Comin' back to rehab!!

Ditto, Commuter. Everything you said about Med-Surg. It is bad enuf working there; imagine being the patient?! I remind myself of that whenever something bad happens on Rehab. Our unit ain't perfect, but it is lot better than Med-Surg.

Hello! A long time ago I wrote a post called "Too Smart for Rehab Nursing" in which I complained about how people were always tell me I was too smart for rehab, to go pursue "real nursing" in ICU or med-surg and that I would get bored. Well, after a few months, I finally wondered what everyone was talking about and I made the switch to a crazy med-surg floor. It was crazy! The positives? I learned a LOT, I feel that my assessment skills improved, I learned about different tests and procedures that aren't usually done on rehab, I honed my telemetry skills and IV starting skills, etc. The downside? I hated it. I hated the constant admits and discharges (like 2 admits and 3 discharges every day), I hated the constant stream of a zillion doctors all writing conflicting orders, I hated having to rush people out of the hospital! Some still with drains and wounds and all sorts of things! I hated never getting to spend more than a few minutes with my patients. And I really missed watching patients get better.

So. . .after about 9 months of that. . .I am making the move back to acute rehab and am very excited! It is a new hospital (I moved) and a pay cut (used to make $25/hr now $22/hr) but totally worth it and I am excited. I have found that (typically) the nurses and other medical personnel are friendlier and more patient than in med-surg.

Just wanted to give an update. I am glad i did my time on med-surg. . .but it was enough and I am happy to be back :)

just worked my first 3 days on the new rehab floor - and I am so happy. Yesterday was a complete crap day - two nurses called out, short staffed, a patient fall, a discharge and an admit, crazy patients, blah blah blah. . .and I watched as the nurses on the floor totally pulled together to get it all done. No negativity, no yelling or pettiness - just a bunch of tired nurses working to get stuff done. Even the nursing director was in a room at one point helping to clean up a patient!!!!!!

So. . .I am happy. Nursing is a tough gig but when you find a good environment it can be a great gig.

Thanks for your post. Just curious: did you have any problem going getting a M/S job? I've been wondering if I will be "marked" by doing rehab right out of school and will never be able to get a M/S job if I want one. Not that I am even thinking along those lines right now. Orienting in an acute care rehab hospital and loving it. It's way different than all my nursing clinicals, except for the clinical I did at this rehab hospital. :) I did have an acute care job offer at the same time I got the rehab offer and I shadowed at the acute care position for a day (huge hospital, BTW). I hated the "in and out" mentality and the way the nurses labelled everyone as a "PITA", "whacked", etc. Hated it.

I didn't have a problem, but I knew the manager on the floor. Now, if I am a rehab nurse for 5 yrs I don't know if I could get a M/S job. But I don't think I will ever want one again. I did my time, learned a LOT, and now want to work acute rehab where I get to know my patients and do lots and lots of education.

Good luck in your job!