What to do next??

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Hi all, I hope everyone is keeping safe and well during these trying times. I'm set to graduate in December (?) and am beginning to explore some of my career interests and opportunities more in-depth. Currently, I work as a CNA in an acute long-term facility, specializing in cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation. I really appreciate the relationships I have formed with my patients and their families, and when compared to my clinical med-surg setting this has become even more apparent to me. My prior work experience was heavily based on forming therapeutic working/supportive relationships, and it is something I genuinely value as an individual. Anyways, like other new grads I'm interested in exploring med-surg options, but long-term, I know this will not be for me. One opportunity that has particularly intrigued me is furthering my career working on a spinal cord injury unit. I feel as though I could bring experience to the floor from my current position, and think this would give me the patient-provider relationship I enjoy. Thoughts?? Does anyone have current or past similar experiences, and willing to share insight? Thanks! ?

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Specializes in school nurse.

Have you worked on a spinal cord unit before? It can take a LOT out of a person. Those that do it successfully, hats off to you...

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@Jedrnurse I haven't specifically worked on a spinal cord injury unit before, but I do have experience in a rehabilitation setting. At the facility where I work now, I would say that approximately 90% of the patients are immobile and require almost 100% total care. I have gotten used to a heavy workload, both physically and mentally, and am more comfortable working around things such as vents, wounds, and co-morbid conditions. 

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Specializes in school nurse.
55 minutes ago, slove2718 said:

@Jedrnurse I haven't specifically worked on a spinal cord injury unit before, but I do have experience in a rehabilitation setting. At the facility where I work now, I would say that approximately 90% of the patients are immobile and require almost 100% total care. I have gotten used to a heavy workload, both physically and mentally, and am more comfortable working around things such as vents, wounds, and co-morbid conditions. 

Spinal cord injury units tend to have a lot of angry (understandably so) young men. They cannot manipulate their world through their own agency, so they have to utilize people around them.  For staff, it can be as hard on the mind as it is on the body...

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@Jedrnurse Understandable. I can only imagine what someone must be going through when an instance such as this occurs. But then again, I feel this applies to all areas of nursing. As a care provider, I value providing my patients with the utmost of care and respect, regardless of how I am perceived. I know it is nothing personal, but the result of total loss of freedom and independence. We have to do better to put ourselves in the position of our patients. How would we feel? I am up for the challenge.  

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.
11 hours ago, Jedrnurse said:

Spinal cord injury units tend to have a lot of angry (understandably so) young men. They cannot manipulate their world through their own agency, so they have to utilize people around them.  For staff, it can be as hard on the mind as it is on the body...

You can say THAT again. I once ran a Young Adult unit in an LTC, and most of the residents (ranging in age from 21-50) had spinal-cord injuries as well as a host of psychiatric problems. Two of the youngest residents used to love leaving the facility at night and going bar-hopping in their electric wheelchairs; we couldn’t stop them because they were over 21, but we strongly advised them not to because it was unsafe, and half the time the cops had to bring them home. They didn’t listen. They were dependent on others to help them with their ADLs and they hated that. I don’t blame them, even though every time they went out drinking we had to complete an incident report and deal with two obnoxious drunks!  

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

So many nurses have no idea what they want to do, and go to med surg to get their basics down, and they hate it and get burned out.    You seem to have strong feelings about what you want, and it is in an area that a lot of people would shy away from.  I say absolutely go for it.  You already have a basic understanding of what you are in for, and seem very willing and eager to learn the rest.    A lot of nurses would be very envious of the fact that you know what you want.  Does this guarantee that you will love it and be successful?  Of course not, but I have a feeling you will do great.  If not, it will be a very valuable learning experience.  

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@nursy Thank you! ?

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