Going back to skilled nursing after working in a doctor's office. Do you lose skills?

[Cashlee, BSN, RN]

Hello all! I have been an LVN since December of 2011. Up until November of 2013, I was a charge nurse at a skilled nursing facility. I had many bed bound patients with g-tubes, trachs, PICCs, ect. I accepted a job with a concierge internal medicine practice last December and have been here since. I have not used many of my nursing skills since being with this practice (except for drawing blood). I do not plan on staying at a doctor's office forever, and am wondering if anyone else out there has worked at a doctor's office and transferred back to SNF or hospital, and if so, was the transition difficult. How long did it take for you to feel comfortable with your skills? Stress level? Ect. Any insight would be helpful! Thanks!

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Can you work PRN at your old place just to keep your skills up?

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

I stayed home for a while and then took a job in a SNF (prior I had been in the ICU). There was definitely some re-learning, but it was doable. It wasn't as automatic as riding a bicycle, but not like I was learning skills for the first time either.

[Cashlee, BSN, RN]

I've thought about doing that, but every time I would get a call from my old place, I was already exhausted from working all day! I work from 7 AM-4 PM at the doctor's office, so my old job would call me to work night shift (10 PM-6 AM) which always sounded awful to me because then I'd have to be right back at the doctor's office at 7 AM.. I'm not sure if I can stay up for that long haha. I'd consider working a weekend shift if they offered it to me.