Here we go again

[AngiereeRN, ADN, BSN]

I posted a while back about having trouble getting assignments because I'm an LTAC nurse (as in long term ACUTE care). LTACs are certified as acute care, it's not a nursing home. It's a form of extended acute care, average 25 days, for medically complex and, sometimes, critically ill patients too sick to go to skilled care or rehab. We see vents,trachs, wound vacs, chest tubes, feeding tubes,central lines etc sometimes all these things in one patient! We often admit patients straight from the ICU.

NedRN suggested I re-brand myself as a PCU nurse since the care is similar (by the way, thanks NedRN ). I tried that, having my written references emphasize the types of patients instead of the name LTAC. Spoke to my recruiter and she said they still consider me a long term care nurse. I explained, again, how it's not LTC and she said "What's the difference?". I wanted to scream because I've been over it with her, I even sent her the definition of LTAC from the medicare website, where it says that LTAC is not LTC! After all that, hunting my references down and having them go through the trouble of filling out the proper forms explaining the type of patients, it did no good! LTACs admit med/surg, pcu, and sometimes critical care patients so why is it that they won't even submit me to med/surg positions? This has been a problem with multiple agencies. I've worked my butt off at an LTAC for almost 3 years, they are hard places to work with high levels of acuity, all to have someone basically tell me that I'm not qualified to take care of med/surg patients because THEY don't understand what LTACs are.

I get the confusion, there are only 400 LTACs nationwide, even on this forum people continue to post about long term care in the LTAC forum, but if you are a recruiter and you've had it explained to you, what is the problem? NedRN, I can't send PMs yet, do you have anymore suggestions since you're an experienced traveler?

[NedRN]

There are hundreds of agencies out there, keep talking to new ones. They don't have to be convinced of your job description, just willing to send your profile out to assignments you believe you are qualified for. Smaller, hungrier agencies are probably your best bet. Don't fill out an LTC skills checklist.

Another way to go is to get a per diem step down (or progressive care) job or even a staff job to validate your skills on your work history. That's more work and time, but if you have to...

[AngiereeRN, ADN, BSN]

Thanks for the advice. Getting another med/surg or pcu staff job is something I might have to do but I really wanted to travel for a year or two before settling down. I'm going to keep trying for a little bit longer and see what happens.

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

This makes me wonder if LTAC should be called something else. Continual Acute Care? Extended Critical Care?

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

This makes me wonder if LTAC should be called something else. Continual Acute Care? Extended Critical Care?

I have often thought this. So many people including healthcare professionals do not understand the difference. I can easily understand the confusion.