Outpatient to inpatient

zmansc, ASN, RN · Jan 23, 2014

I worked in a cardiologist office while I was in school and before I passed my NCLEX, thought it was great experience. I got alot of time to improve my assessment skills, and rarely had a critical issue. We did have a few pts arrive in the waiting room who were dripping is sweat, struggling to breath, unable to walk more than a step or two, etc. I would obviously manage those folks as best I could until the paramedics arrived and took them to the ER across the street. We did tons of EKGs and I made sure I read each and every one of them before I left for the day. I also went over labs and H&P and other health information so I could see if I understood why one pt got one tx and another got a different tx. None of that was my JOB per se, but I knew I wanted to do more, so I used it as a place to learn. When I got my RN and got hired in the ER, I simply took these tools to my new place of employment. New role, but many, many skills that I had already learned. There is no right way/wrong way, just a question of what is right for you at the current time.

runner25 · Jan 23, 2014

Perfect! Thank you. I love cardiac. I am still affiliated with a hospital so it may not be too difficult to get in. Great to hear a firsthand story. I really appreciate it because I think I need to decide by tomorrow for one opportunity!