Nurses in Georgia have so many options when it comes to a career path. Depending on the type of care you wish to provide, Georgia nurses can choose between assisted living, skilled nursing, and behavioral health roles, among others. Which one suits your skillset, both hard skills and soft skills, best? Each role demands different strengths, abilities, and tolerances. And how do you know which nursing job aligns best with your career goals? Here, we offer an overview of each role to help you determine the area that suits you best.
Understanding the Honest Demands of Each Setting
Some may see lots of similarities between assisted living centers, skilled nursing facilities, and behavioral health facilities. Nurses know better. Each setting has different needs, requirements, and patient goals. Here, we take a look at the very specific demands of the nurse’s role in these settings.
Assisted Living Centers
In the state of Georgia, assisted living centers are regulated by the state’s Department of Community Health. The focus of assisted living is on serving residents who need help with their daily activities. Residents of these centers in Georgia do not require the same intensive medical care as those who reside in a skilled nursing facility.
Nurses in assisted living centers are frequently LPNs and CNAs who work under the supervision of an RN. Georgia nurses who work in this type of setting have specific tasks and specific residents assigned to them. In your role as a nurse in assisted living you can expect to:
- Coordinate care plans as part of the resident’s team
- Manage medications
- Build relationships based on mutual trust and respect for the residents’ dignity.
Assisted living centers are communities where residents build relationships with one another. The pace is steady, and acuity is lower than in skilled nursing. If you feel drawn to a community of care that is relationship-based and less technical procedures, then choosing to work in an assisted living center may be for you.
Skilled Nursing Facilities
Skilled nursing facilities are under much stricter oversight from both the federal government and the state of Georgia. Patients can be long-term residents or temporary residents. Nurses, RNs, LPNs, and CNAs provide different levels of care as patients may be recovering from surgery, have experienced a stroke, or need help managing complex chronic medical conditions.
You can expect to encounter the need for wound care, tracheostomy management, IV therapy, and other types of specialized treatment. In a skilled nursing setting, there is heavier documentation required due to state and federal laws. Georgia has one of the country’s greatest needs for nurses in skilled nursing. If you are a nurse who thrives under clinical pressure and enjoys tracking measurable milestones in recovery, a career in skilled nursing might be the right role for you.
Behavioral Health
This role falls under a very big umbrella of settings. Behavioral health can indicate inpatient psychiatric units, community health centers, substance abuse recovery, and crisis stabilization units. These are all very active settings in cities like Atlanta, Augusta, and Savannah, as well as smaller towns throughout the state.
There is a great need for behavioral health nurses in Georgia. That means demand is critical, especially in underserved and rural areas of the state. As a nurse in behavioral health in Georgia, you will need to call on specific
skills and training like:
- Deescalation
- Therapeutic communication
- Assessment of mental status
If you’re considering a nursing career in behavioral health in Georgia, it’s important to note that while physical procedures are minimal, emotional work is high and can be intense.
Reach Out for A Deeper Look
As we said, these are overviews of some of your options as a nurse in Georgia. For more information and a deeper look at these settings, please contact BOS Medical Staffing
