Career Spotlight: Medical-Surgical Nurse
Medical-surgical nurses are at the center of health care, playing a central role in hospitals, ambulatory surgical sites, clinics, and long-term care facilities in this exciting career specialty. Med-surg nurses also develop essential skills and experience as they grow in the field, opening opportunities in a wide range of nursing focus areas.
What Does a Medical-Surgical Nurse Do?
Medical-surgical nurse duties vary as you manage complex patient requirements. Typical roles cover several areas:
- Patient care responsibilities include assessing and monitoring patient medical conditions, administering medications and therapies, and communicating with patients and their families about preoperative care, what to expect during surgery, and care during recovery.
- Coordinating and collaborating, you will help interdisciplinary teams work together effectively and will help patients connect with their health care team.
- Providing preoperative and postoperative care goes beyond preparing patients for surgery and helping prepare the operating theater, encompassing the monitoring of complications and setting patients up for successful recovery.
- Managing the technical aspects of care, such as using medical equipment, wound care devices, and monitors, while handling IV insertions and catheters, are very much part of the job.
- Recording and reporting patient vitals, status, and trends helps the rest of the team stay current on how well patients are responding.
- You will also work as a problem-solver and must manage your time and that of other team members while maintaining your emotional resilience in potentially high-stress environments.
How Much Can a Medical-Surgical Nurse Make?
The median annual advertised salary for med-surg nurses is $105,344, with the top 10% commanding $146,304, according to Lightcast. What you can actually earn depends on where you live, your level of education, and your experience. Nurses in California earn the highest average salaries at $137,690, with South Dakota nurses averaging the least at $69.303. Nurses in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut earn an average salary of $106,620, $101,960, and $101,840, respectively.
Naturally, nurses with experience can expect to earn more than those just starting out. And the continuing nursing shortage suggests that job availability and upward pressure on salaries will continue.
How Can You Start Your Career as a Medical-Surgical Nurse?
Your career starts with earning your nursing degree. You can start with an associate degree in nursing and go on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Your education pairs classroom learning with practical experience in clinical settings.
You will also need to be a registered nurse (RN) to become a medical-surgical nurse. You’ll need to pass your NCLEX-RN exam to get licensed as an RN. Your career in this specialty may also benefit from additional certifications like the Certified Medical-Surgical Registered Nurse (CMSRN) credential and the Medical Surgical Nurse — Board Certified (MEDSURG-BC) credential. And as with any field, advancing in your career requires gaining experience and staying up to date on innovations in the field through continuing-education programs.
Find out how Excelsior University’s online nursing degree programs can put you on the path to a rewarding career as a med-surg nurse at the very heart of health care.
