TWO OFFERS

Enthused RN, BSN, RN · May 9, 2012

Personally I would take the LTAC position ... but that's only because my goal is to work in critical care. What is your goal? What type of unit do you want to ultimately work in?

If you are still trying to figure out what type of unit you want to work in, then you may want to give more weight to the med/surg position. I heard from several people that LTAC hospitals have smaller budgets than the regular hospitals so you're going to have make do with less equipment and staff.

aishaj10 · May 10, 2012

Thats my goal as well. I want to end up in critical care unit.

I got another offer this evening for telemetry unit. So i've pretty much narrowed it down to the Telemetry & LTACH. The tele unit pays the same as the med surg $30 per hour.

In that case do you still think the LTACH will be the best route?

Enthused RN, BSN, RN · May 10, 2012

IMO ... yes. I would go with LTAC still unless you really prefer one hospital over the other. I would also take into account benefits, length of orientation they're offering, the hospital's reputation as an employer, and the possiblity of transferring to a higher acuity unit at the non-LTAC hospitals.

Congratulations BTW on getting THREE offers! That's amazing. Best of luck with your decision.

Merlyn · May 10, 2012

Take the med/surg. The experience is priceless. You have to think in terms of the whole body all the systems. In tel the focus is the heart. You may miss a GI issue or Kidney. I've seen it happen but if you do the med/surg first then you will be more well rounded. LTC can be a Nursing skill killer you do use all the skills that you learn in nursing school that often. Med/surg first then specialize

Enthused RN, BSN, RN · May 10, 2012

Merlyn - it's not a LTC position she's considering but a LTAC position. LTAC is long term acute care ... it's a hospital and not a SNF. With that in mind, do you still recommend the med/surg route?

aishaj10 · May 10, 2012

Thanks so much guys.

I got your point @enthused_nuse2b.

So @merlyn with it being a Long Term Acute Care Hospital & not LTC, do you still recommend the med surg?

I appreciate your views.

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · May 10, 2012

I'd recommend the LTACH. I started out in Pediatric ICU as a new graduate and have never regretted it. I don't feel like I missed out at all without getting the med-surg experience. I also think you're more likely to have the opportunity to float to the ICU if you're working in ICU step-down. Your patients will frequently get worse and have to go back to the ICU, so you'll see critical patients and emergency situations as well. I'd be surprised if you didn't have some patients on telemetry as well. Since your goal is ICU, choose the closest area to get experience. If I were I hiring manager for an ICU, I'd probably consider someone with ICU step down experience over someone with Med-Surg or telemetry.

Merlyn · May 11, 2012

Thanks so much guys.
I got your point @enthused_nuse2b.
So @merlyn with it being a Long Term Acute Care Hospital & not LTC, do you still recommend the med surg?
I appreciate your views.

Yes, You will get use to the patients. It will be the same patients over and over. Everyone needs to have some Med/surg - baptism of fire. I remember my med/surg days. your assessment skill hone to razor sharp edge. I have also work LTAC in was less hectic I loved it. but still I recommend Med/surg. Every day something knew. Also, it will teach you to hold your emotions in check. This my sound crazy(and God knows enough Psych doc have said I am) If someone passes you learn to hold your feeling till the end of the shift. You can have a favorite Patients in long term. They die and you are no good because you will be grieving for them the entire shift. You will not be good for the rest of the patients that are still living. I know I'm not making sense, It's been a horrible day. I hope you get the gist of what I am saying but Med/Surg tuft ens you.

RNT1 · May 25, 2012

Hi! I'm so glad I found this post. I'm in a similar scenario and I need advice from more experience nurses. I am a new graduate and just got offered a job at long term acute care hospital. I also have an interview with a nearby hospital in their med-surg unit. At the long term acute care hospital, they have their own ICU and Med-surg...Should I go ahead and accept the offer from the LTAC or wait on the med-surg interview at the nearby hospital?..also, in the future.if I want to work at another hospital, will they consider my LTAC experience as acute care? any advice is appreciated. =)

NovaRN777 · May 28, 2012

I would do the LTAC hospital