Acute care to LTC

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Specializes in Pediatrics.

I am thinking of changing from acute care in the Hospital to LTC. I'm 50 and starting to think about settling down. I've been travel nursing, NICU, PICU, Peds OR and Peds trauma OR. I have an opportunity to work at what I think is a really nice facility. But I've only ever worked in a hospital. Can this transition be done? Any nurses who moved to LTC regret it? This is going to include some management as well. Any advice for a nurse looking to change careers well not career as in not nursing but a different type of nursing....

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13 years ago I left the acute care setting (med/surg with ortho specialty) and made the transition to LTC. What I found to be the most overwhelming for me was the amount of paperwork....so much more than the hospital setting because of the different regulations. However, the paperwork is easily figured out and as long as you are organized, you should be fine. LTC nursing has been very rewarding to me. Good Luck!

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Specializes in Gerontology, Med surg, Home Health.

Most acute care nurses find it very difficult to make the transition to LTC....I thunk mainly because acute nurses for the most part have no idea of the acuity of the residents in today's facilities and find the sheer number of sick elderly people to be overwhelming. You'll either love it or hate it.

I hope you love it.

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Specializes in Pediatrics.

I've worked in a small community hospital which had about 4-6 LTC people waiting for placement. I enjoyed caring for them. I realize that LTC is getting more and more like acute care. People are living longer with chronic illness which need to be managed. I have a good feeling about this place but I have made some horrible job decisions before... like going back to the OR and hating it for the month I worked there before I quit. It is so hard to know what will be the best choice. I am going to a job fair tomorrow just to see what is out there ( I recently moved back to Canada). Thank you for your input. I appreciate it.

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I would try LTC part time on your days off or stay PRN at a hospital in case LTC doesn't pan out.

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