Straight to Public Health?

Specialties Public/Community

Published

Hello All,

Hoping to get some advice here.....

I graduated from nursing school (second-degree, BSN -after working for 8 years in public health) last May. I knew that public health was, ultimately where I wanted to be but wasn't sure I would be able to find a nursing job in the field right away. I also thought I should give hospital nursing a try - so I did.

I have been orienting on a Med-Surg floor for the past 3 weeks and I have never hated anything so much in my life.

I have already been offered several public health positions and really want to take one of them. My question to you all though, is this - What exactly is it that I am going to be missing if I don't follow through with this miserable year in med/surg? Because from where I stand right now, hospital nursing is nothing but passing meds, checking IV sites and calling that a physical assessment, and 20 minutes of documentation for every 5 minutes of patient contact (oh, and hospital nursing's idea of 'patient education' which must be documented every shift - is 'well, I'm sure I told Ms Smith about her meds so I'll write down that I did med teaching').....blech!

Can someone please enlighten me?

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I did all of 7 months on a tele unit before switching to be a PHN. There are some RNs who didn't have any hospital experience and are doing fine. If PH is where you want to be and especially since you have prior experience, I say go for it! i cant lie and say i dont miss some aspects of the hospital. Sometimes almost enough to get a per diem job but then I come back to reality. I love my 8-5 days, no holidays, or weekends.

BTW, I have wayyyyyy more documentation now, I thought the hospital charting was bad;)

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