Pediatric homecare nurse wants to enter med surg unit..

[MS_SUNNYSIDE]

Hi everyone! I need some of your advise.. I am presently working as a pediatric home care nurse for almost 3 yrs now, i used to work in a long term care facility for kids. And right now, i am longing for a change in my career. Right now, if given a chance i will love to work in a med surg unit.

Preparing for that transition, i am planning to take a refresher course (med surg) theoretical only this sept. I dont know if that will help me or will that be beneficial?

Previously, i tried to apply in an acute facility and theyre always looking for an experience. I am so desperate of getting into landing into a med surg unit.

So taking that refresher course will b helpful? Thank you for all the inputs!

[liveyourlife747]

Well, I'm not sure if a refresher course would be worth it honestly. I worked in pediatric home care for 4 years as an LPN and just received my RN and transferred to a med-surg unit at my local hospital. I have learned so much on the floor already just by being there. I also have a lot of the "seasoned" nurses already coming up and asking me questions because of my home care experience with vents, feeding tubes, wounds, and trachs. A lot of the stuff we did in home care transfers over to the hospital, but you are having to do more "sterile" things with more policies. Most likely you will get at least 6 weeks of training before you are on your own and even then you will have people there to help you if needed. The hardest part that I have found about changing jobs would have to be the computer charting and medication scanning that I was not used to in the home! Good luck!