Interview on Monday in LTC

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Specializes in Cardiac, Nephrology, Emergency Medicine.

I have an interview at a non for profit Continuous Care Retirement home on Monday for a RN in the Skilled Nursing area (they are affiliated with the Presbyterain Church). To make a very long story short, I have been in Acute Care since I became a RN, however Gerontology is my passion. I have always wanted to do Gerontology, it is the reason I became Nurse to begin with (worked as a RA/ Med Tech in Assisted Living while going to Nursing School). I took the Acute route first (because everyone seemed to think that was the better idea). I have worked in Cardiac/ICU and Nephrology and after efectively burning myself out in the hospital (hospital nursing is not for me), I still long and yearn for my geriatric patients. I certainly have a passion and desire to work with them.

I am very excited for this oppurtunity, and hope that the interview goes well.

I would appreciate any advice for the interview. Questions to ask, salary expectations and so on. Any advice is welcomed.

Thank You in advance!

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

for me i expressed desire to be part of the fastest growing area in healthcare....us aging baby boomers......futher i want to avocate for this vunerable, "greatest generation" come on over we need you......my background was critical care, i transitioned well .

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Wanted to wish you good luck on the interview, and let your passion for these dear people shine through!!

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Wanted to wish you good luck on the interview and let your passion for these dear people shine through!![/quote']

Ditto to that! I'm an LPN just starting out in LTC, but it's truly where I want to be- I just love these people.

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Hi,

I work in management with an organization that sounds extremely similar to the one you are describing. My best advice to you is to express that passion for geriatrics that you did in this post. Your experience in acute care will be a benefit since geriatric nursing has changed so dramatically. It has become the med-surg of the past. More and more acute care patients are being treated in the health centers with the goal of discharge back to home or assisted living. Your passion along with your talent will help you to succeed. If you have knowledge of computerized programs for medication delivery and/or documentation it will be a plus as well. You should ask about the staffing patterns and what responsibilities you will have in your position. Salary requirements are different area to area but you will probably be surprised to see that they are pretty competitive with the hospitals. Good luck!

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

Thank God for people like you!!! :) For advice, how about something to the effect of "Gerontology is my passion. I have always wanted to do Gerontology, it is the reason I became Nurse to begin with." You said it beautifully, and I'm sure your love for this population will shine.

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on pins and needles wondering how the interview went

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Specializes in Cardiac, Nephrology, Emergency Medicine.

Interview went really well! However the pay is significantly lower than I was expecting. I live in a "low pay state" but what they offered me was new graduate RN pay. I know money isn't everything, and I really love gerontology, however I cannot quit my Nephrology job for a $4 dollar pay cut. :-(

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oh that's a bummer. So I take it you won't be taking the job then. well hopefully somewhere you will be able to find a job that will allow you to work with the geriatric population that will make a little bit more money. But honestly LTC/Retirment Homes in general don't pay all that well. It's sad but a fact never the less. My sister in law was working in a hospital, but with 5 kids and being a home schooling mother she felt to overwelmed so she wanted a slower not so demanding job and is a RN for a retirment home. Her schedule is not so crazy, and she really likes it a lot. But she says she makes more then 50% less then what she was at the hospital.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Nephrology, Emergency Medicine.

I was really bummed. There is no way that I can take that kind of pay cut, I wouldn't be able to pay my bills. I expected a maybe a dollar less, but not $4. (My hospital doesn't pay a lot and I live in a city that regardless of what people think, has a high cost of living) On the bright side, I do work in Nephrology, so we do have a lot of Geriatric patients there, I will eventually leave the hospital, and do outpatient Nephrology again, but for the time I will stay where I am at.

I do hope that I can find something, but I cannot accept an almost 10,000 dollar pay cut. :(

Thank you for all of your advice, I admire every single one of you who works in LTC.

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Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.

DON PAY is $75-90,000/yr.

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Specializes in Cardiac, Nephrology, Emergency Medicine.

Yeah, but to be a DON you most often have to have LTC experience. I can't lose my shirt to wait for that experience :-(

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