hospital nursing job question

[talker2584]

I have been a nurse for five years in an outpatient urgent care/medical office setting. I worked full time for six months on a medical surgical unit in the hospital but had to resign due to scheduling issues and I wanted to spend more time at home with my baby. I am working PRN in the urgent care/medical office setting again.

My question is when I do want to return to the hospital setting will I have a difficult time getting into the hospital with only 6 months experience? I was still considered a new graduate but with experience in the hospital when I got the job. Would I have to apply to a med/surg setting again? I won't be applying for a hospital job for a few years but I'm curious what others have found when they returned to the hospital setting with not much experience in the hospital.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

That depends on the hospital you would be applying to.

What nursing skills have you acquired in the outpatient / urgent care setting?

[talker2584]

IV start/stop, IV push medications, IM injections, oral med admin, wound dressing changes, assessments, immunizations, lab draws, patient teaching...occasionally critical patients come in with cardiac issues, severe allergic reactions, etc. and I assist with treatment for those patients. In urgent care, we see kids and adults so I get that wide variety of patients.

[SoDakRN]

I am starting a new job on an Ortho Neuro Surgical floor after being a nurse for 2.5 years. I started in Psych, and have been working as a school nurse and PRN at Urgent care/ Internal Med outpatient clinic in order to be home in the evenings with my small children. I am nervous to work on the floor since I don't have any acute care experience, but excited to develop my skills. I think a floor will hire you no problem; if they are a good floor they will be willing to teach in order to gain a great nurse!