Home health nursing to bedside

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Hi All! Long time follower but first time posting something on here. So many questions I want to ask but I will start with the most pertinent. I went through an accelerated program 5 years ago and became an RN. I went into community health nursing working in a health center and home health care. After that I went on to get my MSN to be an APRN but I have since decided that was not the best idea (that’s another post for another time). I truly want to do bedside nursing but I it is as if I am handcuffed to home health care forever. I can’t get into the hospital because I don’t have the experience. Just to add another layer... I am moving to another state so it makes things more complicated in terms of connections.

I hope I get some advice on here and please be kind!

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

If you are moving to an area where there is a high demand for acute care nurses I’m sure you will be able to find a job, especially in Med/Surg. Just be wary of bad ratios and research the place, ask questions! Many skills from home health transfer into acute care, like wound care, PICCs and IVs, pt education, etc.

I think also be clear in your interview that you’re not planning to use the job as a quick stepping stone to an advanced practice role. I have seen some managers wary to hire nurses with advanced degrees as bedside nurses. Some say they wonder why someone got the degree if it’s not necessary for the job or worry that they will look down on other nurses or not be receptive to being trained by people with lower degrees but more experience. Not my opinion, just what I have overheard.

I’m sure if you give clear answers and explain your plan in the interview you will do fine. Do you know if the area you are moving to needs acute care nurses and what the ratios are like? Wishing you good luck ?

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Thank you for the advice! I’m moving to CA, specifically Palo Alto. I’m really not sure what is in that area. I’m moving from CT so it is a big change for me. I hear you about the APRN degree - sometimes I wonder if I should even include it in my resume to be honest.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

WOW!, Palo Alto is where I'm from! I still live in the Bay Area now but in a different county. If you want to personal message me I can give you info on the hospitals in the area.

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WOW!! What a small world and how cool is allnurses?! I would love to send you a PM but I’m new on this site and it isn’t letting me send PMs yet - not sure how to get that privilege.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med/Surg, ICU Stepdown.

I sent you one... I think I did it right, never sent one before. LOL we'll see!

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3 minutes ago, LunaBuna said:

WOW! What a small world and how cool is allnurses?! I would love to send you a PM but I’m new on this site and it isn’t letting me send PMs yet - not sure how to get that privilege.

Fifteen ‘quality’ posts, not one word responses.

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Thanks for the heads up! Does it have to be responses to other people’s posts or does it also include my own posts?

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Both count as far as I know.

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Hello @LunaBuna did you end up finding an acute care job after moving to Palo Alto, CA?  I'm also considering going into HH and wondering how tough it would be later down the line to transition to acute care.  The bay area is a competitive market.

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