LPN to RN

[LPNtoRN19]

Hey y'all! Im an LPN with a little less than a year left in a BSN/RN program. Ive been an LPN for 6 years and I have worked in SNFs my entire nursing career. Though I have loved my time in SNFs, I am wanting to move on once I graduate. My goal is ICU, but I know I will most likely have to start on MedSurg for at least a year. My question is this: With no work experience in an acute care setting, should I pursue a hospital nurse externship position? I would essentially work under an RN as a patient care tech and be guaranteed an RN position once I pass my NCLEX . This seems like going backwards to me, but I am willing to do so to meet my end goal and I really want to get some acute care experience. To be clear, Hospitals in my area don't hire LPNs to work in acute care so thats not an option. I have heard from several people/instructors that my only work experience being in SNFs may hurt my resume when I go to apply for an acute care job. Any advice is much appreciated!

[DVB, BSN, RN]

Congrats on continuing your schooling!! I also was an LPN. However; for 11 years prior to my RN, BSN. I also loved my time at a SNF. The bonus for working SNF is you are able to beef up your resume with skills. Even though as an LPN, you technically cannot asses (we all do), you should have some pretty terrific skills in the area. SNF, really tests what you are capable of doing. You have sometimes the same level of patient as the medical floor, as they are usually surgical patients who never made it to the medical floor leaving for the SNF. So you essentially have a post acute patient. My suggestion is beef up your resume and sell yourself on an interview. All LPNs work as patient techs at my hospital, so it's not really going backwards as you still do IV's, and patient care, if it is in the acute setting. Many times hospitals will hire a new grad in the ICU, as they can train you how they want you, so perhaps as their manager if they hire new grads. If not, see if the externship is in acute care, the ED, the ICU etc and if they will hire you. I went from SNF to ED. So it can be done. I would also list out your actual skills on your resume.

Strong assessment skills

care of post acute patients (remember they usually only stay in the hospital for three qualifying days, so are they not acute?)

Medication pass to post acute patient in a fast paced setting with 20 patients.

sell yourself is what I can really say. Beef up the resume with what you do. Most people in the hospital don't know what a SNF really is. It's not really even a step down, its surgical quality patients day 3. Good luck!!