rehab good for new grad?

lpn2ben04 · May 10, 2005

I'm finished school 9 months ago and went straight to rehab. I heard all the same things from my nurse amnager but have yetto see them. My unit is also a ortho/geri unit. I would have been better served going to med/surg. my friends in med/surg have advance so much further compared to I. There is just not alot to see and do here. I am getting a little down but I am also trying to help my self by working agency in hopes of getting some more experience.I am a lpn and I think you are A rn but you still need that med/surg foundation. good luck:)

Hi! I'm a new grad and currently looking for a job.
There's a rehab hospital that is very interested in me and might offer me a job. It's a hospital & rehab center, with 158 beds. The unit I'll be working in is a orthropedic/geriatric unit, mostly elderly patients. The average length of their stay is around 15~24 days. The nurse manager says that I'll have a chance to take care of orthropedic patient, post-op patients..and patients that covers medical/surgical and psych (dementia) areas.
The nurse manager seems really supportive and states that they offer a 6~12 week new grad oreintation, tailored for each individual. However, this is hospital not among one of the big, well-known medical centers in the area so I'm not really sure if this is a good place to start my nursing career.
During my clinical rotations, I really love home health and psych. I like how nurses can be independent and creative, and really help the patient as well as their family. However, I wish to get some training in med-surg as a new grad before I move on to home health or even pursue a Masters. Right now I'm open for anything as long as I can interact with patients and recieve good training.:)
So what do you think? I'm open for any suggestions!
Thank you so much!

suzanne4, RN · May 10, 2005

Remember the info that you sent me on the facility........It is not a hospital but a rehab facility that patients go to for longer care afterwards. You will not be caring for patients with acute illnesses there, anyhting that comes up acute will be sent by ambualnce to another facility. If this is the same place that you sent me info on.....

These patients will all have been initially cared for in an actue care facility. The ones that aren't able to go home afterwards would go to this facility.

You are not going to get the training that you think you will be getting.....

Acute rehab in a hospital is quite different from this............

Be careful before signing anything.........how long of a contract do you need to sign for? Where is this place located?

share · May 10, 2005

Remember the info that you sent me on the facility........It is not a hospital but a rehab facility that patients go to for longer care afterwards. You will not be caring for patients with acute illnesses there, anyhting that comes up acute will be sent by ambualnce to another facility. If this is the same place that you sent me info on.....
These patients will all have been initially cared for in an actue care facility. The ones that aren't able to go home afterwards would go to this facility.
You are not going to get the training that you think you will be getting.....
Acute rehab in a hospital is quite different from this............
Be careful before signing anything.........how long of a contract do you need to sign for? Where is this place located?

Thanks suzanne4. I really appreciate your reply. However, I think you might got me mixed up with someone else because I didn't send any info to you.

Thank you for your information and kind suggestions. Fortunately, the hospital didn't ask me to sign any contract.

I just got another offer at one of the big medical centers in Boston, so I think I'll go for that hospital.

Thanks guys~ I find your suggestions to be very helpful!

suzanne4, RN · May 10, 2005

After I posted, I realized that it was someone else, but almost stating the exact same thing.

Just keep in mind that rehab facilities are not considered acute care facilities.. :)

linda scottish nurse · Aug 26, 2005

I have worked in rehabilitation since I qualified I would have to say to you to go for it it may be different in many ways to acute nursing but you are still getting valuable experience in working with the patient as you said you will be caring for post op patients, gain valuable experienc in working with families which is such as skill and other professionals You will learn so much more in terms of dealing with the difficulties that are faced in rehabilitaion, as these patients cant go home immediately there may be many issues to consider. I often chair planning meetings and go to the ward round I would not have had the opportunity to do that in acute as its only the charge nurses that do the ward rounds in scotland. Plus I would not have gained the experience and confidence I have in working with patients, families and other health proffesionals so closely. So I would have to say to you that you will gain valuable experience in rehab after all, I thought that's what nursing is all about in any area!!!!!!!

Plus if you did want to go to work in acute say orthopedics you would have relevant experience and the rehab unit probably works very closely to the unit. I have the opportunity to work in the neurosurgery unit because i work in rehab brain injury. :lol2:

control · Sep 19, 2005

I went from nsg school to a freestanding rehab facility. If I had to do it again, I would. I enjoyed everything I learned there. However, as it's already been said patients in this type of facility are for the most part stable patients, and you do not get the exposure to skill usage that you would on a med/surg or tele floor, for example. You will get to hang blood and start IVs. My entire year there we had one NG tube. Lots of central lines. One thing you will become a master at are dressings :) and straight caths !

I worked on the rehab surgery floor, the most acute floor in the hospital. Outpatient surgery shared our floor. Since my facility DID perform surgeries (hips, knees, back, some plastic) I did get exposure to more acute nursing skills there than I think I would have say on SCI, Brain Injury, or CVA.

We got a nice mix of patients of every age and from every demographic! :) I loved being able to take the time to talk to my patients and help them attain or surpass their previous level of independence. I really enjoyed my time there. If I had to go back to the bedside I'd probably go into rehab.

But because of the nature of the patients I cared for I have always been able to work comfortably on surgical and ortho units, and yeah, med surg in general. Good luck. :)

LMTtoRN · Jan 4, 2006

I'm a pre-nursing student about to start my second semester. I work as a massage therapist with rehab-type soft-tissue injuries, and I also work with a few folks with varying neurological disorders (Parkinsons, MS, ALS) I'm VERY interested in neuroscience nursing. My question is this (as I have a couple of years to really do my research), would rehab nursing be a good jumping-off point for me in order to get into neuroscience? Is there a better route? Any help is appreciated.

huffrn · Jan 20, 2006

Hello, I am a rehab nurse currently. Rehab nursing is a nice middle between the hectic regimen of a hospital and long term care. You get lots of good experience troubleshooting complications, dealing with physicians, supervising staff, documentation and more, lots more. You will find in everything you do you take something with you. I am currently considering a move because I desire more knowledge now I have been there a year and a half. People don't come and go as quickly in a rehab setting either unless complications develop, so you get to know them and their needs well. In small hospitals you tend to have the same persons coming in and out also so you do get to know certain people but, it is a lot more coming and going and you have to be super organized. As a new nurse you need to find a "teaching" facility. One that takes students because then they are used to training and questions etc. The facility I am at is not a teaching facility and I have had to learn most things on my own, the training was pathetic.