My first job after graduation I worked as a bedside nurse on an Orthopaedic and Rehabilitation floor in the hospital setting. As a rehabilitation staff nurse, I provided direct care and education on self-care including safe medication administration, sleep, nutrition, safety, bowel and bladder care. I helped perform activities that served to maintain and restore function and prevent complications. I feel lucky to have had this opportunity as my first nursing role because of the team-based care coordination and the value based on each member of the interdisciplinary team. As I transitioned from a novice nurse to a more competent nurse, I gained perspective from planning my own actions based on critical thinking and organization. It was during this time that I began to think of long-term goals pertaining to my nursing career.
After two years, I was approached to train to cover the Care Coordinator role for the department of Orthopaedics during her times of vacation and medical leave. This quickly turned into a full time position for me and took me away from direct bedside nursing. My main responsibilities were to assist the patient with transitions between healthcare settings, identify skills and expectations of patients and families in