What to expect MedSurg/Tele/Neuro Position?

[Briana_D]

I'm a newly graduated licensed BSN RN and I have an interview soon for a position on a Med/Surg/Tele/Neuro floor. Outside of having a 6:1 patient ratio per nurse I don't have any other information on the position. What should I expect? Is is something that would be overwhelming for a new graduate. It isn't my first choice but it has been hard getting a job as a New Nurse in Florida let alone in specialty areas without 1-2 years of prior experience, so I'm in no position to be picky. Any helpful comments or words of advice?

[rrobins]

I am a neuroscience nurse and the patients we typically have are strokes, back surgeries, and brain tumor removal with resection. Many of my patients are stroke patients because we are a stroke center. Look at the neuroscience association of nurses website( American Association of Neuroscience Nurses (AANN) ) and look at the publications they have ( Publications | content) as these will assist you. Good luck and I hope you find it as enjoyable as I do.

[vashtee, RN]

I hope your patients are low acuity! 6 neuro patients can be a lot if they are all stroke patients!

[FurBabyMom, MSN, RN]

6 patients is a lot in general but in neuro it's especially so. It's not just the post CVAs that you have to worry about either. It's all of them...especially if it's a nights position...yay sundowners. Keeps you on your toes

We were a stroke center in a hospital that was a level 1 trauma center. Patient typically had neurology/neurosurgery patients - CVA, epilepsy/other seizure disorders, rule out/diagnose tumors, TBIs, back surgery, brain surgery. Because we were a telemetry unit we often got off service patients because of the need for tele monitoring (we got a bit of everything). we were considered stepdown/med surg and were the only non ICU inpatient unit to take trachs. Lots of peg tubes, foleys, CVC/PICC lines, patients removing IVs, CPAP, BiPAP, low EFs (under 10% even). Again, being a monitored unit - we had some critical cardiac drips as well as heparin or insulin drips fairly frequently.

I frequently had 5-6 patients. Sometimes 7 plus covering one of the LPNs I worked with. I learned a lot, but thinking about it now - I'm so glad I've been able to move on. It's great experience but can be challenging. When I was looking to leave my old job - I had three offers. Two were critical care and another was the specialty I most wanted but didn't imagine being there just yet in my career.

[clfrn]

I work on a Med/Surg Neuro floor, I usually have 5 patients on a typical dayshift and maybe there are 6 patients scheduled for overnight. I left this floor about 2 1/2 years ago to work on a Med/Surg floor that had everything from Cardiac to GI Bleeds. I have returned to Neuro 6 months ago. It can be challenging every day. Don't think that every patient will be stroke. I deal with brain tumors and crani's, back surgeries, intractable back pain, MS, Parkinsons, Change in Mental Status, amoung other things. I can't at this time imagine going to anything else. Its not for everyone, patients are sometimes long term due to placement and or depending on the area of infarct, talking to familes about ending life due to quality of life over quanity is very difficult, sometimes it is on a daily basis. Just

beware that this is not a floor that you will assess your patients and pass meds and then chart and relax. These people are usually neuro checks q 1 hour x 4 then q 2 hours by 4 to 8 then q shift. If there is a change then the whole process starts over. If your floor has Stroke Accreditation, then you will need to be NIH accredited and depending on the floor, we are certified to swallow screening. I love what I do, I feel like I make a difference. God Luck