I am a new nurse. I have been doing interviews everywhere and sending more applications than I can keep track of! I had an interview at a LTC facility a few weeks ago. The interview was going great and she asked "Do you have kids?" I had to keep my jaw from dropping. I stammered, "no..." She then asked, "Are kids in your near future?" At this point I was annoyed and said "Yes they are!" She gave me a worried look. She told me to call her at a later date to follow up, but I never did. I don't want to work in a place that behaves in that manner. If I got pregnant, I do not want to fear for my job!
COME ON! Isn't this illegal? I learned in my management class during nursing school that you can't ask about race/family/personal life/religion/sexual orientation/etc. And if you want to inquire about kids, you ask something like "Would anything prevent you from working 2nd shift?"
You don't want to work for LTC/LTAC anyways; I know this might be a bias that acute care hospital RNs have towards LTC nurses, but they don't have very good reputation among us (or at least from what I hear from others). I am not surprised LTC interviewer stooped that low... kind of common for them?
What in the world does this have to do with anything the OP was talking about? If you have such a bias against LTC nurses, perhaps it would do you some good to walk a mile in our shoes. Let me help:
(This is for the majority of LTC facilities - I know some are different)
1) Our patient load can be up to 50 patients depending on the shift.
2) We are required to administer medications, perform treatments, assess, chart, call MDs, take orders, coordinate referrals on all of these patients.
3) Many of us do not have charge nurses to pick up some of these tasks.
4) We do not have respiratory therapists, code teams, or IV teams. We are responsible for these tasks ourselves.
5) We have a limited amount of medications available for emergency use. Some have on-site pharmacies, but if they do, they're not 24 hours/day. Places like assisted living facilities may not even have that.
6) LTC/SNFs are the MOST LEGALLY REGULATED facilities in the country. And you thought you had it bad. Our legal requirements and restrictions keep us from doing a lot of things, and that's what sends these patients to you.
7) We are unable to provide emergency care beyond the basics. We do not have a doctor on staff to make emergency decisions and assist. We provide first aid, or CPR and off to the hospital they go. Not because we don't want to help, but because we CAN'T either by law or policy. In some places, like assisted living, we can't even raise someone's HOB up, because they're not in hospital beds. So respiratory distress goes straight to the hospital.
8) We have an incredibly high turnover rate of nurses and CNAs because the work is exhausting and the stress can kill you. We've had nurses have heart attacks at work, one had a mental health crisis in the middle of her shift, a few losses of consciousness because of dehydration, back injuries galore, and instead of 7 patients that might gripe and moan and try to physically injure you, we have 20.
9) Families are ubiquitous. They are there all the time (we don't have "visiting hours," they can visit any time for however long they want), and they are usually mad about something we have no control over.
10) We care for hospice patients, ortho patients, neuro patients, dialysis patients, ARFs, ARDs, COPDs, dementia, CHFs, S/P CABGs, S/P pacers, SBOs, ostomy patients, TPN patients, non-healing wounds, immunocompromised patients, communicable diseases, psych patients, etc. There is no such thing as an "ortho floor" or whatever, so there is no specializing. We get all kinds of patients, and since hospitals are sending post ops to us before the patient even farts, we are providing acute care to 20+ patients.
What in the world does this have to do with anything the OP was talking about? If you have such a bias against LTC nurses, perhaps it would do you some good to walk a mile in our shoes. Let me help:
(This is for the majority of LTC facilities - I know some are different)
1) Our patient load can be up to 50 patients depending on the shift.
2) We are required to administer medications, perform treatments, assess, chart, call MDs, take orders, coordinate referrals on all of these patients.
3) Many of us do not have charge nurses to pick up some of these tasks.
4) We do not have respiratory therapists, code teams, or IV teams. We are responsible for these tasks ourselves.
5) We have a limited amount of medications available for emergency use. Some have on-site pharmacies, but if they do, they're not 24 hours/day. Places like assisted living facilities may not even have that.
6) LTC/SNFs are the MOST LEGALLY REGULATED facilities in the country. And you thought you had it bad. Our legal requirements and restrictions keep us from doing a lot of things, and that's what sends these patients to you.
7) We are unable to provide emergency care beyond the basics. We do not have a doctor on staff to make emergency decisions and assist. We provide first aid, or CPR and off to the hospital they go. Not because we don't want to help, but because we CAN'T either by law or policy. In some places, like assisted living, we can't even raise someone's HOB up, because they're not in hospital beds. So respiratory distress goes straight to the hospital.
8) We have an incredibly high turnover rate of nurses and CNAs because the work is exhausting and the stress can kill you. We've had nurses have heart attacks at work, one had a mental health crisis in the middle of her shift, a few losses of consciousness because of dehydration, back injuries galore, and instead of 7 patients that might gripe and moan and try to physically injure you, we have 20.
9) Families are ubiquitous. They are there all the time (we don't have "visiting hours," they can visit any time for however long they want), and they are usually mad about something we have no control over.
10) We care for hospice patients, ortho patients, neuro patients, dialysis patients, ARFs, ARDs, COPDs, dementia, CHFs, S/P CABGs, S/P pacers, SBOs, ostomy patients, TPN patients, non-healing wounds, immunocompromised patients, communicable diseases, psych patients, etc. There is no such thing as an "ortho floor" or whatever, so there is no specializing. We get all kinds of patients, and since hospitals are sending post ops to us before the patient even farts, we are providing acute care to 20+ patients.
Give us a freaking break.
Well, my words did come out wrong in a way; my criticism is partially towards to LTC nurses who do not give rat's rear about their patients, but also just the fact that you guys have to have it so hard in LTC. The countless times I pulled a foley out of LTC-transferred pt... and when the foley came out, it had disgusting tissues along with it, urine extremely foul, many patients who didn't have any oral care, perineal care, skin care... I remember one of my preceptors couple years ago and I was assisting her with caring a newly arrived pt from LTC, and she was in such a poor condition, dirty and uncared for, nasty UTI from unchanged foley, and she said "if this was my mother, I will be so ****** off", and yap, that was my first impression of LTC, along with additional ones that I had to experience while working.
not necessarily saying that all LTC nurses are negligent and unskilled and doesn't care; I believe there are good breeds in every field, and unfortunately bad ones in them too, but to be a good one in LTC is very hard since like you said, the turn over is so high and there are reasons for that. They don't promote a healthy working environment for you or for the patients in general, and that's that. I do understand that this is an opinion, and from what I have seen so far, that's how I feel. I don't know if my anger is towards nurses or the facility culture... probably more on the latter. apologies if you are the hard worker who gets it tough.
I had an interview once where I was asked if I was married or engaged or if I had children. Big no no to ask any question like that. And, you're right. You don't want to work for a place like that.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Thanks for the encouragement! :) I am happy to say I have a call-back interview today. Fingers crossed! And they are a GREAT facility!
Hope it's not with the flake who asked the inappropriate questions! If so, I see no reason not to "finesse the question" (just a more flowery version of CrunchRN's advice :-)) All the best!
Not the place to hijack OP's thread re interview questions.
Some of us long-time LTC nurses could tell you stories that would curl your hair re 'golden hospital' care. Good places and not so good places everywhere. Just like good staff and not so good staff; good interviewers and not so good ones (like OP had).
When I interviewed for my second nursing job, after the first one was cancelled, the interviewer asked 2 illegal questions during the phone screen. I should've seen it as an omen. I accepted their job offer despite my misgivings, which was a bad idea.
When I interviewed for my second nursing job, after the first one was cancelled, the interviewer asked 2 illegal questions during the phone screen. I should've seen it as an omen. I accepted their job offer despite my misgivings, which was a bad idea.
If you don't mind sharing what kinds of questions you were asked?
Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.
I believe that a nurse is a nurse. Just because one nurse works in the hospital, or home care, or LTC, does not make them ANY less of a nurse. We all choose different paths in accordance to our passions, what's available, and what just "fits" us. I love the elderly, so I am looking forward to any career opportunities in LTC. :) As a new nurse, I cannot wait to learn from my new colleagues and gain some experience!
I am also sorry to hear that others have been asked inappropriate questions during interviews. You wonder what goes through their minds to think it's okay?
Specializes in Cardiac, ER, Pediatrics, Corrections.
@nursel56 Don't worry! This was a totally different facility. (And it went great!) I have no desire to work for the other place who asked me the child question.
NurseDirtyBird
425 Posts
What in the world does this have to do with anything the OP was talking about? If you have such a bias against LTC nurses, perhaps it would do you some good to walk a mile in our shoes. Let me help:
(This is for the majority of LTC facilities - I know some are different)
1) Our patient load can be up to 50 patients depending on the shift.
2) We are required to administer medications, perform treatments, assess, chart, call MDs, take orders, coordinate referrals on all of these patients.
3) Many of us do not have charge nurses to pick up some of these tasks.
4) We do not have respiratory therapists, code teams, or IV teams. We are responsible for these tasks ourselves.
5) We have a limited amount of medications available for emergency use. Some have on-site pharmacies, but if they do, they're not 24 hours/day. Places like assisted living facilities may not even have that.
6) LTC/SNFs are the MOST LEGALLY REGULATED facilities in the country. And you thought you had it bad. Our legal requirements and restrictions keep us from doing a lot of things, and that's what sends these patients to you.
7) We are unable to provide emergency care beyond the basics. We do not have a doctor on staff to make emergency decisions and assist. We provide first aid, or CPR and off to the hospital they go. Not because we don't want to help, but because we CAN'T either by law or policy. In some places, like assisted living, we can't even raise someone's HOB up, because they're not in hospital beds. So respiratory distress goes straight to the hospital.
8) We have an incredibly high turnover rate of nurses and CNAs because the work is exhausting and the stress can kill you. We've had nurses have heart attacks at work, one had a mental health crisis in the middle of her shift, a few losses of consciousness because of dehydration, back injuries galore, and instead of 7 patients that might gripe and moan and try to physically injure you, we have 20.
9) Families are ubiquitous. They are there all the time (we don't have "visiting hours," they can visit any time for however long they want), and they are usually mad about something we have no control over.
10) We care for hospice patients, ortho patients, neuro patients, dialysis patients, ARFs, ARDs, COPDs, dementia, CHFs, S/P CABGs, S/P pacers, SBOs, ostomy patients, TPN patients, non-healing wounds, immunocompromised patients, communicable diseases, psych patients, etc. There is no such thing as an "ortho floor" or whatever, so there is no specializing. We get all kinds of patients, and since hospitals are sending post ops to us before the patient even farts, we are providing acute care to 20+ patients.
Give us a freaking break.