Career change: nursing home to primary care

[lvan0904]

Hello,

I have accepted a primary care NP position with a VA affiliated clinic. I have been working in a nursing home providing care to residents with acute & chronic diseases for nearly 3 years (it was my 1st job out of grad school). Since cost was a major concern in the nursing home, primary care needs were often deferred to the resident's PCP upon discharge from the nursing home. I managed & treated acute/acute on chronic problems while they were residents. So as a result, I feel as though I had gotten away from providing routine primary care. I plan to review material from grad school and freshen up on treatment guidelines to assist with preparation. Has anyone else made a similar transition in their career and how did you prepare for the new position? I will have orientation, there will be a seasoned NP on site, and my collaborating MD will be available via phone....I would just like to take the necessary steps to best prepare myself as I walk into this new role. Thank you for your input.

[Agriffin2]

Congratulations on your new job! Sadly I don't have any advice but I'm keeping an eye on this thread. I need to brush up on my primary care skills too and would love advice