Advice for a ortho/surg nurse moving to rehabilitaion nursing.

decotes · Apr 14, 2018

I don't really have too much experience, I'm a new grad on a pedi rehab floor and this is my first week, but I want to wish you the best of luck!

MrsJt · Apr 15, 2018

Thank you!

Alma 3323 · Apr 21, 2018

I really enjoy rehab. If you complete the various chartings throughout the day you'll feel great about your work. Braden s and sepsis screens by 9am, assessment s by noon, education and FIMs by 5 and care plans and note by 6pm. Of course med passes and cbgs as ordered. The time suckers are toileting and problem solving with dietician s, therapy and your CNAs. A sharp active cna is essential. You will get so much satisfaction watching you patient s get active again.

steffimiesha, ADN, RN · Apr 29, 2019

On 4/6/2018 at 7:38 PM, MrsJt said:
So...I will give a quick background of what has been going on to whomever hasn't been following my previous posts. About a month ago I accepted a position with my employer as an Infusion nurse. Every 4th holidays and weekend. Gave my notice to my manager, everything was set...or so I thought. About 4 days after I accepted the position, the nursing recruiter informs me that they are no longer hiring and my offer is being revoked. Well, this really crushed my spirit. I am married with 2 kids. Have been on night shift for almost 2 yrs, opposite schedule of my husbands, dealing with depression, and then that news was just icing on the cake to ignite my depression even more. Well, since then I have made an appointment with a counselor...have not seen yet and as of today, I accepted a day position at a rehabilitation facility. Still every other weekend and holiday, but I will be working 3 12's 6-630pm. Cannot complain about the schedule bc I will be home nightly with my family, making more money, AND being a normal human again:) Just wondering for those that work rehab, how do you like it??? I will have 7-8 pts ( which is what I have on nights, sometimes with an aide), lpn's and aides to help. Pts are gone for 3 hrs a day for therapy. Doesn't seen too bad, but just looking for advice.

I feel like I wrote this post! I’m also a surgical night shift nurse that just accepted a day shift rehab job. Are you liking it?

Cloud9RN, BSN · May 13, 2019

I have work in acute rehab for about 7 months now. I am foreign educated RN and works full time on nights on a 13 bed capacity acute rehab. I love my unit. It's a slow pace unit for me actually. At the start of the shift I get to review all my patient charts, then prepare meds and do head to toe physical assessment. Midnight would be purely charting like bradens, FIMS, updating plan of cares, progress notes, passing PRN pain meds etc. I would also help my CNA answering call lights if I'm not busy. So far I love what I am doing except if we are low in census and we get to float to other units which makes me real anxious lol. As of now I am preparing to take the CRRN later this year. ?

nursenelliexo · Oct 6, 2019

Rehab so far has been my first and only love in nursing. I worked 3.5yrs at an acute care rehab hospital primarily caring for brain injury patients, with some spinal cord injury and stroke as well. I absolutely loved it, so much so I got certified as a CRRN. The part I struggled most with was cardiopulmonary rehab, as I never worked that unit at the facility I worked. Acute care rehab tends to have a slower turn over rate than regular acute care, and my FAVORITE part was actually seeing people get better. The most incredible thing watching someone wake up from a coma, someone being able to eat their first meal, and plan it with them, being by someone's side as they take their first steps in months, say their first words, its incredible. Not always easy, though, because at times expectations for rehabilitation are unrealistic given the nature of certain injuries, and but I got to see a little of everything similar to med-surg, and the facility I worked was able to provide me lots of hands on experience with trachs, cathing, PICC and central lines, IV placement and medications and so on. Now I work in geriatric rehab, but the facility I'm in is more like long term care as most of my patients are waiting for LTC placement, but hey, its more experience and I'm also developing a fondness for the geriatric population ? but lots and lots of paperwork and less direct patient care.

maire, ASN, RN · Nov 1, 2019

It's a couple months later, just curious, how do you like it??

I've done rehab for the past 10 years and I love it.

Valcorie34, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 30, 2020

I have worked in skilled nursing for a long time. I love it. I think the biggest hardship for most nurses new to the field of rehab is time management. I usually customize my own brain sheet after getting to know patients for who has anticoags and what kind. What diet, what is on TAR. Find a great nurse you can ask questions when you need it. Dont save your charting for the end of your shift. Try to tackle a few patients at a time through out the day. Those are great ratios. I bet you will love it! Congrats on your new job!