Getting back on the horse..any advice would be great

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Specializes in LPN in oncology center.

hi all

i was just wondering if anyone has any advice for me. i am an lpn and recently gave birth to my little girl. i stopped working after getting pregnant due to a high risk pregnancy and bed rest so i have been out of the nursing field for a year now. i had only been a nurse for one year prior to leaving and i worked in an outpatient cancer unit mainly giving ivf's with antiemetics and some pain meds and plus injections for low wbc and rbc to treat the side effects of chemotherapy and drawing lots of blood. i am looking to go back prn into a med/surg or med/tele unit in the hospital on weekends and was wondering what would be the best things to review. i'm a little nervous about getting back in but excited. what meds and procedures should i freshen up on? what is a typical day like? any tips on organizing your day? how long is orientation and training for a prn position? any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated!!

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Specializes in critical care: trauma/oncology/burns.

Hello NursePunkinz!

First of all, congratulations on the birth of your baby!

Well, IMHO I think you should focus on routine medications that one would see on a med/surg or a telemetry unit: beta blockers, Ca channel blockers, ACEI antiarrhythmics, etc.

A good reference book would be ACLS Review made Incredibly Easy. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. ISBN: 1-58255-626-1

I spend 10 years away from bedside nursing while taking care of my mum and Da....Went back to hospital nursing and boy was I scared ______ (fill in the blank) Some of the "stuff" is kind of like riding a bicycle (things you don't forget) like: giving a bed-bath, feeding a patient, making a bed, taking vitals. Other stuff (starting IV's , taking blood, or even giving a simple subcutaneous injection can seem threatening, well to me they did!)

Does the hospital offer preceptorships? How long is the orientation? Sometimes one just needs a wee bit of a "jump start" of a few weeks on orientation and then things start to "come back".

Hey, Good Luck with the new baby and the new job! Let us know how things go for you!

athena

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Pain, Wounds, End of Life.

Just returning myself..glad to see others in the same boat.

dave

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Same here....an interview on Thursday coming up! I agree about the meds, that's what I am doing...

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Specializes in Critical Care, Educator, Home Care.

Just been out one year!? I wish! It has been 18 years for me. I don't know if I can even get up on the horse, let alone back in the saddle! But, just like your precious new life, taking "baby steps" will get us there, just as much as anything. I would definitely take Athena's advice about looking into a preceptorship program, if you want to go into hospital nursing. There is nothing better than a mentor who you can shadow. They will help you know how to organize your day and be efficient. Good luck! Hope to be "riding" with you soon. Newfie Lover

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