expect lots of stitches and staples (some looking like a lovely zip all the way up people's front!); a complete and utter fascination for measuring all types of wee, poo and vomit(!); stoma bags and teaching people to care for them; some people may have epidurals in place after ops; talking about number ones and number twos in hushed tones; people using commodes and vomiting all the time; people with liver, and gall bladder problems; appendix operations.....i didn't mind as i can work with all types of bodily functions except for snot. for some reason, that really gets me! i enjoyed my time there and learnt the importance of physical obs and measuring bodily input and output on general health and how to care for people after surgery - abdominal surgery is very painful and messy, so wound care and infection control need to be taken very seriously. as a first post after qualification, i reckon it is a good place to start your nursing career.....but make sure that if you do not want to spend your entire working life there that you move on quickly.....after 2 years at the most! good luck....and enjoy! the learning really begins after you qualify and get your pin number!!! oh.....and make sure they have a solid learning programme for new workers. my ward has a huge workbook that needs completing for every aspect of general nursing care that newbies have to complete within six months of starting and it is a very good way of ensuring that our new additions to the ward continue their academic learning as well as the traditional baptism of fire on the ward!!! good luck x