what is it like to work in LTC's

after living and working in california for most of my career i obtained a fl nursing license and went out there about 2 years ago (to sell off my home there after the renter passed away) and practiced nursing in a ltc facility. this was in the palm beach area. i worked for a large well known nursing home chain. i believe that the biggest need for nurses in ltc exists in fl. the working conditions were about as bad as they could get. i was hired as an assistant don given a salary. i would work my 8 1/2 hours then in addition to that and for no extra pay i was expected to work the 3-11 shift every time some one called off (which was everyday) and to work on the weekednds. the patients and the family members were demanding and it seemed the wealthier they were the worse the problem was. the place that i was at had a lot of the employees working between two jobs and they were always coming in late, going home early and calling off sick. the health dept. that licenses these places come down hard on these facilities. like nothing i have ever seen before. and floridians are law suit happy. ever see all those signs on the bill boards and ads in the papers from attorneys soliciting cases for elder abuse etc? as if that wasnt bad enough i found out that fl was a right to work state. all employees had a right to was their pay check and no recourse when the employers gave them a hard time. it was so different than california. but i love florida. great weather. great people. home care in florida is a lot better. sorry i cannot recommend ltc in fl to ya. teaching seems to have better working conditions.

i would like to hear from rn's that have chosen to work in areas other than hospital acute care (in sw florida), such as ltc's , rehab, assissted living....what are the working conditions??