LTC or Addictions?

[MySonIsAdorable]

I am a new LVN. No experience who's long term goal is to be an NP with trauma in mind.

I am in a decently rural area with only small hospitals within 60 miles. I would like to work at one of those hospitals in the future but nothing is open right now & certainly not for a new grad LVN.

I have taken two jobs out of the picture because of travel time & pay that relates to the travel not making it "worth it" at the moment. I have a 3 year old boy, I am pretty much a single Mom who has a great Mom who will watch my kiddo when she isn't working.

Job #1 is in LTC, nursing home, it pays more by 3 dollars an hour 36-40 hr/wk. Has the possibility of benefits. It's 30 miles away. Shift would mean that I would take my son to pre k at 8 am and not see him until the next morning on the days that I work. I don't have a schedule yet but I am starting tomorrow...The pro's for this job for me is the experience that is broader than Addictions and the pay would help my little family a lot.

Job #2 is in addictions nursing at a rehab facility 15 miles away. Pays the 3 dollars an hour less. 32 hours a week on the weekends & one day during the week. I have an interview but not the job yet but I have decided to go anyway she said she just wants to see my face & get my signature for a background check and UA. The pro's for this job would be, being around my son more & having free time to take classes next semester and possibly pick up some PRN work in LTC...if I can find it w/o experience.

Please help me pick! I don't know what to do and if I get a chance to pick I would love some of your opinions to consider. Thank you in advance for any response even just a vote!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I am going to go against the grain and display a preference for the addictions job.

Personally, I worked in LTC for more than five years. I could not stand to be working in an LTC facility for five days per week because the workload can be physically grueling and crushing to one's soul. I survived in LTC for those years primarily through working the weekend shift. However, working five days per week was too much for me due to the workplace politics, squabbling CNAs, verbally abusive family members, and overall depressing environment.

However, I loved addictions and chemical dependency nursing, even though the pay was significantly lower. An added bonus is that family visitation is very restricted in addictions nursing; therefore, difficult families can be kicked out by security.

[AngelicDarkness]

I can't pick for you, because I'd feel horrible influencing another person, especially when my opinion/values are so different from others. I started out in LTC/retirement and it gave me the best experiences. I learned much from med pours, wound care, treatments, inservices, community resources, and emergency situations (sending someone to hospital, unexpected deaths, etc).

The addictions career would be interesting, but I like to start out with a foundation in my nursing experience first.

Please keep us in the loop with your decision, I'm curious to see what you decide:) Good luck!:)

[MySonIsAdorable]

Okay I have decided to take the LTC care job. I worked yesterday and although it was clear that the CNA's are in a bad habit of not listening...I have been told that I can write them up and they have plenty of applications to go through if they continue to act they way they are.

I told her I couldn't work on the days that I would have to have someone outside of the family to watch my son & they said "NO PROBLEM!!! we will switch these to your days off right now!" And I tried to apologize because I knew it was a pain but she said "No we want you here I will do what I can to make you happy" and told me that in a couple months I will be able to move to morning shift because two of the nurses are leaving due to they are graduating RN school and have different jobs.

They have all computerized charting so this will be good experience as well.

[mom2many2012]

So glad they want to work with you! Congrats!