How Marketable Are You as a Rural Nurse?

Specialties Rural

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I spent some time in rural nursing (Canada) and I have to say I LOVED it. Rural nursing really is my passion.... HOWEVER.... right now I am in ICU, but am not exactly a happy camper. I am learning so much (that's what's keeping me there).... I plan to go back into rural nursing in 5 months. My "plan" is to eventually speacialise in remote flight nursing and I know you need ICU/ER experience....

My Question:

So, if you spend a few years in rural nursing, how easy is it to get hired back into an urban hospital ICU/ER?

Do larger centres respect your background as a rural nurse? Anyone have experience with this? (particularly in Canada)

Thanks. I have nothing but respect for the rural nursing specialty (and it is a "specialty"!) - you guys are truly AMAZING.. and uber-knowledgable!

I'm happy you have found your calling. I work in a 500 bed hospital in med-surg and oncology. Rural nurses can run circles around any one of us AND any ICU nurse I have met. I might consider it in the future after talking with several hospitals to test the waters.

Specializes in Rural.

I started as a new grad at a rural/frontier hospital. It is the best for overall experience. Specialized RNs who work one area are horrified at the mere thought of doing everything we do. I will never be the awesome L&D nurse who delivers 20+ babies a month, but I don't cringe when I see male parts, a vented ICU patient with art lines and CVP lines or the major traumas that come in out of our ranches and rural highways. It keeps me learning and growing constantly, always questioning myself and expanding my skills. I love it!:yeah:

Specializes in ER, OB, Med/Surg,.
I have to agree wholeheartedly with you. I have talked with other nurses from larger hospitals and they wouldn't trade with me for any amount of money. After 7pm, all ancillary staff is on call. Some stay in the building and others stay at home. The only requirement for them is to be within 20 minutes of the hospital. On any given night, there is never more than 10-12 nurses in the entire facility. It can get kinda nerve wracking, especially with a delivery in the ER( we don't have OB facilities), but I wouldn't trade it for anything. It is for the most part a slower pace and you may not see as much of the "good stuff", but when it all breaks loose, we do allright. There is a teamwork in our facility that you wouldn't find in other hospitals. We HAVE to rely on each other.

You are so right on the money! Rural nurses depend on one another, we do become good team players, and we learn the weaknesses and strengths of our co-workers. I do not worry at all about being marketable in a city hospital, from what I have seen, it is only learning the new equipment...the skills are the same no matter where you work!!!!;)

Hi Camelhappy1, are you still interested or know of anyone else interested in rural nursing in AB? I know of a company that pays well for rural nurses and for referrals. Send me a PM for more info.

Specializes in Obstetrics/Case Management/MIS/Quality.

i worked in ob at a rural hospital for 9 years and i've also worked ob at a larger city hospital with over 800 beds. this is just my experience, however, the larger hospital rn's are amazed at what the rural rn's take care of with their limited resources. they say that i could run circles around them! one thing that i liked about rural nursing that you don't see in a larger hospital is that rural rn's "do it all".....in ob for instance, you generally work l&d, nursery and couplets, sometimes all three within 12 hours. in the larger hospital that is all separated. you either do l&d or you do nursery or you do couplets and you will never do all three in the same shift ever. in a large hospital, you lose your skills to manage multiple issues in different areas all at once. at the rural hospital, i was used to having labor patients and maybe a couplet or two as well. sometimes i'd have a labor patient but a baby might be going bad in the nursery, so i would run in there to assist with an iv start. things like that would never happen in a larger hospital. i think having skills like that are an asset to any facility. :twocents:

Camelhappy1 - I just joined this site, and can't send personal messages yet. I would like to discuss Reserve Nursing with you. I am in southern Alberta and will be graduating soon. I will be doing my final practicum this summer, and am considering doing it on a reserve. I would really like your advice! If you can send me a PM that would be great!

Camelhappy1 - I just joined this site, and can't send personal messages yet. I would like to discuss Reserve Nursing with you. I am in southern Alberta and will be graduating soon. I will be doing my final practicum this summer, and am considering doing it on a reserve. I would really like your advice! If you can send me a PM that would be great!

Hi catwoman! :)

This is an old thread -started in 2006.

I just looked and Camelhappy1 hasn't made a post since December of 2009.

If you take a look at the nursing specialties, you might find an area where you could post a question.

Native American Indian (patient) Nursing - Nursing for Nurses

steph

OK, great Spidey's mom! thanks

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