I don't want to work in LTC... Will someone change my attitude?

[firefly101]

Hey everyone. I graduate this May with a BSN and expect that I will struggle to find a hospital job just like every other new grad out there. I'm in northern MN hoping to move to the metro twin cities area, but I am sure that it is just saturated with nurses. A few of my friends who graduated this winter refuse to apply to LTC facilities, but now are still without jobs and eventually it may be their only option, as well as mine. I hate the idea... Part of is the horror stories Ive been told with working at LTC, and part of it is family pressure. I also remember dreading clinical at the nursing home. The nurses always seemed to be falling behind, stressed, WAY undervalued/under-appreciated, and obviously disliked their jobs... But I may just have to suck it up for the first year or two until I gain enough experience to be considered for a hospital position. I realize that a lot of this is attitude. I'm just afraid of getting burnt out or risking my license. So I'm pretty much asking for someone to tell me some of the pros of working in LTC. What are some of your positive experiences? Do you have any advice for a new grad in LTC? Is LTC nursing really that bad? And if it really is terrible... how can I avoid burnout and make the most of the experience?

[Nonetheless]

I don't care if nursing home nurses spend the day handling G-tubes. Skills are like riding a bicycle, you can spend a few days learning them to become an expert.

Tell me if there is room for growth in nursing homes.

will i have a decent chance of building a career?

of doing research?

Of getting into a top graduate school?

of getting better pay as i progress?

Of being able to grow and develop professionally?

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

I don't care if nursing home nurses spend the day handling G-tubes. Skills are like riding a bicycle, you can spend a few days learning them to become an expert.

Tell me if there is room for growth in nursing homes.

will i have a decent chance of building a career?

of doing research?

Of getting into a top graduate school?

of getting better pay as i progress?

Of being able to grow and develop professionally?

I think I stated this before in response to a post a while ago...

The DON that I work with went from CNA to DON.

Some go from med nurse to unit sup to unit manager. Some go one to be infection control specialist or clinical educators.

Yes, there's opportunities for growth in LTC...only if YOU want it.

[nursel56]

Is it true that if you work in LTC as a new grad you can kiss working anywhere else goodbye?

This ranks high on the list of things that have been upended in the last 5 to 7 years. It harkens back to the days when nurses graduated and decided where they would like to work.

Another would be the frequent advice to work on a general med/surg floor for a year. If that truism applied to recent new grads some would end up remaining unemployed forever.

I think by now most HR people know at least some of what new grads are facing based on the large number of applications for each open job.

[SquishyRN, BSN, RN]

I don't care if nursing home nurses spend the day handling G-tubes. Skills are like riding a bicycle you can spend a few days learning them to become an expert. Tell me if there is room for growth in nursing homes. will i have a decent chance of building a career? of doing research? Of getting into a top graduate school? of getting better pay as i progress? Of being able to grow and develop professionally?[/quote']

As Ladyfree said, there are opportunities in LTC if YOU want it.

Will I have a decent chance of building a career?

Yes. Ladyfree isn't the only one who knows a DON who started as a CNA and then worked their way up. I know many in fact. I personally don't know a single DON who hasn't ever pushed a med cart in LTC. In my opinion, based off my own personal experiences, it's actually easier to move up in a nursing home than in a hospital. Because these facilities are generally smaller, your work gets recognized a lot easier. You become a more valuable member of the facility instead of just another floor nurse.

Of doing research? Of getting into a top graduate school?

No matter where you work, YOU determine how far you can go. I know a nurse who knew from the very beginning she wanted to work in LTC because she has a passion for working with the elderly. She's only ever worked in LTC and wanted to investigate ways and implement programs to address the needs of Alzheimer's and dementia patients. In fact, she's only ever worked in assisted living, so she's never even practiced the "skills" new nurses think are so darn impressive such as starting IVs, managing vents, titrating drips, etc. Yet she got into University of Washington's Master's program. If you didn't know, UW's graduate program is ranked #1 by USNews, tied with Johns Hopkins and UPenn. Not bad for someone who's only ever worked in a nursing home and has never started an IV or inserted a foley in her career, don't you think?

Of getting better pay as I progress?

Those DONs that I mentioned earlier? Each of them make six figures. Enough said.

Of being able to grow and develop professionally?

You will grow and develop in any setting if you choose to. You can remain complacent and stagnant in any setting as well. As mentioned several times before, that's all up to YOU.