how can a nursing home nurse get into a hospital job?

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I just need to vent, and maybe ask the wonderful nurses here at AN any ideas as to how I can obtain my goal, that is, to get into a hospital job. I have been working as a nursing home nurse for two years now and have been sending out resumes trying to get into a hospital job, but with no luck. At this point, I am very discouraged. I am tempted to move out of state already just so I could get into a hospital job somewhere else as I found that it is very hard to land on one here in the state of California, particulary in the bay area. My problem is that my husband's job is here and we cannot just up and leave. Also, I am pregnant and on the way to starting a family, which is why I am determined more than ever to get into a hospital job as the pay would be higher and we could use all the financial resources that we can find. But I get rejection letters everytime and it's eating at me already, pushing me down. Any ideas on how a nursing home nurse can get into a hospital job? Thanks.

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do you have only nh experience? have you tried agencies?

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Specializes in LTC, Med-Surge, Ortho.

Don't be too sure that the hospital pay is more than nursing home pay, i know from experience and i make soooo much more at a nursing home compared to the hospital, but it all involves how much experience you have as well. I wish you the best.:nurse:

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Well, I work at a skilled nursing facility, not long term care, and I'm an RN but I have experience in wound care, PICC line dressings, IV insertions, among others. Also, I'm scheduled to take an ACLS course, hoping that will boost up my chances. I haven't tried agencies yet. Think I should?

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@Sweetnurse63 Thank you. It's hard and I'm close to giving up but I'm hanging in there. From what I've heard, nurses in hospitals around here get paid way more than nursing home nurses.

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Try getting as many certifications in skills that you would need in a med surg setting...also perhaps jumping up the ladder from nh to sar and then the a hospital might help.

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Specializes in OB, Women’s health, Educator, Leadership.

I had a hard time as well and was close to volunteering but actually got into the hospital twice and both times through internships offered by the hospitals. Once for ER and the other for OB. Really felt over my head in ER (having only worked at a low level skilled nursing home facility) and ended up transferring out but learned a lot. Then we moved and I saw a hospital advertising OB internship. Bingo. Really wanted to try OB and doubt I would work anywhere else.

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I think you are on the right track and I advise you to continue doing everything you can to get into hospital nursing. Your salary may or may not be higher right away but I'm certain that it would pay off in the long run.

You mentioned that you are pregnant so be really careful about your health insurance. If you are covered by your husband then it won't be a problem but if you are covered by your employer you should stay where you are for now. Also consider whether you have maternity leave where you are now as it is common for those benefits not to kick in until you have passed a 3-month probation.

I wish you the best of luck!

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I gotta say, I'm a NH nurse who finally landed a hospital job and it ain't what I expected. In LTC nurses have a LOT of autonomy and power and here I feel like half of my job is, "Would you like fries with that?" The other half being managing complex, sick people and documenting on it with too low a ratio.

I got in by moving to a rural area and applying, in person, at a hospital desperate for RNs. Also, think and think again and then a third time before switching jobs while pregnant. Sit tight and wait for the shake up your world is about to experience and put job ambitions on hold for now. Trust me. ;)

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Specializes in LTC, Hospice, Case Management.

SueSquatchRN...where you been? Was thinking I missing you just the other day.

Oops - sorry for the thread hijack - carry on.

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SueSquatchRN...where you been? Was thinking I missing you just the other day.

Oops - sorry for the thread hijack - carry on.

That's okay! Email me. I work med/surg - ortho now. Bites.

:)

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Don't be too sure that the hospital pay is more than nursing home pay, i know from experience and i make soooo much more at a nursing home compared to the hospital, but it all involves how much experience you have as well. I wish you the best.:nurse:

This is true, especially in my area. LTC new grad nurses make at least $3-4 more per hour than hospital nurses. PRN and Registry nurses tend to make mid to late thirties per hour. Plus, there is lot of over time in LTC, where in some area in the hospital, when census is short, staff gets cut. I have never heard of a LTC nurses being cut due to census.

As for landing the job in the hospital, sometimes it is all about who you know. I personally know four nurses(three at one hospital and one at another hospital) who landed jobs in the hospitals by their iprogram instructor putting a word in for them, and as for the other one, she worked long term care and had one of the doctors put a word in at the hospital that he worked full time at. Its all about who you know the majority of the time, especially the way this economy is going. Wishing you the best.

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