How long should I stay?

[EcliftonRN]

This may seem premature, but I was wondering how long I should stay at my first real nursing job. I want to build a good resume so I can get a nice job down the road. I just started my first nursing job and I am in orientation, but I can tell already it isn't something I will really enjoy and it won't allow me to build very many skills. I am working in long term care and my first night was really boring and the only thing I really did nursing-wise was apply anti-fungal creams, passing medications, and tube feedings. Now, I'm not completely a pessimist, I will probably have good experiences, but I did my preceptorship on a busy hospital floor and this was 180 degrees.

The things I honestly don't like about this job are: using little of my nursing skills and BSN knowledge base, over 30 patients to give meds and treatments to which means I don't truly have time to look up all of the meds I don't know... that makes it tough for a new grad, and paper charting. I just think I could get better experience as a new grad in a hospital.

Anyway, how long should I wait it out before starting to look for another job? Even if I do wait say, 6 months or even a year, will it look like good experience for a med-surg job at a hospital? Will this help with getting a job? When should I start looking for a better job? This economy is killing me, I couldn't wait around for hospitals to call me so I took this job, I want it to look good on a resume but I'm still wet behind the ears so I need advice. Thanks in advance!

[NC Girl BSN]

It really depends on your market. I suggest to work in LTC and continue applying for a job in a hospital. If you get the job then take it and put in your resignation. I worked in LTC as a LPN before I got my RN and I like the hospital but IMO the responsibility makes the hospital job more stressful then the LTC job. Good Luck!

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Anyway, how long should I wait it out before starting to look for another job? Even if I do wait say, 6 months or even a year, will it look like good experience for a med-surg job at a hospital? Will this help with getting a job? When should I start looking for a better job? This economy is killing me, I couldn't wait around for hospitals to call me so I took this job, I want it to look good on a resume but I'm still wet behind the ears so I need advice. Thanks in advance!

IMO, working at the long-term place and getting some experience is better than not working and getting no experience. Look at it this way: you're using some nursing skills (maybe not as much as you would in a hospital, but more than you would if you sat on the couch at home), you're getting experience in a facility, you're developing your documentation and charting skills, and you're learning time management. I think all that looks a lot better to employers than having a 3-to-6-or-more-month gap on your resume because you did nothing at all except job hunt.

However, if you're not happy at the LTC place, I wouldn't wait 6-12 months to leave it. I also vote for keeping your current job but continuing to apply to hospital jobs. With the way the market is right now, it might be quite a while before you find something at one of the hospitals anyway--but at least you'd be making money and racking up experience in the meantime.