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
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! )
My grandfather was killed by a tractor while tending to fence posts on their property. I was only 2 at the time and actually spending the day out at the property with my grandmother when it happened. Horrible things happen all over
So sorry. Thats very sad. One of our nearby high schools has Tractor Day, where they all drive their family tractor to school.
It sounds like fun moving to the country. It may be a lot less stressful and more laid back and friendly. Plus it will be good to get your assessment writing skills back. Good luck in your relationship. You could have a garden if you like that kind of healthiness.
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
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 :)
LOVE THIS!!
And I second UT Tyler (good school, good nursing program, attached to good hospital). There is a hospital in Athens as well, and one in Navarro County that I remember responded well when we were doing a massive contact tracing for TB. Many of the hospitals up here are owned by either Baylor, Texas Health, or MCA....
East Dallas is less than an hour from Tyler, if that helps at all.
Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
Congratulations on the relationship! As a fellow nurse in the rainbow spectrum, I know dating can be a bit of a challenge sometimes... It's not like you can just walk into Starbucks and shout, "Hey, who in here is gay?" I feel your trepidation about moving to a more rural environment. I've been in community facilities and they're great, but after so many years of urban nursing, I'd be a bit cautious too.
And I definitely echo a PP on making sure this relationship is The Real Deal before making life/career changes based on it. I speak from experience on that one. I got so wrapped up in emotion that I made instant decisions awhile back and it threw my career off-course of where I wanted to be for about a year. Recoverable - I'm right on track now! - but, you know, annoying in the end. Love can make you look at red flags and think about how much you just adore the color red instead of seeing them for what they are.
Wishing you the best in this relationship and your career!
...but, you know, annoying in the end. Love can make you look at red flags and think about how much you just adore the color red instead of seeing them for what they are.
...
Wow, that was really good stuff! Thanks for your insight on that you put in to simple terms so nicely, audreysmagic. I've never heard it put quite that way. Brilliant-red flags!
Hey look, there's an emoji with a red flag but he says banhappy. What does that mean?
Specializes in Psych, Peds, Education, Infection Control.
Wow, that was really good stuff! Thanks for your insight on that you put in to simple terms so nicely, audreysmagic. I've never heard it put quite that way. Brilliant-red flags!
Thanks. :) I heard it from one of my co-workers and I've been using it ever since, because it's so true!
One of my friends works in a critical access hospital in Texas and she knows her stuff. Why, because there isn't always a doctor physically in the building. So she runs codes, manages airways, delivers babies and kills the occasional rattler that slithers in through the EMS doors with a ball bat they keep in the nurses station. Don't sell the small hospitals short. They might not have all the bells and whistles but the staff is top-notch.
Specializes in ICU/community health/school nursing.
Congratulations on the relationship! As a fellow nurse in the rainbow spectrum, I know dating can be a bit of a challenge sometimes... It's not like you can just walk into Starbucks and shout, "Hey, who in here is gay?" I feel your trepidation about moving to a more rural environment. I've been in community facilities and they're great, but after so many years of urban nursing, I'd be a bit cautious too.
And I definitely echo a PP on making sure this relationship is The Real Deal before making life/career changes based on it. I speak from experience on that one. I got so wrapped up in emotion that I made instant decisions awhile back and it threw my career off-course of where I wanted to be for about a year. Recoverable - I'm right on track now! - but, you know, annoying in the end. Love can make you look at red flags and think about how much you just adore the color red instead of seeing them for what they are.
Wishing you the best in this relationship and your career!
Where you end up depends on how you want to follow your heart.
I can tell you I have been working in the city (Munich Germany), (Cook County Hospital Chicago) and (Seattle) and many rural hospital to include Critical Access Hospitals.
When you are at the big level III and up hospitals you are defined by a unit on which you are assigned. Day in and out unless you are part of the code team. You get good at doing your specialty and see some real sick people.
When you are at smaller facilities you are going to have to wear many hats. I was at a rural hospital and a patient came in with a tree limb stuck through their abdomen. We got a life flight out for this patient. We also had the recurrent patients with all sorts of issues. I worked med/surg which included emergency room coverage. I got good with emergency room triage, and me being a geriatric nurse and Nursing Home Administrator caught on quick because of my assessment skills.
I guess it is what you make of it. You stated you do not want to do med/surg I can tell you in the smaller hospitals you more than likely will be doing some similar med/surg direct patient care, it depends on the size of the hospital.
I'm not sure how far you are from the community hospital, but is it close enough to to apply for a per diem position and work a few shifts a month? Good luck with the new relationship!!!
since i cant cancel ,all I say is at a smaller place you will find they are behind not cutting edge but maybe nicer,you will be made to go to other areas as in floated.Good luck
AceOfHearts<3
916 Posts
My grandfather was killed by a tractor while tending to fence posts on their property. I was only 2 at the time and actually spending the day out at the property with my grandmother when it happened. Horrible things happen all over