Does nursing home experience count the same as hospital experience?

[Ted D]

I'm a new grad RN and have not been able to find a job since graduating several months ago. I finally got a lead with a nursing home, but the thing is is I have zero desire to work in a nursing home! Is it bad to take the job for the simple sake of trying to rack up some experience? And will nursing home experience even help me land a job in ICU down the road or will they look at it as "non-acute" and therefore I'd be back to square one?

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

"money is not a huge issue fortunately, but is it really better to stay unemployed vs. at least having a job somewhere with a job title as an rn? "

no, it is not really better to stay unemployed. ask anyone who was and who then had to convince potential employers that all his/her skills were as good as someone who had been working (at anything).

[Kookie2412]

I worked in the LTC as a new grad. based on that experience I got my foot in the door in a local hospital on a sub acute medicine floor...lots of elderly pts. I am working there for a year now and thinking about moving on but I am confused ( you can see my recent thread under my name). I had an interview in the ICU but didnt get it because I was competing with other nurses from acute floor who also wanted to work in the ICU. But there is still hope for me. If I transfer to an acute floor within my hospital and work there for a year or so then I would be considered for ICU position based on that experience.

So you do have a hope to get into ICU down the road. Just not straight from LTC to ICU.

hope this helps.

[turnforthenurse, MSN, NP]

One of my instructors was a seasoned SICU nurse. Was also into management, teaching (since she had her master's) and also had her CCRN.

And she started out in LTC.

Don't let it discourage you, OP. I would take the job.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

IMO any nursing job is better than no job, because a nursing job means nursing experience. It may not be ICU experience, but it's valuable experience and definitely more than you'd get if you sat on the couch waiting for that entry-level ICU position to come along. Plus, as others have said, it may just take you longer to make your way to the ICU, that's all...but none of the experience you gain on that longer way would be useless. It is all valuable in its own way.

Also, the fact that some managers and nurses look negatively on LTC experience doesn't mean that all do. Many do not. Now, it would be nice if those hiring managers and nurses who did pontificate against working in LTC would hand you a no-experience-required ICU job, or at least offer to connect you with one, but we all know that doesn't happen in the real world

Plus, bills need to get paid, kids and cats need to fed, and the roof has to stay over the head. Again, be nice if those who were anti-LTC would hand you a blank check to tide you over until dream job comes along...but again, not going to happen.

IMO, take the job and congratulations!

[brillohead, ADN, RN]

I have a year to go until I'm a new grad, but I'm planning (if a GN position isn't an option upon graduation) to work LTC to get some experience, then apply to an acute care facility after I have some experience under my belt.

I've been watching the postings in my area, and while there are often GN-appropriate floor positions listed, I have NEVER seen a GN-appropriate ED or ICU position in the postings. They will literally say, "This is not an appropriate position for a new graduate nurse; one year of RN experience required to apply." If given the option between a GN who has been sitting at home on the couch for a year or an RN who has been working at a LTC facility for a year, I can't imagine choosing the former over the latter for an employment opportunity, particularly a critical care position.

[NO50FRANNY]

Does LTC stand for long term care? (aussie here).

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Does LTC stand for long term care? (aussie here).

Correct.