Experienced home care RN wants to transition to hospital

[Nurse Beth, MSN]

Transitioning from home care to a hospital setting can be rewarding, but adapting to the fast-paced, clinical environment requires some preparation. Here are some steps you can take to make the transition smoother:

Assess Your Skills and Experience

Home care nursing is highly autonomous, but hospital nursing often involves working in a team with a more structured environment. Evaluate your clinical skills in acute care, patient assessment, and hospital procedures.

Take a Refresher Course

If you want to build confidence in certain areas, consider taking a refresher course or certification to update your skills. A refresher course can also help you make valuable contacts that may lead to job opportunities. Online courses or certifications in areas like ACLS or telemetry can also make you a more competitive candidate.

Update Your Resume and Highlight Relevant Skills

Emphasize transferable skills like patient assessment, care planning, patient education, and your ability to work independently. You may also want to highlight any specific treatments or care you've provided relevant to hospital settings (e.g., wound care, medication administration, or chronic disease management).

Customize your resume to align with the hospital's job description and focus on your experience that relates directly to the hospital role.

Network and Connect with Hospital Recruiters

Reach out to recruiters or hiring managers at hospitals you're interested in. A strong personal connection can help your application stand out. You can also gain insights about the hospital's culture and requirements by conducting informational interviews with hospital staff or attending job fairs.

Apply to Entry-Level Hospital Roles

Take what you can get initially. Once you get your feet in the door of an organization, you can transfer. You may want to apply for positions that allow you to ease into the hospital setting. For example, a position in one of a hospital's outpatient units, such as Interventional Radiology or Surgery admissions, could be a good start.

Some hospitals may also offer transition programs for nurses from home care or non-hospital settings. These programs provide additional support and training to help you adjust.

Prepare for the Interview

Be ready to discuss why you're transitioning to a hospital setting. Focus on your passion for learning and desire to expand your skill set. Highlight your adaptability, attention to detail, and the unique perspectives you bring from home care.

Also, prepare for clinical scenario questions where you must demonstrate your problem-solving and critical thinking skills.

Prepare Mentally and Emotionally

The hospital environment is much faster-paced, with complex patient care, multiple team members involved, and strict time constraints. It's important to manage expectations and take time to adjust to the new demands.

Find ways to manage stress, as the hospital setting can initially feel overwhelming. Lean on colleagues for support, and don't hesitate to ask for help when needed.

By highlighting your home care experience as a strength and preparing for the hospital environment, you can make the transition more successfully. Good luck!

Nurse Beth

 

[toomuchbaloney]

Build your resume to appeal to an acute care setting. Use your cover letter to highlight the skills that you bring to that case environment. 

As you are aware from your training, work as a floor nurse in an acute care setting will be a much different experience and time management skill set than in HomeCare. Dependent upon where you are working, your HC time management skills will be upended.