I'm a fairly new nurse in LTC, and despite being very busy most days, I am enjoying the residents, the staff, and the environment. As you are all aware, the work can be stressful, and there is never enough time. However, I am getting into a routine, and as many others have pointed out, knowing the residents and developing relationships with the NA's really helps with overall time management. I try to reflect and provide the best care I can, with what I know, and the resources I have.
I guess the perception that irritates me (and the motivation for this post) is the common one that many nurses working other fields have, is the one that:
1) LTC is not "real nursing". Not true! Let them try to pass meds for 40 people. What about all the IV's, wound care, treatments, etc. And, where does this perception arise from, anyway?! Just what is it that people think LTC nurses do?!
2) Working in geriatrics is "settling" until something better comes along. Well, I actually enjoy LTC, and will gladly remain there over say ICU or emerg. Why is it that LTC nurses have to justify their value within the profession? This just seems very narrow-minded in general, and I like my residents.
Thanks. This is me thinking aloud and venting. I hope that geriatrics will come to be respected as the skilled area that it is as the population continues to age. In my opinion, LTC is acute, psych, and palliative rolled into one. Thoughts?
I have had a few people tell me that I am "too good" to work in LTC. I tell them no one is "too good" to work in LTC because everyone deserves a good nurse. Unfortunately a lot of caring, hardworking nurses don't want to work in LTC because of the crazy working conditions and impossible work assignments. It is actually impossible to pass meds to that many people in a 2 hour time frame. When public health comes to our facility we have to pretend like we are finished passing meds when we really aren't. And then we hurry up and pass the rest when they aren't looking. Not many people want to sign up for that job.
LTC is hard work. I started out as a new nurse in LTC and had some misconceptions about it as well. I thought I wasnt going to be learning anything or that i would be losing my skills, I left that job to work for a better facilty and found that my 10 months in LTC really prepared me for the Job that i currently have. I am really glad to have had that experience but LTC is not for me. I respect anyone who chooses LTC, its really hard. I also believe you get what you what you put in to it. as a new nurse I always saw the wound nurse do treatments and I tried to get as much experience as possible. Its all about what you want to learn. I have though seen alot of rn's who went to LTC as more of a retirement job and who were lazy as sin and who didn't want to do anything. Nursing is hands on and if you dont wanna do anything then you should find another occupation.
My first nursing job was in a specialty clinic. Quite honestly as an office nurse, I didn't get to use a whole lot of nursing skills.
Now I'm in LTC and really enjoy it. I'm a new nurse so I've got lots of learning to do. I'm still trying to get a routine and master time management, and some days I get overwhelmed. It can be crazy busy, time goes by so fast. I'm using so many nursing skills. I'm also working on my critical thinking skills, and learning when to intervene and when just to provide comfort and reassurance. I'm really lucky to have a great preceptor who I can use as a resource, a wonderful DON and many co-workers who are willing to share their knowledge with me.
Yes exactly. I'm not putting down nurses, nursing, or LTC, or any area of nursing, for that matter. But if you surveyed a bunch of nurses (not LTC or geriatric nurses) the perception/ stereotype exists that LTC is easier, or not as skilled as other areas of nursing. Which is not true. One is area is not better over another, they are just different.
Perhaps you didn't intend to put others down, but all we have to go on here are your words. So if you don't want others to feel put down, you shouldn't call them narrow-minded.
As for others feeling that they are "settling," it happens in other areas of nursing too. There are those who want to work in ICU and can only find an job in med/surg, or those who want L&D and can only find work in some other area. Those nurses also feel like they are "settling" until they find work in their perferred area. This is not something that you should feel upset or offended by. It happens all the time in all areas of nursing.
Ok first of all, I'm not speaking of anyone in particular when I am saying "narrow minded", so there is no reason to take personal offense, because none is intended. What I am referring to is the overall perception that nurses seem to have regarding LTC and geriatric nursing. Which is widely known. The stereotypes that exist specifically about LTC: its easy, not skilled, not "real nursing". That is narrow minded, and that is all I am referring to here.
Ok first of all, I'm not speaking of anyone in particular when I am saying "narrow minded", so there is no reason to take personal offense, because none is intended. What I am referring to is the overall perception that nurses seem to have regarding LTC and geriatric nursing. Which is widely known. The stereotypes that exist specifically about LTC: its easy, not skilled, not "real nursing". That is narrow minded, and that is all I am referring to here.
I'm not offended, personally or otherwise. The closest that I have ever come to working in LTC is when I worked for a short time in TCU as a favor to the manager. Otherwise, I have been fortunate to have always gotten work in my chosen area, so I have not had to "settle."
I was only pointing out that it is narrow-minded on your part to say that somone else is narrow-minded if they feel that they are settling by working in an area that is not their first choice. It doesn't matter that your words were not directed at any specific person. I did not even address the other comments in your original post because I had no issue with them. It was only the settling part that I chose to address.
As happens so often in these threads, you can't or won't see the flaw in your original statement, and this discussion is now going in circles. It makes no difference to me how you CHOOSE to feel about what others say. You are the only one being upset by their statements. If you like LTC, you shouldn't care anyway. I'm finished with this discussion.
I'm a fairly new nurse in LTC, and despite being very busy most days, I am enjoying the residents, the staff, and the environment. As you are all aware, the work can be stressful, and there is never enough time. However, I am getting into a routine, and as many others have pointed out, knowing the residents and developing relationships with the NA's really helps with overall time management. I try to reflect and provide the best care I can, with what I know, and the resources I have.
I guess the perception that irritates me (and the motivation for this post) is the common one that many nurses working other fields have, is the one that:
1) LTC is not "real nursing". Not true! Let them try to pass meds for 40 people. What about all the IV's, wound care, treatments, etc. And, where does this perception arise from, anyway?! Just what is it that people think LTC nurses do?!
2) Working in geriatrics is "settling" until something better comes along. Well, I actually enjoy LTC, and will gladly remain there over say ICU or emerg. Why is it that LTC nurses have to justify their value within the profession? This just seems very narrow-minded in general, and I like my residents.
Thanks. This is me thinking aloud and venting. I hope that geriatrics will come to be respected as the skilled area that it is as the population continues to age. In my opinion, LTC is acute, psych, and palliative rolled into one. Thoughts?
Thank you for opening my mind and sharing your perspective. I am a new grad and as I struggled to find work, my back up plan was, "I could always go to LTC". A view that was shared by many of my classmates, too. Thank you for knocking me off my pedestal! And continuing to care for "my" patients when they are discharged!
I went into LTC because that was the only setting I was able to get after graduating and I understand what you are saying I "settled" but I soon found out how much work it really is! I have learned so much there more than I would have in a hospital I know tons of meds and how and when to give them, I know what works to treat different wounds I can apply a wound vac (which was only done by wound specialists in the hospital I was trained at) I do IV's, blood draws cultures ect. I just took another job in a home health care setting and they are amazed with the skills I have aquired I have a deep respect for all areas of nursing and I feel blessed to have been forced to "settle":lol2:
I think for some people settling is doing anything short of what they really dream to do. In my case going to LTC would be settling, not because I think its easy or something but because I really want to work in Peds. and working in any setting with adults would be settling because its not what I really want to do. If I were in a situation where I would have to work LTC I would make sure to do my very best while I'm at work and constantly be searching for ways to move on to what I really wanted to do. But there is nothing wrong with being a nurse in LTC, it isn't easy or for nurses who have done something wrong or are stupid or anything like that. I'm glad that there are nurses who are really passionate about being in that setting and to do anything else would be "settling" for them.
I also enjoy many other areas of nursing, and I'm sure that I will venture to something else, at some point. I think whatever area you are happiest with, go for it. Not everyone wants LTC. That's fine. The whole point of my post was to open a discussion, because of the fact that LTC nurses often are perceived a certain way. That was it. But of course, some people it seems are not understanding what I was trying to convey.
For example, a comment was made just tonight, "So when are you going to work the acute unit here? The RN's don't really have as much going on (LTC)".
Me; "Actually, we have plenty happening here right now. We're all very busy. I don't know."
And that's my point...the perception by many that LTC is slow, etc, etc.
Specializes in LTC, Disease Management, smoking Cessati.
It's great that you are enjoying your position, but everyone has different personalities and temperments, likes, dislikes, and preferences. So you may not feel that LTC is "settling," but it may be for someone who doesn't want to work exclusively with the elderly in that type of setting.
Not everyone is geared to work in LTC and won't flourish there as you seem to have. There is nothing wrong with wanting to work in the OR, ED, ICU, home health, or any of the plethera of other areas of nursing, and it certainly isn't narrow-minded if one feels that they are "settling" if they have to take a job in LTC temporarily until something they are more passionate about becomes available.
Be careful that you don't become the narrow-minded one.
I don't believe she is being or becoming narrow minded, she just wants to say that people who put LTC nurses down and sterotype them as not being real nurses don't know what they are talking about. It's ok that others don't like it but why should they say Nurses who do are less than a nurse? Re read the post, I worked LTC for years love it and would go back, and have gotten other jobs with that experience, right now I'm a telephonic triage, disease managment nurse. Lets not continue to put one another in that spot... We are all nurses doesn't matter what field we are in. :)
prinsessa
615 Posts
I have had a few people tell me that I am "too good" to work in LTC. I tell them no one is "too good" to work in LTC because everyone deserves a good nurse. Unfortunately a lot of caring, hardworking nurses don't want to work in LTC because of the crazy working conditions and impossible work assignments. It is actually impossible to pass meds to that many people in a 2 hour time frame. When public health comes to our facility we have to pretend like we are finished passing meds when we really aren't. And then we hurry up and pass the rest when they aren't looking. Not many people want to sign up for that job.