Looking For A Change Maybe Ltc?

Hi, I Think I Am Finally Getting Burned Out From Doing Hospital Nursing And Looking At My Other Options.

What Do You Look For In A Facility? Coworkers, Responsibilites?

Had A Call From A Ltc Facility Yesterday Offering Me Part Time(need Full-time) But She States It Will Soon Be Fulltime Because Another Rn Is Being Disiplined And Most Likely Fired???eeeks. Don't Know If I Like The Sounds Of That.

Hope that you enjoy the change.......best of luck to you in landing that special job. :)

Hi, I Think I Am Finally Getting Burned Out From Doing Hospital Nursing And Looking At My Other Options.

What Do You Look For In A Facility? Coworkers, Responsibilites?

Had A Call From A Ltc Facility Yesterday Offering Me Part Time(need Full-time) But She States It Will Soon Be Fulltime Because Another Rn Is Being Disiplined And Most Likely Fired???eeeks. Don't Know If I Like The Sounds Of That.

Go to www. Medicare.gov and click on nursing home compare. From here you can check every nursing home in the US. It will list the findings from the last survey, complaint visits, quality indicators, and staffing hours. Then tour the facility and look closely. Is the equipment in good shape? Are there odors? Do the residents look comfortable and well care for? Are the staff interacting with the residents? Ask about the staffing ratios, on call schedules, no lift equipment. Ask how long of orientation you will receive. I'm sure there is more- maybe another LTC nurse can jump in from here.

Bird2, you were doing just fine with your description. I would add to use some caution with the http://www.medicare.com site to make a total determination about a factility tho. This will only tell you part to the picture. For intances, in my facility we have a skilled unit that takes a lot of post surgical hip fx, knee replacements and therefore we often end up showing residents with more acute short stay pain issues than some other local facilities. We also take a higher percentage with pressure wounds. I would all try to overhear the staff talking among themselves as you are touring around. Do they sound happy? Maybe if the opportunity presents itself, you could even ask their opinion of their job. Good luck

Bird2, you were doing just fine with your description. I would add to use some caution with the http://www.medicare.com site to make a total determination about a factility tho. This will only tell you part to the picture. For intances, in my facility we have a skilled unit that takes a lot of post surgical hip fx, knee replacements and therefore we often end up showing residents with more acute short stay pain issues than some other local facilities. We also take a higher percentage with pressure wounds. I would all try to overhear the staff talking among themselves as you are touring around. Do they sound happy? Maybe if the opportunity presents itself, you could even ask their opinion of their job. Good luck

I knew if someone jumped in they would add good insight. You are very right about the website. 90% of the admits that we take from the hospital have pressure ulcers. We have very few acquired pressure ulcers. I have always found that part of the website deceptive.

I am considering doing the opposite - getting out of long term care. Between corporate interference, new regs (still haven't seen anything on co. policy for the new incontinence regs), new forms, more paperwork, less time with residents I am no a very happy camper! The medicare gurus at corporate have even changed some of my MDS dates in the name of more reimbursement! geesh!. So I have applied for an ICU preceptorship at a nearby hospital - should hear soon.

Bur not to discourage you - I would go back to charge nursing if I could...

The forms, paperwork, regulations, corporate mandates, and ever increasing high tech gadgetry in acute care also take time from patients...its why I burned out in ICU. :)

Its great all the options we have out there in nursing isn't it...I am now doing home health private duty and it has been a great change for me!

I encourage all nurses feeling crispy around the edges to look into all our options! :)