New grad needs advice. PDN??

Nurses General Nursing

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So, Ive been reading this site for months now but just recently decided to become a member. Im a new grad (graduated in May with my BSN) and started working at a local hospital (med-surge). I quit after about 3 months working. It was a very tough decision but just couldn't take it anymore. I was crying a lot of the time and couldn't enjoy time off because I was constantly worring about work. I get that its expected for new grads but I couldn't take it. I simply wasn't happy working med-surge and knew day 1 that I never wanted to work med-surge but accepted the job thinking I could handle a year of it to get experience. Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to work in the nursery and later going into NICU. Unfortunately there has not been an opening in Nursery since I began the job hunt in March.

Its has now been 3 months since I have left my med-surge position and I am getting worried that I will never find a job or that someone wont hire me because I have been without work for so long. I recently got a job offer but declined due to unsafe work practices. I have an interview next week for shift care in the home (pediatrics). After reading through different posts for PDN I thought it might be a good fit for me since one of the reasons I hated med-surge was lack of time spent with patients. But I also read posts saying that people don't recommend going into PDN without experience in med-surge. I have some experience but is it enough? Before interviews I tend to do research about different positions and scare myself into thinking I cant do it. So I just don't know what to do anymore. All my life I have wanted to become a nurse and I'm scared to think that maybe this is just not for me. I often get obsessed with all the "what ifs" and all the things that could go wrong in a situation which make me feel like I cant do nursing ☹. I would hate to give up on nursing but if I cant do med-surge and its not recommended to go into home health/PDN with such little experience, and there is no Nursery positions open, I don't know what to do? What do you all think, could a new grad with 3 months experience be successful in PDN? Sorry for the rant I just kind of needed to vent and hear another nurses opinion on my situation. I appreciate you all taking the time to read this and hope you can give me your opinions on my situation.

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Specializes in LTC.

I don't have an answer for you, but I just wanted to say stick in there. You will find the right fit for you. I'm sorry to hear of your bad experience but I believe if you made it this far and you really want it you will get it. Sorry I couldn't help.

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You can be successful in home health with the right circumstances. Your biggest problem is a negative self image that shows through your post. You need to get positive and project that in your work. You also need to assert yourself in any home health job to get the orientation that you will need. Recommend you start out doing shift work, also called extended care. Routine care for stable patients. One shift a day and one nurses' note. You will need to get familiar with trach care, G tubes, and vents as this is what you will be seeing a lot with these kids in the home. Get your feet on the ground and you can take it from there. Good luck.

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What does PDN stand for?

I would not recommend going into home care as a new grad. You only have 3 months under your belt which really isn't much. When you are caring for a sick patient in their home, there is no one for you to turn to for guidance if you are unsure of something. There are some new grads who have done it, though.

In my area, they don't hire nurses strictly for the nursery. It's LDRP and the nurses rotate between L&D, nursery, postpartum. This may not be the case where you are, though. There are new grads that get hired into the NICU. Have you tried contacting managers of NICUs in your area? Other than that, my advice is to apply to any pediatric or mother/baby unit to get the experience with babies. You have to be proactive and assertive in this job market.

I will also say that getting ANY job is better than letting too much time lapse. I know you don't want to work with adults but in the event that you just can't find anything with infants, are there other adult units at different hospitals in your area that have better working conditions that you can apply to as well?

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.
what does pdn stand for?

i'm assuming private duty nurse.

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Specializes in Wound Care, LTC, Sub-Acute, Vents.

op, i wish you the best.

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Specializes in LTC currently.

Home health would be a great field but they typically want experience(1 year). Like the above post said, once you get out in home health, and u experience a problem, there is not anyone to turn to. Another possibility is to do LTC. Most long term care facilities pay great for new grads, and plus you get to work with the same patients. In fact you learn first hand how to use trachs, G-tubs, folic cather, maybe experience starting an IV line, become more efficient passing pills, etc. Once you get your experience in long term care, you can move on up to somehthing hospital based. Good luck and I wish you the best of wishes.

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Typically in home health or private duty they do want you to have 1 year experience first but there are exceptions, I was hired for private duty doing shifts in one persons home right out of LPN school, although I did have some years experience as a CNA in home health. I am a RN now and still working the same case, working on my one year as a RN before I start to look elsewhere so I can say I've worked as a RN for 1 year. I found my current case on a Craigslist ad, I highly recommend you look on your local Craigslist website under the medical/health section there are always tons of ads wanting nurses for private duty. I wouldn't just call a company and ask if they are hiring, but if you reply specifically for the case they are advertising for, they're more likely to hire you even without the 1 year experience because by that time it's sad to say but they are desperate to find coverage for that case. Good luck and keep us posted if you find a job!

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

first of all welcome!!!!

just my own thoughts on this after 6 years in the field. doing shift work as a private duty nurse is not something that would be overwhelming in most cases for a person with a bsn and even just a few months of med-surge, because you will have a back-up rn who manages the case, and usually other nurses who have been there a while who can answer your specific questions regarding that patient.

we've got a new grad lpn working with us and she is motivated, wants to learn and knows when to ask for help. all of us trust her. when i decided to take a pdn job with a vent patient i found that getting an adequate orientation (i went back twice - they thought i was a tad odd) and review what procedures are with your one patient you should be ok. it's the family's personalities that are usually the biggest headache.

from what i hear from friends, being a case manager as a new grad is not easy. with that you need to have experience as your responsibilities will be greater and you will be supervising nurses working the shifts. it can be overwhelming even to experienced nurses and the paperwork and travel time are not something easily adjusted to. i didn't think i would like home health, but now i do despite how nuts it gets at times. if you end up working with the right patient, and the right family you may find yourself feeling the rewards of appreciation and time to talk to your patient. best of luck whatever you decide!

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What does PDN stand for?

I would not recommend going into home care as a new grad. You only have 3 months under your belt which really isn't much. When you are caring for a sick patient in their home, there is no one for you to turn to for guidance if you are unsure of something. There are some new grads who have done it, though.

In my area, they don't hire nurses strictly for the nursery. It's LDRP and the nurses rotate between L&D, nursery, postpartum. This may not be the case where you are, though. There are new grads that get hired into the NICU. Have you tried contacting managers of NICUs in your area? Other than that, my advice is to apply to any pediatric or mother/baby unit to get the experience with babies. You have to be proactive and assertive in this job market.

I will also say that getting ANY job is better than letting too much time lapse. I know you don't want to work with adults but in the event that you just can't find anything with infants, are there other adult units at different hospitals in your area that have better working conditions that you can apply to as well?

That is what I am most scared of, getting into a situation where I dont know what to do next and not have anyone there to ask. In my area they do hire nurses specifically for nursery. I have seen one months ago but it was a prn position and was told my HR that they do not hire new grads for prn positions. Right now there is no positions for NICU either :( so Im kind of just stuck. I dont mind working with adults at all. I just didnt enjoy the med-surge environment. I felt like I was constantly running around just passing meds, doing assessments, and charting that I didnt get to spend quality time with my patients. It wasnt a matter of not being able to handle the patient load or anything like that I just, at the end of the day, wasnt happy. I've always told my self that I wanted a job that was going to make me happy whether it be a job that pays millions or whether it be flipping burgers. Thank you for responding, I really appreciate :)

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Typically in home health or private duty they do want you to have 1 year experience first but there are exceptions, I was hired for private duty doing shifts in one persons home right out of LPN school, although I did have some years experience as a CNA in home health. I am a RN now and still working the same case, working on my one year as a RN before I start to look elsewhere so I can say I've worked as a RN for 1 year. I found my current case on a Craigslist ad, I highly recommend you look on your local Craigslist website under the medical/health section there are always tons of ads wanting nurses for private duty. I wouldn't just call a company and ask if they are hiring, but if you reply specifically for the case they are advertising for, they're more likely to hire you even without the 1 year experience because by that time it's sad to say but they are desperate to find coverage for that case. Good luck and keep us posted if you find a job!

Congratulations on obtaining your RN! I would have never thought of craigslist until a family member mentioned it to me. I saw an add for PDN for national nursing & rehab so applied and have an interview on Monday. Since they gave me an interview, I am assuming they are at least considering me for the position without the year experience. How was it for you going into PDN having come right out of LPN school? What is a typical day like? Thanks for your response :)

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first of all welcome!!!!

just my own thoughts on this after 6 years in the field. doing shift work as a private duty nurse is not something that would be overwhelming in most cases for a person with a bsn and even just a few months of med-surge, because you will have a back-up rn who manages the case, and usually other nurses who have been there a while who can answer your specific questions regarding that patient.

we've got a new grad lpn working with us and she is motivated, wants to learn and knows when to ask for help. all of us trust her. when i decided to take a pdn job with a vent patient i found that getting an adequate orientation (i went back twice - they thought i was a tad odd) and review what procedures are with your one patient you should be ok. it's the family's personalities that are usually the biggest headache.

from what i hear from friends, being a case manager as a new grad is not easy. with that you need to have experience as your responsibilities will be greater and you will be supervising nurses working the shifts. it can be overwhelming even to experienced nurses and the paperwork and travel time are not something easily adjusted to. i didn't think i would like home health, but now i do despite how nuts it gets at times. if you end up working with the right patient, and the right family you may find yourself feeling the rewards of appreciation and time to talk to your patient. best of luck whatever you decide!

thank you!! i really needed to hear that...that at least i will still have some back up. i have no intentions on becoming a case manager lol, at least not anytime soon ;). all i want is a job that truly makes me happy and like you said where you can feel the rewards of appreciation. after all, thats why i went into nursing in the first place...to make a difference! :) just wondering whats a typical day like for you? whats it like having only one patient for 8-12 hours?

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