nurses prefer a low-key environment while others thrive on excitement. If you are a new grad, just trying to figure out your way, consider what you enjoyed during you nursing clinical rotations. Did you rush to codes to help out or stand back and observe? Some people enjoy working in a specialty where there are a lot of life and death situations. If you do, you may want to consider working in the emergency room or the trauma intensive care unit.
2. Which population are you most interested in caring for? Maybe you consider yourself a people person and enjoy working with all types of patients equally. But for some nurses, they have an interest in caring for certain populations, such as children, the elderly, or cancer patients.
3. Have you considered the “yuck” factor? Let’s face it, working in healthcare may mean dealing with some gross things. No one really enjoys dealing with body fluids, blood, and foul smells, but some nurses seem to have stronger stomachs than others.  Certain specialties tend to involve a little more of the “yuck” factor than others. For example, if you are working in surgery or the burn unit, you can expect to see a lot of things that other people may find difficult to deal with. Keep in mind, with experience, you may become somewhat desensitized to certain things and be better able to handle them.
4. Are you willing to go for additional training? Even if you are licensed as a registered nurse, you may not qualify for all specialties. Some areas of nursing require additional training or certifications. For instance, nurses who want to work in the intensive care unit may need to get certified in advanced cardiac life support.
5. Do you have a calm demeanor? Some folks are high strung, and others are laid back. Consider what type of demeanor you have. If you are usually pretty laid back, you may be able to handle high-pressure areas of nursing well, such as critical care transport, psychiatric nursing, or pediatric intensive care.
6. What is the salary? Although salary is not the best reason to choose a nursing specialty, it may factor into your decision. Certain specialties tend to pay more than others. For example, clinical nurse specialists, critical care nurses, and certified midwives are some of the higher paying areas of nursing. Keep in mind, your experience, location, and the type of facility you work in all play a part in how much you will earn.
7. Are you an introvert? Some nurses love to meet new people all the time. They can talk to anyone, anywhere. But not all nurses are extroverts. If you consider yourself a bit of an introvert, you can still have a successful career as a nurse. Different areas of nursing require a varied amount of patient interaction. Although you are likely to work with either patients or staff in most types of nursing, some areas may be better suited for introverts. Areas to consider include forensic nursing and working as a surgical scrub nurse or a nurse researcher.
8. Is there a demand? How easy you land a job depends on where you live, your education, and your skills. A little luck may also come into play. But certain specialties are more in demand than others. Diabetes nursing, clinical nurse specialists, and informatics nursing are three specialties which are currently in demand. If you have your heart set on a certain area of nursing and it is flooded, that doesn’t mean you should give up on it. But be aware it may take longer to get a job.

References

Medscape. Does Your Nursing Specialty Match Your Personality? http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/838732  Accessed July 2015.

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