Suggestions Needed

[mavromanRN]

I am a new RN and have been hired to work on a Rehab unit in a speciality hospital in Texas. I've been working there for about 5 weeks now and really like it. I am the youngest RN on the Rehab staff and few if them have asked me why did I decided to work on a unit that doesn't have many opportunities for experience and skills. (Many of the nurses have extensive backgrounds in Critical Care, OB, Home Health, Pedi, etc..) My response is that I originally applied for a Med-Surg position... received a call to interview for the Rehab unit instead and got the job. A few of the nurses have suggested that I float to acute floors while I'm on orientation to get that experience setting up IV pumps, wound dressings, etc. I am going to take their advice and speak to my Nurse Manager about it.

There are a variety of patients that come in... total knee and hip replacements (common), lami, pelvic fx, amputees, a few w/respiratory problems...

However, I still feel like I need more information and/or references regarding Rehab Nursing to feel more comfortable with my nursing skills and knowledge.

My Nurse Manager has provided me w/a few reading materials and referred me to the rehabnurse.org website.

With this in mind, my questions are:

1)Is there a book out there that is highly recommended in regards to Rehab Nursing?

2)Good/Bad idea if a new grad stays on a speciality unit such as this?

Any suggestions and feedback is much appreicated.

Thanks!

Melissa

[mom and nurse]

mavromanrn - I also would be interested in the same information. I am a student who is doing my senior practicum in rehab nursing. I have also been advised by rehab nurses that many of them had med surg, critical care, etc. experience first. I also am enjoying rehab nursing. We do have many patients in the hospital that require many med surg skills. I usually ask to be placed with the patients who require the most attention (due to peg tubes, etc). One interesting thing though is that the clinical specialist has been a rehab nurse her entire career of about 20 years and sees nothing wrong with going straight into rehab nursing after I graduate, so that's encouraging.