Public Health Nurse- Recommendations requested

[CaffeineRN]

Hello all, so here's my story: I have worked in Public health a few years, I do quite a bit from case management, med administration ( Antibiotics, pain med, etc), MAT treatment for substance misuse,EKGs, triage, setting up appointments, wound care, nursing visits, etc. I want to keep on learning, I do have a desire to work in a hospital but the pay is good where I'm at ($48 per hour, 40hr week), good benefits,good coworkers and work balance. What Certificates would you recommend, books to read, or other resources to stay up to date? I'm currently reading ER book for MDs, comprehensive lab book, and wound care book, looked into PESI certifications but kinda look shady. Thank you for any suggestions.

[guest464345]

This might be a dumb or unwanted question but...why on earth do you want to work in a hospital?  Your pay is good, and for public health it's extraordinary. You've got a schedule that supports work-life balance.You've got a nice mix of job duties, not stuck behind a desk all day but also not up to your elbows in poop or trying to turn people three times your size.  You have a broad and very useful skill set.  Your benefits are likely a lot better than what you'll get from a hospital.  You presumably don't have to rotate every other weekend, work on call, work nights, or cover major holidays every year.  You don't get sent home because it's slow, causing you to lose income or burn through PTO.  And my gosh, YOU LIKE YOUR COWORKERS.  That's huge!

Do you have a bearcat of a commute, or something?  Do you get guff from people who don't think you're a "real nurse"?  Are you just bored? Are you trying to work your way into some kind of manager job that requires hospital experience?  What's the motivation?

If you're pining to place IVs and foleys or do other "real nurse" stuff...it's not all that.  I could teach my non-clinical husband to start IV's in a couple days. 

If you really want to see acuity, I guess you have a point.  Maybe you just feel like you gotta do it for a while, and I can understand that.  But from my point of view, you're in an enviable position and probably know a lot more than you think you do.  Your kind of job is a lot harder to get than a hospital job, in most places.

(full disclosure:  I left public health to go back to the ED a few years ago, and about eight months in I was like....oh yeah, now I remember, I can do this but the hospital sucks, so why?  Back to community health!  And now a school nurse)

[NefforamaRN, BSN]

I agree with the other nurse who replied.... But you could consider ACLS or PALS certification if you wanted to beef up your learning and/or experience. Those are certifications that RNs in critical care areas have to hold so it might give you a taste of what you’re looking for and a challenge. I will say, they are pretty challenging but an accomplishment once you get through them. Good luck, and thank you for doing what you do