LVN/LPN's working in a Clinic vice working in a hospital

[nurse2bmom]

I am currently looking around at jobs as a new grad LVN. I was wondering if anyone had any experience or advice on working in a clinic vice working in a hospital. I'm afraid if I work in a clinic, I will lose or will not gain a lot of important knowlege I may get in a hospital setting. Also, there are jobs available in ER or OB, which I am interested in, but, I'm not sure I want to start in those types of environments. ER...because I do not feel I have enough experience, and OB/labor/delivery because I feel I want to be well versed in overall nursing issues first and will get stuck only knowing OB care. What do you think?

[suzanne4, RN]

Going to a clinic setting as a new grad will pigeon-hole you in that one environment; same way that you think about certain hospital units. You will not get the procedure experience that you are speaking of in many cases. Usually you will not get a long enough orientation in the clinic setting as a new grad.

[Hospice Nurse LPN, BSN, RN]

My first job was LTC.....I gained lots of experience with PEGs, foleys, wound care, death, psych,etc. Good luck!

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

I work in an Adult Primary Care clinic, and sometimes, I say that I can lose skills, therefore, I started taking in home cases at an agency where I can gain the bedside skills caring for one client. My clinic does have emergencies, though, such as respiratory distress, seizures, heart attacks and nebulizer treatments, and I have been able to correlate alot of what I learned in school, but, I knew that I needed the bedside, so, home care added to the balance that I needed. With one client, I can take my time, really get to know the needs of the client and make less mistakes. I think it depends on WHAT you want to do. I pretty much decided that if I want the bedside, it will NOT be in a hospital setting. I did med-surg for six weeks orientation before being placed in the clinic, and to me, it was like a meat factory. No time to really deal with emotional needs.

[kat7ap]

I work OB in a hospital and absolutely love it! I did my first year in LTC and Subacute, which was not my favorite but I did gain a lot of experience and knowledge (especially in subacute). I don't know anything about clinic work. More than likely you will have more normal working hours than in a hospital. The hospital will probably have better benefits and more flexible shifts. I would try to find out what orientation length for each place is and if they actually are hiring new grads. I would go for the hospital, but that's just my opinion.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

If money is an important factor, take note of the fact that LPN clinic work tends to be extremely low-paying. Click on the link below to see the pay rates that other clinic LPNs earn.

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/new-lpn-pay-family-practice-clinic-220821.html#post2177652

[BigB]

Arent LVN clinic jobs rare. Most clinics here use medical assistants and not LVN's.

[nurse2bmom]

Kaiser Permanente in my area is currently hiring for LVN, family practice clinic.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Arent LVN clinic jobs rare. Most clinics here use medical assistants and not LVN's.

Maybe family practice, but in hospitals, there may be an abundance of both...MAs (or nursing assistants, patient care technicans) LPNs and RNs. My clinic is overflowing with all of us.

[lafingeyes]

Now I am starting to wonder if I will be able to get a job when I graduate in sept. Would I have a better chance going to work as an LPN and then getting my RN??? I am soooo confused.