New Job on Hospital-acute care

[pirituba]

I graduated from nursing school in 2007, I've been working in a Nursing Home. I finally going to work in a Hospital in acute medical area, and now I'm a little scared. A nursing home is very different from an in-patient acute care setting. Please give me some advices and what was your experience when you were in Orientation. I scared of labs (interpreting them) and IV calculation and how to deal with IV machines. I'm basically scared!!! I scared of what kind of preceptor I will get and if we are compatible. please respond to my posting I really would appreciate

Thank You Raquel:wink2:

[psalm, RN]

The hospital hired you knowing you were in LTC for a year. It is a transition, try to relax and put yourself in learning mode. You will have a chance to practice on IV machines and other equipment you may have not encountered or encountered rarely in LTC.

Get a good lab book or get your book from nursing school and study it...make flash cards of the most typical labs...

In a way, you have an advantage in monitoring mental status changes and dementia patients, and you will see many of them in med/surg. You may catch some UTIs in the elderly when you notice mental status change (what I saw alot of in LTC) and be a good advocate for your pts.

Congrats on being in acute care...you will be appreciated.