Help with Hospice vs Mental Health But Want ICU/CCU!

PAERRN20 · Jul 31, 2009

I would take the hospice job if you eventually want to do critical care. Mental health is an important field but you won't gain as much experience with treatments, wound care, IV's, etc. Hospice you will give lots of narcotics to keep patients comfortable. Likely will do lots of wound care too. Hospice patients are very sick or else they wouldn't be on hospice. I wouldn't get too picky though. Take the job that is offered to you. Good luck with whatever you decide.

Nay-Nay · Jul 31, 2009

PAERRNO

Thanks. I thought that the Hospice would be my better option. But, believe me after all the apps & resumes I put out I'm glad if I can just get anything.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jul 31, 2009

Sometimes hospice work is an alone work. By that I mean, if you do homecare hospice, it's you that has to do it all and know it all. It can be a very difficult job for a new grad, since only experience gives you all the knowledge and skills you'd need for the job. If you work inpatient hospice, it can also be a bit too autonomous for a new grad, but that depends on where you work. As a new grad I wouldn't take a homecare hospice job.

Nay-Nay · Jul 31, 2009

Whispera,

Thanks! so you are saying that you think the mental health would be better? The hospice is inhouse not homecare.

MedSurgeMess · Jul 31, 2009

Also, neither one of these will provide the clinical skills that you would need for ICU/CCU. As a new grad, try whatever is offered. In the area where I work, for ICU/CCU areas, a requirement of 3 yrs of Med/Surg or 2 yrs of critical care experience is necessary to get that job. When I ask friends, that seems to be the case many places. Try med/surg, it might deliver you to the area you want.

Whispera, MSN, RN · Jul 31, 2009

If you want ICU/CCU, med/surg is the choice you should make as a stepping stone. That being said, though, if a job is offered, take it and be able to work. I firmly believe that the doors that are intended to open, will open.

I'd just be careful about hospice, since you can be the only nurse if it's not a large enough place to regularly staff more than one nurse. It's not a good place for a new grad.

I'm a psych CNS, so I love it when people go into psych, and think it's the best field there is, but I'm obviously biased...

JustEnuff2BDangerous, BSN, RN · Jul 31, 2009

Neither one of them are ideal stepping stones for ICU/CCU work, and both of the choices can be very taxing emotionally. As with any field of nursing, hospice and mental health both take a "special" kind of nurse, someone who wants to be there and someone who has an understanding of how a person at this time in their life is going to react. Mental health is a very interesting field, but you will not get much clinical skills practice (IVs, Foleys, etc etc etc). Hospice can be a very rewarding place, but it can also be very emotionally draining.

I would recommend hospice over mental health just for the clinical experience, but neither place is ideal for you as a new graduate. You need somewhere that will solidify your nursing school knowledge, somewhere like a med/surg floor.