Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago

[Melissa :)]

Hey everyone,

I just got a call for an interview for an RN position at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. If there are any nurses who work here or have worked here as an RN, I would appreciate any information and advice you can give a new grad RN. I've heard great comments about the hospital, but I've also heard that working as a rehab nurse as a new grad is not a good idea. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

Melissa

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

If you don't have any other interviews or job offers on your plate, I would seriously consider working in rehab. I have heard that the local job market for new grad nurses is getting really limited in Chicago. Rehab nursing is wonderful experience, offers challenges, and you'll learn more than you ever imagined.

[Melissa :)]

Yeah, the nursing market here is extremely limited. I've sent out 30+applications and this is my first interview. I've only heard limited things about rehab nursing and I'm not too familiar with it. I wanted to know more about what a typical day would be like for a rehab nurse and if I will still get to practice acute care skills.

Thanks for your input!:)

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

You'll be kept busy while building a good foundation of skills.

I've never done acute care rehab nursing in a hospital setting, but I have worked on a subacute rehab unit inside a nursing home.

On the subacute rehab unit where I once worked, we dealt with a lot of central lines, IV antibiotics, CPM machines, feeding tubes, suture removal, surgical staple removal, complicated wound care, ostomy appliances, diabetic management, casts, braces, splints, cervical halos, and so forth. Most of my patients had recently underwent surgical procedures such as laminectomies, knee and hip arthroplasties, kyphoplasties, CABGs, hysterectomies, limb amputations, colectomies, thromboembolectomies, and abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs.

The non-surgical (medical) patients were admitted for recovery from CVAs, acute MIs, debility, cancer, fractures, status post pneumonia, deconditioned states, failure to thrive, status post falls, contusions, and generalized weakness.