Good day all! I've been working in psych for a little over two years now...and still feeling the urge to get some med/surg experience under my belt. I've tried a couple of LTC, but left shortly after always due to feeling like the conditions are unsafe. What I'd really like is to find a hospital that is willing to take a chance, and give me a month or so to orient on a med/surg floor.
Just wondering if anyone has recently been able to make this kind of switch, and any practical tips on how to do so? Or what worked for you? I'm working on BSN, have ACLS, but these haven't helped, and relocation isn't really an option.
My hospital isn't really hiring much at all these days, but if anyone has tips on how to discreetly approach managers where I work I'd be interested in hearing about that too, I'm not to keen on my current manager knowing that I want to switch right now (unit politics, etc).
I'm not the original poster, but I recently made the switch from psych to med surg! I worked as a psych nurse for two years, I've been working in med surg for four months now. I applied for every possible med surg-ish job at the two hospitals in the area my husband and I planned on moving to. It took me about a month to start getting calls back. I did two interviews, and was offered both jobs. In my interviews I really focused on what skills I learned in psych that could be useful in med surg, and emphasized the fact that I kept myself up to date on med surg nursing by reading a med surg textbook and ECG textbook in my spare time. At the job I decided to take, I was given a ten day orientation period. That seemed crazy to me, but I was surprised how much I remembered from school. I'm constantly learning new things, and I ask a ton of questions. I really enjoy med surg, I'm glad that I made the switch. It's totally possible. Good luck!
OMG how did you do it with a 10 day orientation? I would be so scared!!!
~Shrek~
347 Posts
OMG how did you do it with a 10 day orientation? I would be so scared!!!