I fell if I start at a ltc I am destroying my career

[expo4u]

I never ever had to desire to work with the elderly, or in a ltc. I want to work in a hospital and that is what I went to nursing school for. I have applied many many positions and feel as if a supervisor whom has never seen me work, is blackballing me. She at one point told me "I don't like male nurses". She told me to apply at ltc. The recruiter for this hospital the same I was working in as a tech has a ltc also, said I thought we agreed you wanted ltc. I said I have never talked to you about ltc. So obviously the supervisor has talked to the recruiter. All other interviews seemed good until they make a call? If I do start in LTC is my career ended there? I worked and owe thousand and thousands and one person whom has never seen me work is going to destroy it. What am I going to do. I am declaring bankruptcy because of this and may soon be homeless. If I take a job in ltc I know I wont be able to stay long.

[caliotter3]

If I take a job in ltc I know I wont be able to stay long.

Why do you say this? If you take a job in LTC you won't be destroying your career. People destroy their career by staying at home, unemployed, instead of doing what it takes to get that first job. If that means LTC, or relocating, then that is what it takes. In spite of what is happening to you at this hospital, you need to get out there to get that job. Look at your atttitude because you can't let negativity show at an interview. That will kill a chance at a job. Good luck.

[female12233]

Starting at a long term care facility in way destroys your career. Wheather you have a real passion for working with the elderly or not is besides the point. Further more I worked in LTC and I worked home health before going to the hospital and it was because of all my experience that I got hired with the first interview I went on. Not to mention the fact that there are several nurses who have been RN's for at the very least 2 years now that went straight to the hospital and don't know anything different. The great thing about nursing is that there are so many different areas to work in and if you don't like one then you can always move on to another one. There are so many young nurses that start out and are scared and only know one thing one "speciality" don't short change yourself by doing that especially if you need the money. Further more, any job in nursing gets you experience and if you don't use your skills you will loose them especially since your a new nurse. I went to school with this one girl both for my LPN and my Rn and after LPN school she didnt want to work in a nursing home and didnt even try hospitals because someone fed her a line of hosp. not taking LPN. So she went back to working at walmart it wasnt until i started working home health and got her a job that she started in nursing still to this day nearly 3 years later even after RN school she still works at the same home health company even at the same house i got her assigned to. It's not because she likes it there in fact she hates to but she keeps making excuses for why she hasnt left when in reality it boils down to the fact that shes scared. New jobs mean new experiences and being the new kid and yeah thats freaky in the beginning but if you stick with it you might just learn a thing or two and hell maybe even find a new specialty that you like dispite of what you thought before. idk this is my rant d/t her behavior i just dont want anyone else going down this same path

[heathert_kc]

All I would suggest is keep an open mind, look at all possible opportunities as the next great adventure. I don't think it is a career ruiner by any means. There are lots of different areas that nurses work in have you considered home health, clinic, or correctional (they actually like to hire males, cause they don't scare as easy) nursing. The possibilities are nearly endless.

[MnemonicFanatic]

I was an EMT for many years before becoming a nurse, and I was adamant about never working in an LTC facility. I had seen too much and decided it was not for me. I graduated the nursing program, and where am I working? Yup, LTC. No, it wasn't my first choice. In fact, it wasn't even my last choice. However, after recently moving to a state where the job prospects seemed to be more abundant, it turns out the hospitals are not as new nurse friendly as they first appeared. I was told repeatedly that without at least a year's experience, they don't hire 'new' nurses. So, here I am, working at an extended care facility, gaining that year's experience.

I have found that although LTC still isn't the field I want to be in, it is giving me a good experience to start my career with. It is a different kind of nursing, and while you don't use your skills as extensively as you would in a hospital, you are still assessing, making nursing decisions, charting, handing out meds, dealing with doctors and families at all hours of the day and night, doing admissions, discharges and transfers, putting up with administration, and being part of a team where not everyone may be a team player. Just like in a hospital, but without the mad rush and hectic pace...but, there are shifts that you'll have to stay the extra hour or so to finish charting because the residents kept you hopping from the time you walked on the floor to the time you reported off to the next shift. My feet hurt just as much at the end of my shift here in LTC as I'm sure they would in any hospital. And, the call bells work the same no matter where you go...and its like a universal language- all the residents or patients know how to speak 'call bell'!:chuckle

No, I don't think that LTC is the 'end' for anyone's career, especially if you want to be in a different field. Keep it in the back of your mind that you are using it as a learning experience, take from it all that you can, and just keep telling yourself that its a stepping stone to get you where you want to be. Something more to your liking will turn up, just keep looking.