Starting in Med Surg, Growing with Purpose: Reflections from Rita and Alison

Rita’s Path: From Med Surg to Critical Care

Rita S., a seasoned critical care nurse, began on the orthopedic medical surgical unit about twelve years ago. She chose med surg intentionally, knowing it would give her a broad base.

“I’ve always had an interest in med surg because I felt like when I was doing clinicals, I was able to get a little bit of everything. We got to see different patients all through their journey, different illnesses. It wasn’t just limited to one area,” she said.

Her early years shaped her nursing identity. “Some of the most valuable skills that I learned on the med surg unit were definitely teamwork. You couldn’t do anything without your team. You’re caring for a full patient load and it’s nice to know you have a supportive team there to help guide you through.”

By the time she moved to critical care, Rita had honed her clinical confidence. “I was able to handle the patient load and the acuity that critical care desired of me. I was familiar with a lot of the illnesses and disease processes we deal with in the Intensive Care Unit.”

Her curiosity about what happened next for her patients ultimately led her to critical care. “When something would happen to a patient on med surg and I would have to hand them over to ICU, I wanted to know what next. What can I do beyond this?”

Today, Rita mentors new nurses while preparing for her Critical Care Registered Nurse (CCRN) certification exam. “Nursing is just a constant learning process. Be humble and open to learning. Teamwork is always the foundation,” she said.

Alison’s Path: From Med Surg to Labor and Delivery

Alison W. spent over six years in med surg before transitioning to labor and delivery.

“I knew I wanted to build a good foundation, and I knew that med surg was the place to do that, where I would see a little bit of everything, learn a lot, get my good skills there,” she said.

Med surg taught her more than technical skills. “It taught me how to be a nurse, how to critically think, how to prioritize and how to manage time. You’re working with five and six patients that all have a lot of needs. That helped me build my skills.”

In labor and delivery, Alison drew on that experience. “We’re seeing more women with complex medical conditions becoming pregnant. We see patients with diabetes, congestive heart failure and sickle cell, to name a few. Being exposed to those conditions in med surg meant that I could bring those skills to labor and delivery.”

Even as a new nurse in her specialty, she became a resource to others. “I brought to the unit my skill set, which a lot of nurses who had been in labor and delivery for years didn’t see as frequently — NG tubes, wound vacs, central lines, those things I was familiar and comfortable with.”

Lessons from Med Surg

Both nurses credit med surg for shaping their confidence and competence. “Med surg helps you develop teamwork skills that you may not have gotten from other jobs. You’ll develop your basics, your critical thinking, your communication. You get all that in med surg,” Rita said.

Alison agrees. “Med surg is truly a great foundation and you learn so much through it. Even just doing it for a year would benefit you and your nursing career.”

Mentorship and support were also key. “I had a mentor for many years on med surg. She never made me feel dumb. She was always there to lend a helping hand,” Rita said. Alison added, “I was fortunate to get to a unit where people had been doing med surg for years. They taught me how to care for patients and how to be a team player.”

Advice for New Nurses

Starting your nursing career can be exciting and overwhelming, but beginning in med surg can open doors.

“Sometimes we don’t always get our dream role right out of school, and that’s OK. It’s OK to start on a different unit like med surg where you can gain all those skills. Later on, you’ll be a better nurse for it,” Rita said.

“Having a good foundation before entering a specialty will help you become a better nurse,” Alison added.

Both Rita and Alison have built fulfilling careers at Ochsner Baptist, doing what they love and continuing to learn every day. Whether guiding patients through recovery or welcoming new life, their journeys began with the same first step in med surg.

Where will your nursing career take you? Apply today and explore our new 18-month nursing specialty track at Ochsner Baptist.