Rehab Center/Nursing Home, good experience for a New Grad RN?

[CanDoAttitude]

Hey everyone,

I just want to get some feedback, people's opinions, regarding a New RN grad (ASN Degree), working their first job in a Rehabilitation Center/Nursing home environment.

- I have been told that these types of facilities are *NOT* regarded as experience when applying to another job, for example, in the hospital setting. The belief is that Rehab/Nursing homes are considered *SUB-Acute*, therefore, not *ACUTE* care experience. Maybe elsewhere in the USA this is not the case, but here in NYC, that is what I have been hearing all during my nursing school experience and all I hear while job hunting.

- The major isssue then, if this is true, at least in NYC, RN's with an Associates Degree in nursing CANNOT get hired in hospitals. Everywhere you turn, its BSN only. I have various hooks in specific hospitals that said they can not help me until I get my BSN (which I am currently signing up for an online RN to BSN) In the meantime, nursing homes are the only real option for new grads with ASN.

- Are these types of facilities worth perusing, even though they are not regarded as experience? Just to confirm, I am not KNOCKING these types of facilities (Although, I do work as a Medical First Responder, where we constantly go on runs to a nursing home, and last week three nurses were found doing chest compressions and CPR on a living person with a good pulse). I just want to know what other peoples opinions are of this setting, for learning and working.

- Personally, I work full time as a Fire Fighter, and I want to supplement my life with a second part time career as a Nurse. Even with a Bachelors in English, Associates in Nursing, and 8 years experience as a Medical First Responder, nobody will hire me (or any of my classmates) until we have a BSN, unless you consider a Nursing home, Rehab center.

Any and all opinions are welcome, Thank you!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I used to work in nursing home rehab, so I can answer some of your questions. In a nutshell, it is useful experience to build your skill set.

Nurses who work in nursing home rehab centers often deal with PICC lines, central lines, Mediports, Permacaths, and peripheral IV access since a number of the residents might be receiving TPN, Procalamine, IV antibiotics every four hours, normal saline for hydration, and other intravenous fluids.

You might also be caring for short-term residents who require post-op recovery. Much of the time these residents are only two to three days post-op when they are admitted to the nursing home after having undergone hip and knee arthroplasties, ORIFs, laminectomies, limb amputations, colectomies, kyphoplasties, CABGs, craniotomies, aneurysm repair, hysterectomies, gastric bypass, thrombectomies, and other major surgical procedures.

Some short-term residents are admitted to Medicare skilled units to recover from medical issues such as pneumonia, CVA, acute MI, cancer, COPD exacerbation, debility, closed reduction fractures, deconditioned states, failure to thrive, CHF exacerbation, status post falls, contusions, and generalized declining functional status.

At a nursing home rehab center you might end up performing skills such as surgical staple removal, suture removal, IV therapy, wound care, tracheostomy care, ostomy care, management of cervical halos, appliance of braces and splints, respiratory therapy, nephrostomy tube maintenance, diabetic management, emptying of JP drains, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, continuous positive motion, indwelling urinary catheter insertion/care, enteral feedings via gastrostomy tubes, and plenty more. Some nursing homes have pulmonary units that contain residents who have tracheostomies or stable ventilators.

[CanDoAttitude]

Hey, thankfully very much. That was an incredibly well explained answer to many of my concerns. I have a lot of respect for all nurses, and each role/job is very important. I am glad to know there is a good amount of learning possible in a nursing home/rehab setting. I just want to get out into the field, and maximize as much learning as I can, in whatever way is available to me.