Hospital, LTC, or Both

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Hi everyone,

I am graduating June 19. I currently work as a tech in a hospital and was offered a position TCU unit after graduation. The pay is $11.11/hr. I was also offered a position in a LTC facility with starting pay at $19/hr plus shift differential for nights and weekends. The hospital position is an hour from my home, the LTC is in my town. My question is as a new grad should I work at the hospital for less pay but gain experience, work at the LTC for more pay or work both? BTW, the hospital job is part time 3 days a week and the LTC job is part time nights. Thanks for all advice!!:coollook:

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Specializes in LTAC, Wound Care, Case Management.

If it were me, I would work both. I'm a recent grad currently working weekends in LTC, but plan to get a PRN/PT position at a hospital to keep up with my med/surg experience as well.

Good luck to you!

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Specializes in Mother-Baby, Rehab, Hospice, Memory Care.

Is the $11/hr for LVN or tech? I would have a really difficult time working for $11/hr as an LVN on top of commuting an hour each way. That would be like gas money and I don't know if it would be worth it for me. Why are they only offering $11/hr? That seems extremely low. However getting hospital experience is a positive so I suppose if you can afford to work it, then try to do both jobs for a while.

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The hospital just recently reinstated the use of LPNs in the hospital. I'm not sure why the pay rate is so low. The bad thing is that if I take both jobs, I will have to work every weekend. One on days the other on nights. I was also planning on taking some classes at the university near my house this fall. I wouldn't be able to do that working both jobs...:cry: I guess what it comes down to is money or experience: Which one is better??

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Specializes in ER, Psych, Corrections, Preop, LTC.

Hi I am a LPN with almost two years experience. I was in the rut as you when I graduated but in the end I took the less paying hospital job and supplemented the lower income with perdiem/prn jobs. I have never regretted it, I have learned so much!:wink2: Best of luck to you!

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Specializes in Psych, LTC, Acute Care.

If you are planning on going back to school and getting your RN in the near future, I think you should keep the job at the hospital and work PRN at the nursing home when you want. Are you going to be working 12 hr shifts? You can work 1 day a week at the nursing home. Where do you live? That is the worse pay I have ever seen as a LPN working in the hospital. In my area, the LPNS make $14-15 in the hospital and $18-22 in LTC.

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I know. The pay sucks! I'm in Illinois. The hospital is in southern Illinois and the pay goes dramatically down. I was told that after 6 months the pay would go up to $11.45/hr. I'm concerned with the weather in the winter, but I went to school in the same town as the hospital and I survived commuting in the winter.....

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