precepting nurses to MED SURG

[mamamiah]

What would it be like for a nurse of 6 yrs who has worked in the operating room for 17 yrs total. I was a surgical technologist for 11 yrs and then went to nursing school. I stayed in surgery because I loved it. My dilemma is I feel as if I've lost nursing knowledge and skills. I want to gain experience. I want to go to med-surg unit and finally feel like I'm a nurse. Please no judgement. I need this change. What would it be like? What in your experience should I start relearning and studying up on?

[BahoRN]

There will be a lot of dealing with other disciplines. I would recommend being open to asking for help and info (loose any ego you may have) & be open to forming healthy relationships with RT, your CNAs, your unit secretary, PT, Dietary, and the PA's/ARNP's/and physicians. They all have valuable knowledge and experience.

Know your popular medications (analgesics, psych, antibiotics, insulins, cardiac), bring your drug book to work to quickly assist you on the others.

Have a good Med/Sug text or Lipincott's nursing procedures text handy for quick reference.

Very important is being able to organize your time and patient care routine/responsibilities. Seek out what other nurses on the unit use to organize their days.

All in all, don't worry about it. Ask for a good orientation and everything else will come naturally.

If your agency is accredited -knowing the core measures will go a long way.

[mamamiah]

thank you so much for this info. I regret not having moved into Med Surg when I finished my nursing program. I am paying for it now. I am getting older and I am nervous.

[BahoRN]

Like any other area of nursing, there are the good nurses and the bad nurses. Hopefully, you find yourself within a great group who support and can lean on each other. Don't beat yourself up about not going into Med/Surg. Most graduates these days scoop-up whatever position comes their way and they go forward never touching a Med/Surg unit. If Med/Surg doesn't work out for you - don't be afraid to try something else: wound & ostomy care, infection control, quality assurance, school nursing, PICC team, recovery or a step-down unit ... the list is endless. Doing Med/Surg doesn't make you any better, or any worse than any other type of nurse -we're all valuable and contribute to patient care and safety in huge ways, and we each have our own talents and knowledge base.

If you want the busiest unit, where you see and do everything (while breaking your back) -try telemetry, it's insane :-)