Stay in the know.

Join our free nurse community to get updates on trending questions and the topics you care about

How can a nurse that’s worked in post acute rehab nursing her entire career, can I get into a hospital nursing . It seems like they all want hospital experience to hire you. I have my BSN


November 20th, 2024

Find the right hospital, talk up your skills and have good stories. I had the same frustration 4 years ago, when no one would even call me back. I also had my BSN and 8 yrs SAR with some LTC experience. What units/positions are you applying for? I went for ortho, tele and med/surg openings, and was hired at a small hospital for orth/neuro/med/surg.

You have valuable skills in assessment, patient mobility, therapeutic conversation, patient education, medication knowledge and equipment ( PICCs, drains, wound care, Foley, ect), that I think gets discounted and underestimated.

I can't tell completely from the question but it sounds like you're making it past the resume step and to either recruiters or interviews. Do you feel like you interview well? Do you feel like you're making connections or that you're getting blown off esrly? offezr

May 26th, 2024

The workflow is different, but you need orientation to change from acute rehab to hospital care.

February 3rd, 2024

Look for a community clinic or urgicenter to upgrade your skills to a more acute focus. Also look at a nurse refresher course in a local college which will offer practice in acute skills. If your local hospitals have rehab units, try for one of those and after a year look to transfer to another floor. Acute skills are quite different from rehab skills, but being in a hospital setting would make a transfer to another unit easier.

February 2nd, 2024

That is so unfortunate. Where you are you applying? If you apply with Incredible Health that company help Nurses find permanent positions. Good luck

January 31st, 2024

Really That is untrue apply to large healthcare systems

January 31st, 2024

Start with med surg or orthopedic floors.

January 16th, 2024

If you are a nurse who has worked in post-acute rehab nursing for your entire career and you want to transition into hospital nursing, there are several steps you can take. First, you can consider taking additional courses or certifications to gain the necessary skills and knowledge for hospital nursing. You can also network with other nurses and healthcare professionals to learn about job openings and opportunities. Additionally, you can consider applying for positions in hospitals that are looking for nurses with your specific skill set. According to ¹, rehabilitation nurses work with patients suffering from acute and chronic illnesses, injuries, and disabilities. A rehabilitation nurse’s main objective is to help patients gain independence and/or help families care for their loved ones. In this guide, we’ll explain what a Rehabilitation Nurse does, how to become one, how much they make, and more! What is a Rehabilitation Nurse? Generally, a rehab nurse assists patients with chronic illnesses or disabilities. Rehabilitation nurses can also work with individuals after a trauma or acute illness. According to ², the median salary for a registered nurse in 2022 is $81,220 per year or $39.05 per hour, but conditions in your area may vary. I hope this helps!

Source:
(1) 3 Steps to Becoming a Rehabilitation Nurse. https://nurse.org/resources/rehabilitation-nurse/.
(2) How to get acute care experience when you are no longer a ... - allnurses. https://allnurses.com/how-get-acute-care-experience-t643511/.
(3) WHat is considered acute care experience? - Nursing Career Support. https://allnurses.com/what-considered-acute-care-experience-t....
(4) Rehabilitation Nursing Criteria | ARN - Association of Rehabilitation .... https://rehabnurse.org/about/position-statements/rehabilitati....

January 16th, 2024

That seems odd. They should want an experienced BSN with post acute rehab experience for their med-surg floors. Have you tried working for different facilities on a PRN basis or through an agency. They hire direct from the agency should they like your work.