Acute Care after Hospice?

[LPN_2005/RN_10]

I've originally posted this thread on the general nursing forum, but felt I'll probably get some helpful reponses on this forum.

I'm a new grad RN and I will be interviewing for my first RN job soon for the hospice unit. I am worried that employers will view my only RN experience as an hospice nurse being not good enough to apply for med-surg or other acute care units. The hospice position was the only one I was qualified to apply for being a new grad, all of the other positions required a minimum of 1 year experience.

I'm a little bummed out, because I'm thinking that possibly working my 1st RN job as an hospice nurse in this current economy will disqualify me in the future from applying to any hospital job, since I see alot of employers stating they want RN applicants to have at least 1 year acute care experience.

I love hospice and I've worked for a short time as a CNA and LPN in hospice, but feel that getting some acute care experience 1st will help me in the future, especially when I want to apply for other hospital positions.

I know I'm not the only one in this situation that had to apply for non acute care positions in order to start working as an RN, but I want to know if any RNs had any trouble being hired for acute or critical care units after having only hospice or long term care experience?

[MissIt]

So, it's an inpatient hospice? I think it would be fine, especially if you're willing to go to med/surg or something next (or you might end up loving this unit and staying there!!) In my experience, hospitalized hospice patients still have IVs, get meds, wound care, psychiatric issues, all kinds of things that you would see in a more acute setting. Some have trachs, PCA pumps or SQ pain meds, gtubes. There is still patient and family teaching, time management, etc.

[LPN_2005/RN_10]

Yes, it's an inpatient hospice. They also do have trachs, PCA pumps, SQ and IV meds, g/ng tubes and wounds. There is also palliative care patients who is there until there chemo treatment is completed. Since I've been applying at alot of other hospitals, I've seen most of their requirments were "at least one year of acute care experience". I have 5+ years acute care experience as an LPN, but I have doubts they will accept that.

Thanks for your response!

So, it's an inpatient hospice? I think it would be fine, especially if you're willing to go to med/surg or something next (or you might end up loving this unit and staying there!!) In my experience, hospitalized hospice patients still have IVs, get meds, wound care, psychiatric issues, all kinds of things that you would see in a more acute setting. Some have trachs, PCA pumps or SQ pain meds, gtubes. There is still patient and family teaching, time management, etc.

[MissIt]

I definitely think a year in that sort of environment would get you your year for med/surg or other specialties (especially med/onc or something like that!) Palliative care is a specialty that I would consider "acute" and, sometimes, it involves pain management for people who aren't actively dying. As you know from your past experience, people can hang around in hospice for a long time and I'll bet some of these patients are there to give their caregivers a respite and aren't actively dying yet. If you had any trouble with it, you'd just have to change the way you "sold" it...telling future employers that you had worked in with a variety of diagnoses and acuities on a palliative care and hospice unit. On a med/surg or oncology floor, I would think that your specialized knowledge in symptom management would be considered an asset!

[tewdles, RN]

Yes, it's an inpatient hospice. They also do have trachs, PCA pumps, SQ and IV meds, g/ng tubes and wounds. There is also palliative care patients who is there until there chemo treatment is completed. Since I've been applying at alot of other hospitals, I've seen most of their requirments were "at least one year of acute care experience". I have 5+ years acute care experience as an LPN, but I have doubts they will accept that.

Thanks for your response!

From the sounds of it, you need to stop worrying about next year. An inpatient hospice unit is going to give you excellent med/surg experience. The next employer you interview with may be ignorant to this fact, your only job will be to educate them on how smart, and capable, and autonomous you are as a professional RN BECAUSE of your inpatient hospice experience.

[LPN_2005/RN_10]

Thanks for the very helpful responses. I feel so much better now! :)

[mae40]

I think you will be fine also, the key point is to get RN experience. A co-worker was in your same position, she took an in-house Hospice position where I work and in less than a yr. She secured an ICU position at another Hospital. In my opinion hospice is good place to start, we get so much in our unit, there is such a variety of disease processes to manage, you will learn. I think some hosps. are getting harder on new grads, our med/surg prefers new hires to have at least 1 yr exp as a nurse period (in any area). Although they do take new nurses as well.

Congrats and Best Wishes.

[LPN_2005/RN_10]

Thank you Mae40 for the response! I'm now excited about starting hospice!

[mae40]

Don't count yourself out of an opprotunity......Your LPN experience is actually a considering factor...

[caliotter3]

You can not help what you can not help. Hiring managers are very much aware that job opportunities for new grads are few and far between. They do not look for you to have the "bestest, and the mostest" experience. They will be more interested in what you bring to the table with the experience you gain in your first job and what your supervisors have to say about your job performance.

[LPN_2005/RN_10]

I can happily say I was offered and accepted the hospice position. I'm very excited to finally be working as an RN on a unit that needs caring and compassionate nurses!

[caliotter3]

Congratulations!