Rural hospitals

[themoderngiant]

I'm in my mid 20s, not married, no children. Wanted to know if anyone has had any experience working in a rural setting. Would it be appropriate for a new grad?

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

In a word - "YES". In a previous role, I had the good fortune to work closely with rural hospitals for a number of years. Very soon after assuming the role, all my (big city nurse expert) preconceptions were shattered as I became aware of what it means to be a nurse in a rural hospital.

Any rural hospital that is open to hiring a new grad will ensure that you are provided with the support you need in your first job. Keep in mind that there are a wide variety of rural settings. Just because a hospital is in a rural area does not mean that it is any less sophisticated than it's city cousins. On the other hand, in a 'critical access' facility, there may only be one RN per shift - responsible for managing & supervising everything from ED to L&D. Of course, it takes a number of years to reach that level of competency and it makes for a very unique skill set.

Take a look at the National Rural Health Association (NRHA - National Rural Health Association Home Page ) and your state's own RHA for more information about opportunities.

[elkpark]

I started my career in a rural hospital (decades ago) and had a v. good experience. I knew everybody who worked there to a much greater degree than I would have in a larger hospital (I had trained in a large teaching hospital in a medium-sized city), and got a much wider range of clinical experience than I would have on a specialty unit in a larger city hospital. I was also given greater responsibility/freedom (appropriately) than I would have been in a larger hospital as a new grad.