does LTC work count as experience?

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so i've worked in ltc for almost 2 years since i graduated from rn program. now i'm considering to work in the hospital. my question is if i apply for a position in the hospital, does my 2 years working in ltc count as work experience or do they consider it as no experince at all?

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Specializes in LTC, Other.

I dont see why it wouldnt. I have heard that sometimes hospitals like it when nurses come from long term care because they are used to multi tasking. where as i have seen the opposite when a hospital nurse comes to ltc.

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If they don't, they've never worked that area.

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

why wouldn't they count it??? what a strange thought...

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It's a nursing job- of course it counts as nursing experience- it just wouldn't count as hospital/acute care experience.

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That is where I am trying to get work right now, long term care

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Specializes in ICU, ER, EP,.

LTC is one of the hardest areas to work! Hats off to you. These patients are multisystem, require total care (generally) and your assessment skills need to be top notch as symptoms of "going bad" are often subtle. You multi task, prioritize and delegate.

You have many skills to offer!:yeah:

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Specializes in Rehab, Infection, LTC.

GRRRRRRRRRRrrr

i get so mad when people say LTC isn't nursing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

not necessarily directed towards the OP but why the heck would you ask this question? 2 yrs of nursing experience and you say does that count???

as a nurse that has devoted almost her entire career to LTC and one that just got home from a 17 hour shift this just got in my crawl.

*walking away shaking my head*

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Specializes in Pediatrics, Geriatrics, LTC.

Still wondering why the question was even asked, especially by an RN who has worked there for two years? Am I missing something?

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Paid nursing experience is paid nursing experience. It just might not be the type of nursing experience that prospective employers are looking for. I believe you are buying into the attitude that long term care is second class. Don't think like that. Would you have such an attitude if your experience were in dialysis or in psych? No, of course not. Be ready to talk about your experiences working in the subacute unit. Just as valid as experience elsewhere. Good luck.

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Specializes in Med Surg, LTC, Home Health.

When i worked LTC, my main skill was to crush pills and swirl them in pudding. Certainly you occassionally use assessment skills, but with 35-60 patients, you wind up assessing people with acute illnesses (URI,UTI, skin tears, contusions, etc). It counts as experience, and i am glad of that, but you lose skills you had, and gain very few more as compared to that of hospital nursing. Nonetheless, i love LTC, and any good people willing to stick it out in an environment based on profit more than the needs of patients are all saints to me. :)

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