Going from hospice to Med-Surg

[hospicenurse2008]

I've been in hospice for over 4 years. While I'm a good nurse, I know there's skills I'm lacking due to the nature of hospice. I'm interested in finding a hospital somewhere within Oregon, California, Nevada region that has a good teaching/orientation/preceptor program for the med/surg floor. I feel I need to get a good solid year as a Med/Surg nurse and then probably go back in to hospice. Who knows, perhaps I'll really like the switch and not want to go back! Any help is appreciated.

[Mary C, MSN, RN, APRN, CNM]

I can't give you any advice, as I'm also looking for help! I worked in medsurg for a year, then went to L&D. I never truly got comfortable in med-surg, and now that I'm on my way back to med-surg-- I need help. I will be keeping an eye on this thread!

Please, any help you can give us is truly appreciated!

[Nursemom64]

I went from an in-patient hospice facility back to med/surg, I thought it would be a fairly easy transition as I was doing quite a few med/surg things at the hospice house...much to my dismay it was awful. There were nurses on the unit that I believe would eat their own young. The manager was no better, she'd always take their side, believing everything they said and of course discounted everything I said. By the end it was just a big witch hunt and they canned me 2 days before my probation ended (when I would have been a full union member) with no written warnings or disciplinary actions. Not all the nurses were that way and I'm not implying all med/surg units would do that same thing, but I would be careful. If you see the writing on the wall I would start looking for work elsewhere, because the union can't do a thing (ironic, even though you pay union dues from that start) until you are full union and off of the probation period. When I filed for unemployment (they of course have to investigate since you were fired) they told me that this happens quite often with big companies. You would think this would be too costly to be reocurring as much as it does.

The job itself was fine and I enjoyed the patients I worked with as well as the nurses that were on my team. I hope things go well for you!

[hospicenurse2008]

Thank you for your response. I'm really sorry to hear that happened to you. I hear a lot of horror stories which makes me very nervous. I've accepted another internal position for the company I work for, which will afford me opportunities to gain more experience.

[1sodagirl2]

I dont live anywhere near you so I can't help you with job info. But why are you leaving hospice? I have always been a medsurg nurse and I am quitting there and starting hospice in 4 weeks, so curious as to what you feel you are lacking or why you want the change? Just nervous in WI.

[tencat]

Why would you want to leave a job where you have so much autonomy to go to a job where you will NOT have the same level of respect or autonomy? I spent less than a year on med-surg and wouldn't go back for anything.

[Nicole2010]

I am curious as well why you would leave hospice after being there for 4 years to go to med-surg to then possibly going back to hospice. It's a bit confusing. Do you feel like there are skills you lacking d/t not being on the floor?