[sleepyjane]

I am a new grad considering rehab nursing and after reading a previous thread I am very excited about the opportunity. I had really wanted to work on a med surg unit to start to gain some experience, but it sounds like rehab is a little bit of everything. I have an interview coming up on Friday with one of the top acute rehab hospitals in my area for a position on a musculoskeletal unit. My question is, what type of experiences could I expect to have on this type of unit? Are the patients there for mostly joint replacements, etc? And most importantly, is this a good place for a new grad to start? Any advice/guidence is really appreciated!

[Clever User Name]

I too am considering Rehab as a new grad. I heard it is alot of spinal injury and CVA, with a little hip replacement thrown in. I am a little concerned that it will be even harder than Med Surg since we will be doing soooo much ADL assistance. I think it will be more rewarding but am worried that I will be overworked and not be able to do the excellent job I want to do. I would love to hear from a recent new grad in rehab. (not for ETOH abuse, LOL)

[1studentnurse]

It really depends. You should see the unit and ask lots of questions before you start.

I am a new grad on a general/spinal cord unit and we get people with diagnoses of debility secondary to just about any kind of illness you can imagine--Guillain-Barre, MI, cancer, etc. We also get the more ortho type rehab patients--amputees, joint replacements (mostly hip, but also knee), MVAs, GSW, etc. We also get people with all sorts of spinal cord issues (paras, quads, laminectomy pts, neuropathy pts, etc.) Some of these folks have multiple issues--we see lots of DM and amputations.

In terms of ADLs, rehab is all about getting the patient to do as much as he/she can. We don't actually do too many ADLs because the therapists and techs work with patients on this. It's all about independence, and your patient won't have you hanging around at home doing stuff for him/her. Some OT is actually ADLs, so the therapist is working with them. Once they can do it, they should do it, with some help w/setup, etc.

Most of my day is like this:
Get report and details (therapy, orders, etc.) on my pts
Meet pts
Assess pts
Give meds, do dressings, etc.
Pts go to therapy
Chart and deal with whatever comes up (orders, medical issues, admits, go to therapy w/meds, etc.)
Maybe go to lunch (I like going early on 8s)
Give lunchtime meds, do dressings, etc. (some are changed at lunch after therapy because the workout unravels some, etc.)
Go to pt conferences (we have them 4 days a week usually)
Check orders
Send people to dialysis, tests, etc. or check on them in rooms
Finish charting
Report off to next shift and help them with any little things
Say goodbye to pts in rooms
Get stuff, clock out and go home

Other duties as assigned on the job descriptions is a joke. You do whatever you have to do. I get lots of ice, straws, juice, tape and snacks and I even make hair appointments if they don't want me washing their hair. (We have a beauty shop for pts upstairs). I could be a waitress, but if it makes people compliant with meds and therapy, I'm all for it!

[TheCommuter]

I work on a rehab unit at a nursing home, but it is structured much like a free-standing rehabilitation hospital. On this particular unit, we deal with many central lines, IV antibiotics, CPM machines, feeding tubes, suture removal, surgical staple removal, complicated wound care, ostomy appliances, diabetic management, casts, braces, splints, cervical halos, and so forth.

Most of my patients have recently underwent surgical procedures such as laminectomies, knee and hip arthroplasties (joint replacements), kyphoplasties, CABGs, hysterectomies, limb amputations, colectomies, thromboembolectomies, and abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs.

The non-surgical patients are typically admitted to our unit for recovery from CVAs, acute MIs, debility, various cancers, fractures, status post pneumonia, deconditioned states, failure to thrive, status post falls, generalized weakness, and other afflictions.

Rehab is a physical and emotional challenge, but I'm assured you will have the learning experience of your life!