Is Rehab the wrong place to start out?

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I just graduated in May and accepted a job on the rehab floor of a city hospital. I'm starting to have second thoughts of whether this is the right place for a new grad to start out. At first I thought it would be good to have a slower pace to start out but now I am a little concerned that I won't learn enough new skills. If it doesn't work out for me, does anyone know if you can go to a different hospital and still get the benefit of the orientation/training that they offer new grads even if you aren't brand new anymore?

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as a new grad

I took this same job I start next week tell me how you like/dislike it

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as a new grad

I took this same job I start next week tell me how you like/dislike it

I don't start until August- so you'll have to let me know how you like it!! Do you have any of the same reservations about it as I do?

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I graduated in May also, and had to accept an Acute Rehab job at my hospital. Fortunately for me, the hospital has an agreement where I precept on the med/surg floor for 12 weeks before going down there to work.

I say fortunately because I've worked a couple of shifts on the AR floor (mids) and you are correct about not having alot to do with new skills.

This is a place where the patients are encouraged to sleep as much as possible due to the heavy work load they have in the mornings. This of course doesn't mean skimping on the initial shift assessment, but there is rarely any meds/interventions to do afterwards until morning BS/meds.

What I take from this experience (trying to stay possitive), is that I'm trying to absorb as much as possible on the med/surg floor for now, and will try to perfect my paper work/policy skills on AR when I go there.

I don't know about your hospital, but mine says that I can apply for transfer after 6 months. Which I'm pretty sure I will do.

Ideally, I don't think it's such a great place to start for new grads- but life rarely is :D and I think that if you have the right attitude and motivation, you can make any situation work out for you.

Getting your foot in the door of the hospital is key, then afterwards you can guide your career in the direction you want it to go. Just because you aren't working on a fast paced floor (for now) doesn't mean you can't continue to learn critical thinking skills or become familiar with how your particular hospital handles interventions. There is SO much to learn that I'm sure I'll be really busy for the next 6mo-year.

Good luck, you are not the only one feeling this way. Some of us are in the same boat! Hope your hospital environment is as supportive as mine.

Angela

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There really is no wrong area to start with.

Do what you like. Nursing ios exacting enough without being in an area you don't resonate with.

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I just started on a med/surg floor and I was actually just wishing I had taken the rehab floor offer instead. I feel it will take a long time to get used to using the hospital forms and policies/procedures, computer system and everything else that is overwhelming when starting as a new nurse.

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I just started on a med/surg floor and I was actually just wishing I had taken the rehab floor offer instead. I feel it will take a long time to get used to using the hospital forms and policies/procedures, computer system and everything else that is overwhelming when starting as a new nurse.

Well I guess maybe it will be okay. You're right, everything will be new at first- so I guess getting the routine down of a hospital, learning the documentation, etc is the first step, and if after 6 months or so I don't feel challenged, I can move on from there. Good luck to you.

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I started out working in rehab and it was a good first expereince that pateint's weren't that sick generally. It was very busy and pateints were quite dependent so it was heavy work. But it gave me time to learn basic nursing skills.

I was able to work independently and work good time management skills.

i learnt alot about wound dressings, PEG feeding, palliative care.

After 8 months I moved to an acute medical ward to challenge myself. It was quite overwhelming as it was so much busier and the patients were sicker. but I had the skills I had learnt to fall bakc on, as a new grad going straight into the acute mecial ward would have been too much for me.

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Start out in the field you are really interested in... that is the advice I would give ya! :D

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