Switching Nurse Specialties

I have mentioned this before… the best thing about nursing is that you do not have to stay in one specialty during your career unless you want to.  It is almost encouraged to try out new areas of nursing.  I started in pediatrics then transitioned to ob/gyn, then to hospice and home health.  I know, that is a weird specialty transition, but it suited me well.  For me, I knew I wanted to become a family nurse practitioner.  I felt the specialties I had worked in were helping me become the best nurse practitioner I could be.  That being said, you can use that train of thought as well or go with the flow and change specialties as you please.  Whichever way you decide to go down, remember there are no mistakes. You can always learn something new and important and that information to your nurse arsenal.  Here are a few tips to help you switch your nursing specialty.

1.       Know that it is OK to switch specialty.

As I mentioned above, it is OK to switch specialties.  Your interest in your first specialty right out of nursing school may have fizzled.  Maybe you had a top 3 specialties while in nursing school, and you have successfully checked off your first option and you are ready to move on to the next on the list.  You may find that the skills and ways of thinking are somewhat similar to the next specialty of your choice.  You may also find that the new skills you have learned in your new specialty will make you a better nurse.  It is your decision, and you know what is best for you. It is OK to switch your nurse specialty.

2.       It is healthy to change specialties.

Ok, let us talk about burn out.  If you have been involved with nursing (including nursing school), I know you have heard about nurse burn out.  It is real. There are varying degrees of nurse burnout which can include the “I have worked several days straight and a couple of days off or a vacation” is the cure.  Then, there is the “agonizing, cannot find the positive, need a serious change that only a switch in specialty will improve your mental and emotional health”. 

You entered nursing to help people.  It is hard work to work with people whether it is nursing, customer service, or education.  Yes, there are other careers that work with people but let us use these examples for now. Nursing is a phenomenal field to be a part of.  There are times that are gratifying and there are times that want to send you running for the hills.  Before any decision is made, think about your mental and emotional health.  Ask yourself, is the current specialty you are in enhancing you as a nurse and as a person or taking little bits of pieces away from you.

3.       How to change specialties.

So, how to change specialties… it is easy…just do it!  When you are evaluating your options for a new nurse specialty think about how willing you are to learn new nursing skills and new ways of thinking.  Are you ready to learn something totally new and different from what you know or do you want to ease into something similar?  Again, the world is yours and you are in control of how you want your nursing career to be.

I hope these tips and information help you decide how to move forward with your career.  Nursing is one of the few careers where you can change specialties with ease.  I encourage you to try out new specialties.  Learning different areas of nursing will not only open your eyes to the wonderful world of nursing but you may have the marvelous opportunity to fall in love with nursing again.