Changing jobs

When I started out in acute care nursing, it was after 4 years as a nurse in long-term care. You are comparing very different atmospheres but I found that my LTC background was invaluable to me in the transition to a hospital position. The benefits that I found to a background in LTC were as follows: First, time management was a key. While I had not yet had patients with the same general acuity in LTC, I could get through two medication passes and a treatment pass for 30 residents in an eight hour shift. While not all residents needed something on each pass, there were about 15-20 patients that required something each time, and that was in addition to getting pulled in to assist with patient care activities because we were almost always short staffed on techs. That was very helpful when approaching a 7-8 patient night shift patient assignment. Second, in the LTC facility on nights there were even more limited resources than in the hospital. My aides were key in helping to identify patients that needed more assessment, and I needed to use my assessment skills to determine whether a call to charge and the covering provider was sufficient, or the patient needed a trip to the ED. Also, I learned out to build relationships with my CNAs and fellow nurses, with all the attitudes and issues that go with dealing with coworkers. 

Many people look at LTC nursing as babysitting, and I have seen so many threads about nurses fearing they will lose their skill set in LTC. Not true! Now I work in the ICU with all the bells, whistles, monitors and resources I should need at my disposable. But, if I couldn't assess a patient properly, a lot of that fancy stuff couldn't make me a strong nurse. 

You can learn the task portion of nursing in the hospital, how to hang medications and blood, the interventions that will be appropriate for patients with that acuity. Don't downplay the strong background you have after working in the challenging work environment of LTC. Good luck with your job search!

If you weren't nervous, I'd be worried- it's only natural!

Don't let that temporary emotion control your long term goals...

Thanks! I was at my 1st facility for 5 years, the last 3 as Unit Manager, a position I got after only 2 years as a nurse. Currently, I work Fri-Sun 7a-7p and talk about no resources or staff on the weekends! I am very comfortable with managing a resident load with a heavy med pass and developing rapport with other staff and providers. I know there are the so-called “soft skills” I have learned in LTC will transfer well into acute care, like time management. You can’t survive, let alone thrive in LTC unless you can do that and prioritize tasks. 
I can knock out a 3 hour medpass, wound care, charting and another medpass in an 8 hour shift no sweat. I know my residents and when something is off I can handle it. What absolutely terrifies me is the ability to recognize changes in someone I haven’t been taking care of for months. Am I going to recognize an emergency situation in time? 

1 hour ago, Cw2014 said:

Am I going to recognize an emergency situation in time? 

Initially, maybe not. But that's why you'll have an orientation with a preceptor and you will develop relationships with the techs and nurses on your floor so you have resources available to help you initially. And yes, with time you will absolutely see and avoid emergencies because of your assessment skills. You can do this. Good luck.