Did You Know?
allnurses is the largest community for nurses on the web. We now have over 388,400 members! Join today to network with other nurses, laugh, share, and much more.
| | How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
Greetings all....
I have been in LTC for about 4.5 years now and really NEED to get out. I HATE the environment, the amount of work that is placed on the nurses, and because I am an RN I have to function in a variety of settings. Most recently I have been doing the unit manager job and it is non stop craptastic work that seems to go on and on. I also think that the administration in this setting are not very encouraging for nurses. For instance in the time I have been there I have not once been invited to go to a nursing conference or have a REAL inservice on anything that would remotely increase anything in my knowledge base for LTC. I am constantly doing one unit and getting called to cover behavior management meetings for other floors because they don't have a unit manager or doing admissions on other floors due to the same reason, AS WELL AS MANAGE MY own floor. When recently asked to cover another admission on the 2nd floor about 10 minutes before I should be allowed to go home, I agreed, reluctantly, because yet again the DON was the Nursing Supervisor because they did not have one, nor did they have a nurse to do the back hall cart on my unit after 4 pm. She said they were getting 3 admissions. I said very calmly, "three admissions with no Nursing Supervisor, and No staff. " The ADMINISTRATOR screamed at me (who was in the office as well, but I was directing my comment to the DON who IS a nurse) and said very, very arrogantly, we DO have a Nursing Supervisor, we do have staff and we ARE getting the admissions. I was lost for words. The only reason I stayed is because I like the DON.
I am so tired of this. I have been really trying to apply to hospitals and such without so much as consideration for any job. When I worked in the hospital I worked in Critical Care and had my CCRN. But it seems that we don't exist once we are in LTC. My frustration level could be measure on the richter scale at this point. Any insight at all will allow me to consider not drinking draino for breakfast ( I am only trying to be funny). Thanks in advance.
Search Tags None  | | | Advertisement Sponsored Links | | | | No. 3 |
Jan 15, 2009, 07:18 AM
Re: How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
Just curious how many vacation days have you got? can you take a vacation? I had a nurse who quit and lost her pension because of it- when we all encouraged her to take 6 months off and come back. She was adament that she would never set foot in another nsg home again and left. 2 months later she came knocking back on our door for a job, she wanted to come back as if she never left, our CEO would only hire her as a new nurse (lower salary) SHe ended up going to a worse facility for less pay (her pride) after trying hosp nsg and deciding it wasn't any better
the grass is always greener....
My advice: take a vacation, clear your head, take some time off and try something else but hold onto your job - good ones are like husbands- hard to find!!!
| | No. 4 |
Jan 15, 2009, 08:41 AM
Re: How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
I left LTC after about 4 yrs., applied at a local hospital and got hired on the spot, that was 3 yrs ago, I haven't looked back. My worst night at the hospital is still like a vacation after working LTC. That's just my experience. I never say never, but I hope I never have to go back to work at a nursing home. Just from reading the posts and some of the pts. we get at the hospital, things aren't getting any better in LTC. I don't blame the staff, it's the politics that is involved that makes everything so unbearable. Keep looking, there is something out there for you. And God bless all LTC nurses and aides, there is a special place in heaven for all of you that are able to hang in there for all those underserved pts. that really need you.
| | No. 5 |
Jan 15, 2009, 10:11 AM
Re: How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
Take a vacation if you have one due.
Don't give up...keep looking for that hospital job....it will come!!
| | No. 7 |
Jan 15, 2009, 02:29 PM
Re: How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
How do you feel about Psych? I did it for 12 years, I am now doing Med/Surg Tele for the past 2 years, but they always need psych nurses and the work load is not that bad. Or go get your ACLS, that might help you get into a hospital setting. Jilda
| | No. 8 |
Jan 16, 2009, 05:08 AM
Re: How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
Thank you so much to everyone who replied! Yesterday was sooooo ugly. 7 admissions, of which 5 were on my floor. I had 2 people being sent out because of major medical changes to the er, one of which was a resident that just returned!!! Then the medics want to get into a holier than thou debate over what is "critical.", of which I'd really like to say some choice words to them about "just take him and do some freaking cardiac enzymes on him, if I were in a hospital I would have been able to do the labs and EKG myself!!" The man was diaphoretic and ready to pass out, UGHHHHHHH! Then I had a resident with a new change in mental status who is a brittle diabetic....but her sugar was not so bad. Needless to say, I was SUPPOSED to be done at 4:30, and didn't get out of there until 20 of 7 at night. Again. I only got to scarf down a piece of mac and cheese that was given to me in about 5 minutes for lunch. Then I had a 45 minute ride home. What a treat. Not to mention the bickering between regular staff and had a new agency nurse that had never been to my facility.
I did apply for my license in the state that I live in so I can find a job that is much closer to home. I have just been discouraged at the lack of response of the applications that I am putting out there, with one specifically being able to be viewed "status" of the online application and seeing "sorry, not considered". What, you didn't even MEET me and judge by paper only? I have gone in person to some hospitals only to be told that they do everything online now and go home to apply that way.
But as some of you have expressed, I will continue to have my hope that better is on the way. I will be searching career builder today. I do not have to go back until Wednesday of next week! I refuse to believe that I have to stay in such hostile conditions!
| | No. 9 |
Jan 18, 2009, 12:25 PM
Re: How to get out of LTC !!!! Need Insight Please!
I am also very frustrated with long term care. I absolutely cannot stand it anymore. I am almost to the point where I would rather quite my job and live off of my savings (which is not much) until I find something else. I would rather quite nursing altogether then to do this for another year. I am a nervous wreck and every-time I go to work I try to have a positive attitude, but leave on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I am tired of the politics, working conditions, laziness, and abuse from staff as well as family members that I am experiencing for no particular reason except that they are just mean.
I can't wait to get out. I am so miserable.
I hope we all get out, but I also hope the nursing homes are able to keep some good nurses and cna's for the patients sake. I just can't be on of those people.
| | 275 members
2,799 guests 3,074 | 1 | | | 12 | | | 2 | | | 9 | | | 17 | | | 11 | | | 15 | | | 16 | | | 37 | | | 14 | | | 20 | | | 23 | | | 19 | | | 24 | | | 10 | | |
Nursing News