leaving hospital nursing (long)

[jessnurse05]

Hi,

I'm a single mom and I've been working in a hospital on night shift for almost a year now. I love the unit I work on and the people I work with (most of the time), but the 12 hour shifts are killing me. There aren't any day shift positions available or even an 8 hour swing shift. And my facility is trying to phase out 8 hour shifts. I also have a lot of issues with my family here and I really need to go where I have family support.

So I'm looking for a position out of the hospital. I wanted to hear from other nurses who had left the hospital for LTC or other non hospital pt care type jobs. Right now I'm looking into LTC, or a home health nurse positions.

Will my year of experience on a medical/oncology floor help with a home health or LTC, or will it be like starting over again?

The town I want to move to does not have much of a nursing shortage, so jobs are very competitive and few and far between. I moved away because I had trouble finding a job there after I graduated. I'm hoping that my experience will count for something. I know a year isn't much, but it seems like I'm getting a little bit better of a response from employers than I did when I was a new grad.

I'm also new to changing jobs, is a new employer going to want a reference from my current employer since it's my only nursing job experience? I feel that they like me here, but I'm worried about them being upset since I've only been working here a year.

One more question. There is a facility that I applied to a year ago. Their HR department didn't return phone calls or email even though they say to email with any questions. It was really frustrating as a new grad, because we could only apply for the new grad program, and they wouldn't even tell us if we would have a job after completing that. Now I've tried to ask them some questions about the requirements of a position that they have had posted for a long time and they still haven't gotten back to me after two weeks. I would hope to at least get a "we can't discuss that at this time" type response. It's an L&D position and although I don't have experience, I wanted to know if they were willing to train, the had contradicting statements in the job posting about that (I know, hospital job and contradicting to my original get out of the hospital post, but L&D is what I really want to do, so I could make it work). My feeling is to steer clear of a facility that treats potential new nurses this way. What do you guys think?

Thanks for letting me ramble. It helps to write out my concerns.

Jessica

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I have 5 days off in a row (Monday through Friday) and work 16-hour weekend double shifts, from 6am to 10pm at a nursing home on Saturday and Sunday. I love the slow to medium pace of my job.

[sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN]

Jessica, how sad. 12 hour shifts are so hard on both your physical and social health. Come to Oregon, Girl. We have a real shortage, good weather, and great hospitals. Bring the family. they'll love it.

[Cheyenne RN,BSHS]

hi,

i love the unit i work on and the people i work with (most of the time), but the 12 hour shifts are killing me.

so i'm looking for a position out of the hospital. i wanted to hear from other nurses who had left the hospital for ltc or other non hospital pt care type jobs. right now i'm looking into ltc, or a home health nurse positions.

will my year of experience on a medical/oncology floor help with a home health or ltc, or will it be like starting over again?

hi jessica. 12 hour shifts are not for everybody and they do tire you out. specially if you have two or three days in a row. what i do like is that there are more days off during the week, so for me it is a good trade off. if i had to return to 8 hour shifts and take care of patients 5 days a week i would go nutz!

since i have worked the medical floor and icu and also home health, i can say yes. your experience thus far can only help you .

when i was a clinical team leader it was hard to employ a new grad for home health or a nurse that was limited to only ob experience or only peds and then send them into homes with dressing changes and tube feedings and wound vacs.

they really were excellent in their area of experience, but home health and ltc are very different. they just were not ready for the diversity of patients and care needs that exist in home health care.

one more question. there is a facility that i applied to a year ago. their hr department didn't return phone calls or email even though they say to email with any questions. it was really frustrating as a new grad, because we could only apply for the new grad program, and they wouldn't even tell us if we would have a job after completing that. now i've tried to ask them some questions about the requirements of a position that they have had posted for a long time and they still haven't gotten back to me after two weeks. i would hope to at least get a "we can't discuss that at this time" type response. it's an l&d position and although i don't have experience, i wanted to know if they were willing to train, the had contradicting statements in the job posting about that (i know, hospital job and contradicting to my original get out of the hospital post, but l&d is what i really want to do, so i could make it work). my feeling is to steer clear of a facility that treats potential new nurses this way. what do you guys think?

thanks for letting me ramble. it helps to write out my concerns.

jessica

try to call the facility that you are interested in and set up a time for an interview. i know that when i moved south i happened to come to this city right when one of the two most competitive hospitals had bought out a third hospital in this area.

i had applied and they were interested, but they were not answering and not hiring because they were trying to place the staff from the purchased facility into positions first.

i did not know any of that and waited and no response came. once i called them and discovered the hospital issue, i worked elsewhere for a few months until things settled and a postion became available at the hospital that i wanted.

i would probably go ahead and contact the people by phone and let them know that you have applied before and are still interested in a job with them.