No hospital job after working LTC? True?

ChristineN, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2011

Not true. Nursing experience is experience, regardless of where you are working. You may have to work a little harder to get a hospital job after LTC or rehab, but it is not impossible. One of my friends just got a hospital job a few months ago after doing rehab for a year.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Jun 20, 2011

After four years of working in LTC facilities, I interviewed at three acute care hospitals last year and received offers at two of them. However, I declined the offers because the pay was way too low for the acuity of patients and the amount of work that they were wanting me to do.

Lizzie21 · Jun 20, 2011

Don't give up hope! We just hired a nurse after she was working at a LTC facility. She had about a year worth of experience there. It may be harder to get into a hospital, but people are getting in. I won't worry and keep applying!

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Jun 20, 2011

Well I'm considering taking a job offer I received to be charge RN on weekends at an LTC. I'm just a little skeptical because there is only three days of orientation with another nurse and when I told them that I was not available to immediately start this week due to plans already made of going out of town, they said they would check to see if this was okay and call me back. They had wanted me to start this weekend so I guess that is the deal breaker because they have not called back. Told them I could start next week. Don't know what to think..

MN-Nurse, ASN, RN · Jun 20, 2011

I have heard from many sources that once you start out and work in LTC or SNF as an RN, it is impossible to get a hospital job in the future.

That's not true at the hospital I work at now. In fact, the ONLY way I could get hired here is if I worked on a TCU for a year. They were just orienting two new (very young) nurses on my Med Surg floor and I asked them where they came from - both were TCU nurses.

They are also hiring travel and contract nurses at this hospital...but NO new grads.

studystudy · Jun 20, 2011

I know of a girl that couldn't find a job anywhere and took a LTC job. She's been working for 5 months and last week had an interview at a children's hospital, where on the job description it says, "Peds experienced preferred," and also, "NO NEW GRADS." Any experience is better than none, and it seems like once you actually have a RN job of any sort, it's easier to get the one you really want!

KarmaWiseRaven · Jun 20, 2011

Depending where you live.

I started out in a LTC / RCF and Moved in to Psych at our local State Ran Hospital. And all the while i was trying to get in to a hospital. I was tired of being just a babysitter to the people as well as my own aids under me. I have seen many of my Co-workers get pick up at the local hospital and who are now RN's.

Speaking to a Nurse Recruiter of the hospital she said i had no acute care under me and it would almost impossible to get in to the hospital. Then in her same breath said Do you know anyone who works there that might help to get you in. The Hospital has a stepping stone program.

I would of loved to gotten in to that program. They pay for you to go to school to become a RN and you have to sign a 2 yr contract with them. So depending where you live and how many people you know in the hospital your trying to work at depends weather or not you shot yourself in the foot as far as working in a LTC first... Anthony

joanna73, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2011

Some nurses may say it is harder...but this is not true, especially in this economy. People are taking whatever they can. Also, working LTC, you will develop great assessment, time management, and leadership skills, which are valuable for any unit. I work LTC, and I know of people who left that had no problem finding non-LTC positions.

missbutton · Jun 21, 2011

I was hired as a new grad the same day that RN with one year of LTC experience was hired. Her orientation had to be extended, and a year later she is barely making it. The same with the nurses that they hired with only clinic experience. That's just my experience at my little hospital, but I thank god every time that I work with them that I was fortunate enough to start out in Med Surg.

ijuanabhappy, ASN, RN · Jun 21, 2011

I was hired as a new grad the same day that RN with one year of LTC experience was hired. Her orientation had to be extended, and a year later she is barely making it. The same with the nurses that they hired with only clinic experience. That's just my experience at my little hospital, but I thank god every time that I work with them that I was fortunate enough to start out in Med Surg.

Why do you think you excelled over them since you were a new grad with zero experience?

AgentBeast, BSN, RN · Jun 21, 2011

There is a super double secret book that is rumored to exist that they use to keep track of everyone that has worked in LTC. I've heard that once your name gets into this book that's it. You are done.