Acute Care to LTC as a CNA? (Sorry, kinda lengthy...)

[JaredCNA, CNA]

Hello all. Once again I would like to get everyone's insight on something.

I've been working as a CNA since earning my cert in January of 2007. The only job I've held as an aide was at a local hospital...a 30-bed med/surg unit (our floor specializes in ortho, neuro, and urology.)

I never, never, never wanted to work LTC from the day that we did clinicals. It was so depressing. It seemed boring. I like to be on my feet, helping take care of patients that are seriously ill or patients that could crash at any time...which is a lot of what I get where I'm at right now.

However, like all med/surg floors that I know of, we get a little bit of everything. Even Hospice pts who get admitted with a UTI and have orders like I saw at the nursing home: Vitals signs daily, D/C IV if pt pulls out, D/C tube feedings if pt removes peg tube, No Restraints, DNR/DNI, comfort care only, Morphine nebs, etc. I liked being there for the pt and their family, helping out and making the pt's last days on earth somewhat...er, pleasant, for lack of a better term.

I love orthopedics...fracture patients and post-op fracture repairs are awesome to take care of. It's wonderful to see the pt go from not being able to move after surgery to walking down the hall. Also, I like the high level of care. I love neuro too.

But lately, I've actually considered working LTC. I know that it won't help me to reach my ultimate goal of becoming an ICU or ER RN but I think a change would be nice. The facility where I work is I guess you'd say, partnered, with a nursing home that's less than a block from the hospital.

Any which rate, I've found out that it would be as simple as placing a transfer request with human resources to obtain a position at the facility. If I didn't like it, I have the option to transfer every 90 days, and HR is pretty good about letting people transfer when they ask to. So if I didn't like it...it would only be 90 days.

I can do anything for 90 days. Should I go for it? Tell me about LTC, especially, what is it like on night shift in LTC? What do you do, and if you've worked acute care, how is it different?

Thanks everyone.

[casi, ASN, RN]

I went from Assisted Living to Acute Care and I find myself missing the relationships I had back at the Assisted Living. I acctually discussed this with a few CNAs who were hired at the hospital the same time I was and had come from LTC about how much we missed it.

In LTC there is a lot of rehab, strokes, and other degnerative neuro diseases.

I will agree with you, there is nothing more rewarding then helping a person through their last days of life, especially if it's something you've cared for on a long term basis.

Can you work on facility part-time and the other PRN?

[Okami_CCRN, BSN, RN]

I work on a ACE (actute care of the elderly) unit. Which is like a LTC but our patients stay for about a week or so until they are stable enough to return to their LTCF. Try to look for a unit such as this, most patients are frequent flyer and you build a relationship with them but you still have some of the rush of being on a med/surg floor. Try it... im actually trying to transfer to ER but my manager doesnt want to let me go