I don't want to work in a nursing home...

[ProudStudent]

As a student, I have been asked by many people "what field are you interested in working?". My answer is always something along the lines of being very open minded, except I have figured out that I never want to work in a nursing home. People look at me as if I've said something offensive.

Okay, so maybe you're asking why? I find it depressing, monotonous and I cannot see myself spending my career doing ADLs and nothing really "clinical". I really have an urge to be inside the hospitals, performing skills to help those needing acute care. In order to stay open minded, I'm curious to find out why others may desire to work in LTC environments. So, what's the deal?

[Ashke]

Woah!!! Ok, I appreciate the responses from everyone but need to make myself VERY clear. I did say "In order to stay open minded, I'm curious to find out why others may desire to work in LTC environments." I never meant to discredit anyone who works in the field, nor did I have intentions of having judged harshly and prematurely and I don't see how what I said was any different than someone saying "I don't want to work in Oncology" or "I don't see myself working in Pediatrics"; etc.

I think the tone of your original post may have just given a negative vibe. When someone says 'I don't see myself in a nursing home' I am more inclined to think that they have determined that they do not have the tenacity to excel or enjoy the role. When someone says 'I never want to work in a nursing home,' I sense aversion and disdain which may put someone on the defensive, especially if they are a part of LTC (like a worker or a resident/patient). You probably didn't mean it to sound disdainful, I'm sure. Maybe just use words that are less strong. It is like it says in the bible: "A soft answer turneth away wrath."

[SoundRN7]

I've never worked in a LTC facility, and though it would not be my first choice in a nursing career, I think it would be very rewarding. I did spend time in LTC during clinical and visited one often when my grandmother lived there, and those nurses really worked their butts off. The elderly have a lot of wisdom to share with us younger gals and guys. I seriously love the elderly patients! Okay, so maybe some of them can be pains, but that holds true for any age group.

[RNintraining72]

I think it's your decision and if it's not what interest you than so be it! Do what interests you and makes you happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[ltcnurs5]

I'm so tired of hearing how new nurses think they are better off getting NO experience versus getting some experience in a nursing home. I am a new grad and there are a lot of girls who I graduated with who are still unemployed because they cannot get over the fact that a big hospital doesn't want to hire them. I also applied to hospitals and realistically saw the writing on the wall very quickly. I then stopped in to all the local nursing homes to complete applications. Two weeks later, I was offered a FT days position on the sub acute floor and the rest is history. I have learned sooooo much, and I feel very lucky to have a NURSING job in this economy. I have worked my butt off, had to figure out a lot of stuff by myself, and am challenged every day. It basically comes down to the patients.

I approach my "monotonous" tasks (NEWS FLASH - every job has monotonous tasks, not just LTC) by reminding myself that I am helping the elderly live a happy & comfortable end to their life. You begin to see the patients as people with very interesting life stories. You begin to see their quirks & personalities, and then they say something touching to you like "I'll hem your scrub pants for you" or "I wish I could take you home" or "where were you yesterday I was looking for you" and you begin to realize LTC isn't all that bad. I have treatments every day. Discharges, admissions, death pronouncements, PICCs, VENTS, trachs, IVs, Peg tubes & ostomy bags. An earlier post hit the nail on the head: the medicare and medicaid rules are getting tighter and tighter. Patients are being pushed out of the hospital earlier and earlier. The healthcare system is changing and will continue to become more and more cost cutting due to Obama.... So, perhaps new grad nurses need to take their nose out of the air and become more oriented to reality. Good luck!

[BrandonLPN, LPN]

Do some research. Subacute and skilled nursing centers are the future of health care. Inpatient hospital nursing jobs aren't going to disappear, but they will diminish as time goes by. It will be interesting to see what happens to the traditional med surg floor. It seems like hospitals are increasingly focused on the ICU, L&D, surgery and the ER. More and more traditionally med surg post op patients will likely be shipped directly to a SNF rehab. Relatively stable ER admits who require observation might get discharged directly to a subacute facility rather than an expensive inpatient hospital floor. Getting your foot I'm the door in a SNF might become a better career move than starting on a med surg floor.

[DSkelton711]

"I find it depressing, monotonous and I cannot see myself spending my career doing ADLs and nothing really "clinical"." (quote from OP)

I think this is why people have responded that you may have been the one who was being judgmental. It sounds like you do not know much about today's nursing homes. Never a dull moment. You want to take care of an unstable population? That would be the elderly. Geriatrics/Gerontology is a specialty that one can become certified in. Keep the mind open, but also realize making blanket statements about NHs will get some feedback! Good Luck in your career.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

There's a huge misconception about LTC. We use all the same clinical skills that you would on a med surg unit, and then some. Plus, you have all the added psych issues to go with it. Don't discount nursing homes until you've made an informed opinion.

[LCinTraining]

I don't want to do nursing homes either, however not for the reasons cited. I've worked in them. I adored the elderly, however, you get to know them, and then...inevitably, every patient you have is much closer to death than the average human. It downright depresses me.

I currently work in an accute rehab facility. It's still long term, but we discharge humans home. We don't discharge them to the morgue. Well, normally. Once in a while someone may die, but normally we have happy endings. I internalize death too much and I know it wouldn't be good for me to be surrounded by people who I know I will become attached to and have to say the sad goodbye to, as oppesed to "see you on the streets!".

[mrsmoore213]

When I was a CNA and just starting out in nursing school, I too thought "I will never work in a nursing home." I saw the nurses at the med cart constantly and wondered why anyone would want to just pass meds all day and never do anything exciting. I also figured the nurses in nursing homes must just be awful and can't find a job anywhere else.

...then stuff got real...

In my med/surg clinical rotations, I learned I had no desire to work in a hospital. It was one of those things you had to experience in order to learn. I've never wanted to work L&D, the OR bored the crap out of me. CCU/ICU/ED all seemed like super exciting places where I would get to be a hero all the time and everybody would always respect and admire me for working there. Then I had a family member who ended up in CCU and learned what life was really like for nurses in those units. I greatly admire and respect nurses in all of these fields. You've heard the saying "It takes a special kind of person to do this job?" I think that about all hospital nurses. It is SO not for me, and I'm happy there are so many who enjoy it so I don't have to do it.

So I went and got a job in a nursing home. It was a struggle at first, it's hard work. There's no such thing as being bored in a nursing home. Emergencies happen all the time. People die, people go home better, people suffering from delerium take swings at everybody. Never a dull moment. Always on my feet, running around putting out fires. And I love (almost) every minute of it. It took me a while to find a good place to work, there are plenty of nursing homes everywhere that treat their staff like garbage, especially in this economy, because they can. I'm now at a place I'd recommend to anybody getting out of the hospital but still needing more care.

To make a long story short, if I would have gone with my original assumptions about LTC/SAC nursing, I would be very unhappy in a job that wasn't for me. This is something you just don't know until you get some experience with it. Don't jump to any conclusions before you really see what it's like. LTC may not be for you. It certainly isn't for everyone. But it's taken me the last 7 years of nursing to realize where I want to be in the next 10. Just see what happens...

Sorry I'm such a wind-bag, I have a day off!

Your post says LTC/SAC nursing, where do u work?

[Daisy_08, BSN, RN]

I do WAY more ADLs in the hospital then in ltc

[jellybean321]

Although I'm not a nurse yet, I work in a nursing home, so I get to see first hand the life of a LTC nurse everyday and they are definitely not just doing ADLs. I think thats a huge misconception by a lot of people. Obviously they arent doing what a hospital nurse would do but they certainly have their hands full. To stay entirely open minded, I would suggest going through clinical rotations first and see what you like the best because then you have more of an understanding of each area in Nursing and can figure out the best fit for you. Of course, LTC is not for some people and thats ok because there are plenty other areas in the healthcare field.

Your views/mindset has the capability of changing when you go through certain experiences. For example, I always thought about the idea of being a nurse when I was a teen but then thought that I probably could not do it and wasnt cut out for it and was originally majored in Elementary Education. Then I got a job in LTC and knew I wanted/had to be a nurse. Even after my initial speculation and doubt, I was exposed to a different view of the world of nursing and now I couldn't see myself doing anything else. Like I said earlier, I'm not a nurse yet so I can't speak for how a nurse perceives the LTC setting but this is just my opinion as general healthcare worker in LTC. And years ago, I would tell people the same thing-that I wouldn't be able to handle working in a nursing home. And now I love working in LTC. Things can certainly change =)

[JZ_RN]

I was an RN in LTC and I did lots of "clinical" work. I hated it for other reasons though, the understaffing, the lack of supplies, the lack of respect, violent patients, rude managers, working holidays, etc.