I would like to be a nurse practitioner HOW?!

What is it you dislike about ward work? You don't have to work on a ward when you qualify, you choose the jobs you apply for.

Hi, I just don't really find it very interesting. I enjoy caring for people, but I feel like it is very repetitive. For example, I like A&E because you have to apply your knowledge to different situations and think constantly. I think ward work is very important and nurses do a very good job and it is very tiring but I just feel as if it not for me. To gain experience could you apply for wherever you like? such as A&E or theatres or HDU? because I feel like when people say gain experience to do other courses or CPD modules it sounds as if you have to work on medical or surgical wards for like 2-3 years before doing anything :/

What wards have you experienced? Have you ever been on a busy acute medical unit or busy surgical ward?

yes, I have been on both and haven't enjoyed either of them, but I often think student nurses do the job of a HCA during placements, which I definitely don't enjoy.

There certainly is a factor of that going on with pre-reg students in a lot of clinical areas, it's something I disagree with. Acute medial units are essentially an extension of A&E, the staff nurse's role is very similar, with admissions coming from A&E and from outside of the hospital too such as GP referals. A lot of AMUs take on NQ nurses, while it's not for the faint hearted, it gives you an excellent foundation to bulid upon, especially if you want to move into critical care or emergency nursing.

Like I said before though, you don't have to work on a ward when qualifying, I went into theatres as an NQ nurse and now I'm a critical care nurse. On reflection when I started in critical care I'd have liked some ward experience as it'd have helped with my time management skills, but I'm doing just fine now. Some critical care units take on NQ nurses, as do some emergency departments as well.

As has already been said in this thread, while it's great to have ambition and career goals, the path of a nursing career can be quite convoluted. The difference between being a student and a new registered nurse is quite dramatic and takes time to get used to, hence why we make students do a preceptorship period. Having a long term goal is fine, but focus on the short term ones too as they're the ones that will bulid your career up.

Thanks for your help, I find it very useful critical care nursing seems interesting, there a lot of areas that interest me, but so far my placements on mainly surgical wards have been much less enjoyable than other placements I've been on.

Have you had a critical care placement yet? It's a great environment (but I may be biased).

@Mango65 I don't know what the wards you have been on were like particularly but don't discount the effect that the team, working environment, mentor and the way you were taught (Or used as a HCA) will have on your perception of the clinical area. I did a NICU placement where my mentor and I didn't get along. At first, I thought I didn't like NICU as a clinical area. After finishing the placement I realised that I had really enjoyed the area, but the clash of personalities with my mentor had tainted my view of the area while I was there. (It's worth saying I learnt so so much, and she was an excellent mentor - even if we weren't best buds).

Hi, I just don't really find it very interesting. I enjoy caring for people, but I feel like it is very repetitive. For example, I like A&E because you have to apply your knowledge to different situations and think constantly. I think ward work is very important and nurses do a very good job and it is very tiring but I just feel as if it not for me. To gain experience could you apply for wherever you like? such as A&E or theatres or HDU? because I feel like when people say gain experience to do other courses or CPD modules it sounds as if you have to work on medical or surgical wards for like 2-3 years before doing anything :/

Is there any way to become an ANP while getting a job in GP surgery as a practice nurse?