Returning to the floor after long absence

[Gititgirl7]

is this the correct forum for this thread??

OK, I'm returning to the floor after about 9 years of working in outpatient clinics.

I'm doing it so that I can have a flexible schedule while I attend an RN program. I'm very nervous. acouple years ago, when I first decided I wanted to be an RN, I got hired on a med surg floor and was overwhelmed by the changes. patients that would have been icu patients 10 years ago are now med surg patients. In my defense I was trying to do orientation, AP 2, microbiology and deal with family issues. I decided I must have been temporarily insane and returned to the comfort and familiarity of my previous job. Now I'm telling myself its time to go back. Direct patient care is not my ultimate goal when I graduate, but I know that a solid med surg backround is the corner stone to most RN positions. I want to do well and I think I'm older, wiser, not such a spaaz anymore. And the opportunities for learning are abundant here. Any advice on getting back on track????

[puggy232]

Years ago that was the thought-you had to go through x number of years on a med surg floor to get a job. Not so any more- class mates of mine were hired to all specialities right out school. I tell you this because I made the mistake of going to a medsurg floor thinking the same thing and it sucked! I was beyond miserable, that said I learned alot, but probably not as much if my preceptors were actually had the time to precept.

Medsurg floors in my experience are understaffed, the staff that is there is overstressed, when new nurses come on it is okay fresh meat!:no:They get discouraged and leave after a year if not sooner- if you do choose to go medsurg I would as a student nurse tech first-choose carefully and do a whole day following someone who has that job, and observe how things are on the floor, nurse to patient ratios, how many techs to a nurse, how they interact-you can ask the floor manager, don't believe it until you see it-they (nurse managers) will tell you any thing they are full of it, most don't have a clue about what is going on out on the floor. See if the charge nurse back up floor staff or just sit a the nurses station, go to the recent hires and ask them how the feel about working there, eat lunch with floor staff and listen you'll really will get a picture. There is my , good luck and beware.