OB to Discharge RN...Now What?

[fmf13]

Hello All!

I am a RN with 1.5 years experience in OB postpartum. Recently, during a really (and I mean really) bad low census, my manager decided to send me to another floor to train as a Discharge Nurse on Tele/Med-Surg floor.

This is considered a temporary job and my OB position is still secure until census picks back up or our hospital move in November. Though I initially wasn't happy with this placement (it was mandatory), this experience has really opened my eyes. I have found that, though I enjoy bedside nursing, I may really want to pursue something more outside of bedside.

I am responsible for coordinating care such as procedures, consults, appointments and sometimes calling for medication coverage to ensure that the patient is discharged in a timely manner. I have really enjoyed this job and have realized that I may have really found my niche in nursing. I enjoy coordinating care and helping the nurses on the unit.

I plan to approach my new manager about possibly turning this into a permanent job in the next two weeks, but I am wanting to make back-up plans if this job isn't something I can do permanently. Obviously, I wouldn't leave my unit in the lurch if they needed me now, but I know that I would like to move on.

I guess what I am asking is that, if this job isn't something I can turn into a permanent job, would case management be an option for me? I know I don't have a lot of nursing experience, but I have really learned a lot in the last two weeks and know that I enjoy this side of nursing. Are there other options I should consider other than case management?

Any advice is greatly appreciated!