new grad and home care

[katzrkool]

I would like some advice from some of you hospice veterans out there. I am a new grad and upon the advice of many people reluctantly decided that I needed that year or two of med surg experience before I could ever expect to be hired to do anything else. I am on a busy med surg floor and pretty much hate it. Everything is at such a fast pace that I feel it would be only too easy to make a mistake due to not having enough time to think about anything enough. Plus there is never time to spend with the patients. I am 45 years old and came to nursing from another career because I wanted a more "humane" career but it hasn't struck me as such.

I have a friend who works at an in house hospice facility and loves it. Unfortunately this is a very small unit and the turnover is low. They do need home care people desperately though and are hiring new grads.

My question is would a new grad have the skills and whatever to be out in the field on their own?? Another friend of mine who just graduated with me started out doing this (in a neighboring county - different organization) and hated it - and quit after a few weeks. She had a boss that was totally unsupportive and would riducule her in front of the entire office. She is urging me not to make the jump but I'm wondering if her experience with the boss would be clouding her views of it all.

At any rate what type of experience, if any, would I need for hospice home care?? Does anybody have any views on not getting med surg experienc for this or anything else for that matter??

[aimeee, BSN, RN]

I understand totally the way you feel about med surg. I didn't want to start there either. But you do need a place where you can get comfortable in your nurses shoes and solidy your assessment skills, broaden your experience with various diagnosis etc. How about a skilled care unit in an LTC facility or an LTACH unit? You will be dealing with a lot of people in the end stages of their disease processes in those types of units and yet the turn over will be slower so you can really learn about your patients.

Its just very difficult for an inexperienced nurse to know what she/he is seeing out in the field and to know what to do about it. Doctors will expect you to be able to assess a situation and ask for the order that is needed. Its tough to have the confidence to do that if you don't have the experience in your background.

[Katnip, RN]

I think it's very unusual to hire new grads for home care. Remember, you're it. You have no doc or other nurse to help you with an assessment or problem. You really do need to have very solid skills.

I can't blame you for not liking med-surge though. It isn't my cup of tea, either.

[momcats3]

Well, I was a new grad, too. I'd worked in a rehab hospital for 10 weeks (yup, 10 weeks) and decided that I hated it, too. I'm 46, and had gone back to nursing school at 44. I'd always wanted to do hospice nursing and was told I'd have to do the "year" also. It felt like a prison sentence before I smartened up a left. I was very fortunate to immediately get a new job for two hospice agencies, both per diem. My plan was to get in there and show them what I could do, not what I "couldn't do". I had two absolutely wonderful Directors that I interviewed with - both hired without any problem. One of the jobs led to full time, and here I am. I love it so much! I have discovered my purpose in life. So, I'd try out per diem first, to see if hospice is for you. In my case. I do think what helped alot was the fact that my family had used hospice for my Mom a few years back, and that became the turning point of my life. Let me know how you make out

[Angelica]

My journey to Hospice was very similar to Momcats'. I was a rehab nurse for five months after graduating from school. Then I took a job with Hospice. They were pretty short-handed at the time and they were willing to mentor me. (I'm 44 yo, btw). Anyway, it's worked out really well. I've worked hard to learn as much as I can, and I am never afraid to ask questions (knowledgeable help is just a phone call away). I also keep useful references with me.