Med Surg is one of the fundamental units in any hospital. It's where you'll find nurses and doctors working together to help patients get better and recover from their illnesses or injuries.
But what exactly is Med Surg nursing? What makes it different from other units in the hospital, such as Pediatrics or Emergency? And what are the responsibilities of a nurse on this unit?
In this article, we'll explore all of these questions and more, so you can be prepared when you head into your first shift on Med Surg!
What is Med Surg Nursing?
Let's get right to it. Medical-surgical nursing is a type of nursing practice that focuses on the care of patients with various conditions, including surgical and medical illnesses.
Medical-surgical nurses may work in hospitals or doctors' offices. They may also work in clinics or other health care facilities.
Medical-surgical nurses work closely with physicians, surgeons, and other health care professionals to provide care for patients who are experiencing illness or injury and need surgery.
These nurses are trained to administer medications and provide primary treatment until the patient's condition has stabilized enough for them to resume their normal activities.
Medical-surgical nurses usually have at least an associate degree in nursing (ADN). Some may have bachelor's degrees in nursing (BSN) or master's degrees in nursing (MSN).
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Many employers prefer nurses who have bachelor's degrees because they are more qualified than those who have associate degrees alone.
What Med Surg Nurse Do?
Med-Surg nurses have many duties, which may vary depending on the situation or setting. Some common responsibilities include:
Monitoring patient's vital signs (heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature) throughout treatment.
Administering medications as ordered by physicians or pharmacists.
Assisting with diagnostic tests such as chest X-rays or electrocardiograms (EKGs).
Providing information to patients and their families during treatment.
Monitoring patients' symptoms, needs, and responses to treatment throughout the recovery period after surgery until they are discharged from the hospital or clinic.
Where Do Medical-Surgical Nurses Work?
Medical-surgical nurses work in hospitals and other health care facilities such as long-term care facilities, doctor's offices, clinics, and even private homes.
The majority of them work full-time, but some may choose to work part-time or on a per diem basis, depending on their preferences and schedules.
What Is Med-Surg Nurse Salary?
According to Salary.com, the average med-surg nurse salary is $101,726. However, depending on where you live, your years of experience, and your educational background, the average can range anywhere from $92,000-$113,328 per year.
Med-Surg Nurse Salary by State
Let’s take a look at how much a med-surg nurse makes in different parts of the U.S.:
State | Annual Salary |
Washington | $118,253 |
New York | $111,934 |
California | $107,021 |
Idaho | $106,349 |
New Hampshire | $105,759 |
Vermont | $103,138 |
Massachusetts | $102,341 |
New Jersey | $100,287 |
Hawaii | $100,274 |
How Do You Become A Med-Surg Nurse?
Are you ready to take the next step in becoming a med-surg nurse? If so, then check out this step-by-step guide to becoming a med-surg nurse.
Step 1: Earn Your Degree
The first step in becoming a med-surg nurse is to complete your associate’s degree in nursing (ADN) or BSN. The ADN program is typically two years long and prepares nurses for entry-level positions in hospitals and other healthcare facilities.
The BSN program takes an additional two years and prepares students for management positions and clinical practice. Both programs require that students pass national licensing exams before graduation.
Step 2: Get Licensed
Becoming a nurse is one thing, but if you want to be a Med-Surg nurse, you need to be licensed. To become licensed, you must complete a nursing program at an accredited school and pass the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses (NCLEX).
The NCLEX is required for all nurses who want to practice in the United States; it's how hospitals and other health care facilities can ensure that they're hiring qualified personnel.
Step 3: Apply For A Job!
Congratulations! You're almost there! All you need to do now is apply for a job.
Once you've successfully got a license, you can apply for positions as a med-surg nurse. Unlike other unit nurses, med-surg nurses don't have to get certified. They just need to get their license and start applying for jobs.
To find a job, the first thing you need to do is make sure that the facility has open positions and that they have the resources available to hire new employees.
This can be done by calling them directly or checking their website. If they have openings, call them up and ask about the position details.
You can also check out their Facebook page or Twitter profile to see if they've posted any information about job openings recently.
Once you've found an opening at a facility that has what you're looking for, make sure that it's a good fit before applying. That means researching their benefits package, salary range, and location (if applicable).
What is the Job Outlook For Med Surg Nurses?
Since the job outlook for med surg nurses is so good, and they can be found in many different settings, it’s no wonder that they’re in demand.
In fact, there is a shortage of registered nurses in the United States, which is expected to continue through 2030. It means the demand for nurses, including med-surg nurses, will grow dramatically.
What is the difference Between Med-Surg Nurses and Other Nurses?
The main difference between a med-surg nurse and other nurses is that the med-surg nurse is trained to work in an acute care setting.
A med-surg nurse usually works in an emergency room, intensive care unit (ICU), or cardiac care unit. They also work for many different types of doctors, including surgeons, gynecologists, urologists, and internal medicine specialists.
The main focus of the med-surg nurse is to assist with patient care needs related to surgery and general medical conditions.
These nurses may perform things such as changing dressings on wounds, administering injections, and taking vital signs (blood pressure, pulse rate).
Med-surg nurses are not required to have any specific degree. However, many do choose to pursue higher education degrees, such as an associate's or bachelor's degree in nursing (ADN or BSN).
Why Should You Choose Medical-Surgical Nursing as a Career?
There are many reasons, but we'll just cover a few of the most important ones here.
First, you will have plenty of opportunities to grow your skills and knowledge through continuing education. You can take classes at local community colleges or online—there's no limit to where you can learn about new techniques and technologies.
The more you know about what's going on in the field, the better equipped you'll be to help your patients.
Second, you'll be able to work in any number of different environments: hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and even private homes. This gives you flexibility when it comes time for scheduling shifts—you can choose where you want to work based on what's available at that time!
Thirdly: this job is rewarding because it helps people feel better when they're sick or injured by providing them with proper care and treatment that allows them to recover faster than they would have if left alone at home without professional assistance from someone who knows exactly what they need during each stage of the recovery process (i.e., clean wound dressing, so infection doesn't occur).
It’s A Wrap!
Med Surg nurses are the ultimate multitaskers. They have to be up-to-date on all the latest medical news, be able to handle a crisis situation, and be able to work with patients of all different ages and healthcare needs.
Med-Surg nurses are the glue that holds hospitals together, and they're what make it possible for you to get better.
So if you're interested in becoming a nurse, we hope that this article has given you some insight into what it's like working in Med Surg nursing—and how much fun it can be!
FAQs
Is Med-Surg Nursing Stressful?
Yes, but it's worth it. Med-surg nursing is stressful because you have to make sure that your patients are safe at all times.
You have to do this while also making sure that you're doing your own job correctly, and then also doing your best to help the other nurses on your team. But if you love what you do, then it's worth the stress!
How To Survive Medical-Surgical Nursing?
Learning to survive medical-surgical nursing is much like learning to survive the zombie apocalypse. You have to be prepared for anything and everything, and you need to be ready for whatever comes your way.
- Be prepared for a lot of blood and gore. In medical-surgical nursing, you'll often find yourself dealing with patients who are in their last stages of life, which means hygiene can get pretty lax in these situations. It's important to be ready for anything when it comes to blood—from arterial spurts to spurts from IVs and other equipment—and, even more importantly, understand how to clean up after yourself!
- Practice makes perfect: If you want your skills as a medical-surgical nurse to be top-notch, then it's important that you practice them often! Practice makes perfect when it comes to medical-surgical nursing, so if there's ever an opportunity where you can practice on someone without their permission (just kidding), take advantage of it!
Can an RN work as a Med-Surg Nurse?
Yes, an RN can work as a Med-Surg Nurse. In fact, the majority of nurses in the United States are working in Med-Surg positions.
