Help :(

Nurses General Nursing

Published

Specializes in Critical Care.

I'm not sure if I'm asking for advise or just venting but a recent interaction with a man, relationship is becoming more serious and grounded with time may be taking me up to North East Texas. I'm a city nurse from the large Houston Metro area. I've only ever worked in a teaching facility with tons of residents and at level one trauma centers.

I am honestly terrified of what I'll encounter at smaller community hospitals. 3:1 ratios? Lower acuity? No learning opportunities????

These decisions are difficult and I truly care for this man but I want to be somewhere where I will succeed and be happy. I am a career man.

Any recommendations on North East TX hospitals? Longview TX/Tyler TX/Nacogdoches TX????

what hospitals do I stay away from?

as much as I love my career and my current job I also am willing to make it work with this person.

fyi I work ICU and would like to remain in ICU for right now... I will not work medsurg

I am open to OR/PACU/Cath Lab...

Specializes in Med/Surge, Psych, LTC, Home Health.

No advice on the hospitals, but I do wish you well in the relationship! :)

Specializes in Critical Care.
No advice on the hospitals, but I do wish you well in the relationship! :)

Thank you. A few years back I looked at people asking for advice regarding career and relationship. In my head I would always think .... career career career DUH!

Now I know it's not that simple.

Be very careful about making a big career change for a new relationship. Only do it if you're certain. And community hospitals have been great in my experience. Good luck

Specializes in Critical Care.
Be very careful about making a big career change for a new relationship. Only do it if you're certain. And community hospitals have been great in my experience. Good luck

I'm scared of things that seem silly like having to go all written charts. I've been using Epic for 4 years. I feel so deficient and inexperienced in some ways and blessed in others... being able to see the sickest patients that no other hospitals want ... seeing forefront I feel medicine...

Also like I said the thought of having 3 sick ICU patients terrifies me and that's not the norm around my neck of the woods.... unless you work for small community hospitals.

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

You would be shocked at what smaller rural hospitals have to do,

First off, it's not that they don't want critical patients....

People have trauma, no matter where they live.......these smaller hospitals, must deal with that same trauma, without the resources of a trauma center....

Critical thinking skills, in stabilization, coordinating transfers, both ground and flight....you will not be bored

Specializes in Home health, Addictions, Detox, Psych and clinics..

Awww... hang in there, take the time you need to figure out what's best for you. I can see why you're conflicted.. seems tough.. Best of luck to you, and I wish you all the best, gay nurse to gay nurse :)

East Texas Medical Center in Tyler is a Level 1 trauma hospital.

The University of Texas Health Science Center in Tyler is a top notch teaching facility.

About UT Health East TexasFormed in 2018 through the combination of East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System (ETMC) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UT Health Northeast), UT Health East Texas provides care to thousands of patients each year through an extensive regional network that includes 10 hospitals, more than 50 physician clinics, the Olympic Plaza Tower, 13 regional rehabilitation facilities, two freestanding emergency centers, regional home health services covering 41 counties, an EMS fleet of more than 45 ambulances and four helicopters, and a comprehensive seven-trauma center care network, including a Level 1.

As a partner with The University of Texas System, UT Health East Texas is uniquely positioned to provide patients with access to leading-edge research and clinical therapies while training and educating the next generation of physicians and other health professionals. The nationally recognized UT System also includes UT MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, as well as three other major university medical centers located throughout the state.

Herd Family Gift Supports Critical Care Patients and Families | UT Health East Texas

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.
You would be shocked at what smaller rural hospitals have to do,

First off, it's not that they don't want critical patients....

People have trauma, no matter where they live.......these smaller hospitals, must deal with that same trauma, without the resources of a trauma center....

Critical thinking skills, in stabilization, coordinating transfers, both ground and flight....you will not be bored

This. I work in an urban level 1 trauma center -- in the SICU, so I get the pts that don't die en route/ED/OR.

However, I hail from a town where the cows outnumber the people. (I have never been to TX and am not familiar with your geography, so you may need to take this w/ a grain of salt.)

Farm accidents are HORRIFIC. Plus there are the typical MVCs/motorcycle crashes... Construction accidents... Meth gone wrong... and meth can go soooooooo wrong, between the culinary mishaps and psychosis-induced murder attempts, and it's soooooo prevalent in rural communities.

It's the staff in those critical access hospitals that do the initial stabilization before they can be transported to a level 1/2 trauma center.

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

Almost 2 years ago I was attacked on my farm by a crazed cow, she head butted my chest, flipped me and was trying to stomp me, compression fix thoracic, closed chest injury, and lacerations from her holves, thanks to my Australian Shepherd puppy, who chased her off me.....and penned her in corner of coral.... because we are so rural it would take ems, 30-45 mins to get to my farm, I had my husband drive me....the 16 miles to the ER, I should of called myself in as. Trauma alert, I knew I would be taken care of....as I use to work in same ER, I had controlled my bleeding, and had symmetrical chest expansion.....these kind of things happen rural.....except for scaring my husband, I'm fine today.....I was assessed and treated immediately....

Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Wow sallyrnrrt, that's incredible. It sounds like you got some top-notch care!

One of my uncles was injured by a piece of machinery as a kid; part of his shirt got caught in a rotating somethingsomething and ended up with full-thickness friction burns to his arm/shouler/upper torso. My mom was 10 at the time, and she still remembers his screams during dressing changes. :(

The father of one of my classmates survived being gored by a bull, and in my early teens I remember there being a string of traumatic amputations. My school even offered an elective in farm safety! (Yes, my school had an agriculture department; in 8th grade we even had a required one-quarter ag class. It's that farming community! :laugh: )

Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
Wow sallyrnrrt, that's incredible. It sounds like you got some top-notch care!

One of my uncles was injured by a piece of machinery as a kid; part of his shirt got caught in a rotating somethingsomething and ended up with full-thickness friction burns to his arm/shouler/upper torso. My mom was 10 at the time, and she still remembers his screams during dressing changes. :(

The father of one of my classmates survived being gored by a bull, and in my early teens I remember there being a string of traumatic amputations. My school even offered an elective in farm safety! (Yes, my school had an agriculture department; in 8th grade we even had a required one-quarter ag class. It's that farming community! :laugh: )

Ps I was at work in my clinic the next day.....all be it moving a little slower.....(grins)

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