How did you get back to bedside after years in a non-clinical position?

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Currently working in inpatient/outpatient cardiac/pulmonary rehab at a Level 1 trauma hospital but most of my job is non-clinical, mostly patient education, even though I am in an acute care hospital on the floors. Generally I'm not passing meds or starting IV's or anything like that. I have done this for 7 years and prior to this I had varied shorter experiences (ASC, school nursing), but only approximately 1.5 years of acute bedside/inpt rehab where skills were heavily used. 

My job is considered a clinical nurse specialist role but is it possible for me to go back to acute bedside without having to go through a refresher course? I'd like to try something other than cardiac though for a while. Also, do you think case management would be an option with my experience? 

Thank you for any feedback!

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I think you have to do some serious soul searching regarding what you want to do next. Bedside nursing and case management are wildly different roles in an inpatient setting. 

I will offer some advice, if you want to do bedside nursing I recommend a refresher class because you have been away from it for 7 plus years and prior to that time you spent a short amount of time in acute care. Bedside nursing has changed quite a bit since the start of the pandemic and it would be nice to have a refresher before hitting the ground running with orientation. 

Case management in an IP setting varies hospital to hospital, but essentially you will be required to do some utilization review, you will be tasked with discharge planning and that can get complicated because you want to provide a safe discharge for patients.

Where I worked social work was tasked with SAR, ARF, and LTACH planning and CM was tasked with home discharges. Home discharges include coordinating with worker's comp especially on ortho/surgical floors, setting up home care services, setting up home IV infusions (I.e abx therapy), obtaining DME, family meetings/planning, etc. 

I hope that helps a bit. 

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I went back to the bedside, after being out  for two years. I had 20 years of experience.

 I felt like a fish out of water. If you are determined to get back to bedside, a refresher course would be a must.

Case management seems like a much better fit.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I am just this week back in L&D after 3 years being in ambulatory leadership. I kept up my L&D certifications and continued to do things like draw blood and give IM injections while in leadership because I didn't want to lose those core skills. I will have about 2 weeks of orientation on the floor, and I think I will be fine. 

[Curious1alwys, BSN, RN]

Thank you all for your responses. I appreciate it.