Moving from LTC to Hospital Nursing

[State Birdie RN]

I am a new member to the group, but have been visiting the site for many months. I would really appreciate advice from fellow members on my current concern.

I am working in LTC @ this time. I graduated from nursing school last May in an Associate Degree RN program. I wanted to work in a hospital and so spent a lot of my time applying and going for interviews but found that many places wanted nurses with experience. I did some careful searching and found a nice LTC facility that I have been working in for almost 9 months now. I like the people I am working with and just adore the residents, but feel that it is not the type of nursing I want to be doing forever. I wanted to work at least 1 solid year with the NH but have found that there are some great openings right now at one of the hospitals I would like to work in.

Do you feel that it would be beneficial for me to stay where I am for 1 year so I would have that amount of experience under my belt? Or, should I apply to the hospital and see what happens? How would I go about the application process without jeopardizing my current position @ the NH? After all, I am grateful for the position I currently have and have been learning a lot. I feel that I am working in the best NH in the area.

I'd appreciate any feedback/advice on the matter. Thank you!!!

[VinoLover2030]

I would call hospitals and find out if they hire new grads that way you dont waste your time applying that will def turn you down. Just apply and see what happens. Some people enjoy Geri but I personally have worked there all of my LPN career and am ready for more options and challenges as a New RN.Yes your job has been good to you but maybe you can go PRN there, and work full time at the hospital. I would def apply though. If this is something that you really want to do then go for it. Yes you are learning at your current job but just imagine how much more you could learn on various units at the hospital. Ya gotta start somewhere dont ya...why not start now!

[SJW]

You aren't really a brand new grad anymore if you graduated last year and have 9 months of LTC experience under your belt. And since many, many of the patients hospitalized are geriatrics, you have lots of experience working with that population. I'd get in there and start applying at hospitals while your skills are still relatively fresh. Unless the NH you're in has lots of complicated residents, you aren't able to keep up with all the skills you'll need in the hospital, and you know the old saying - "use it or lose it!"

Go for it. If you get too comfy at the NH, you might wind up working there your whole career. And if you don't like the hospital, you can always go back. I was in a similar situation (except I was LPN at LTC) and I was just up front with them and told them that the hospital is where I saw myself, but that I had learned much and appreciated all the guidance and encouragement I'd received at the NH. I will begin my RN career in a small hospital and certainly view my LTC experience as an asset.

[FireStarterRN, BSN, RN]

Do what you want to do, there's no timetable, if you enjoy what you're doing keep doing it until you are ready for a change. I started out in LTC and ended up in ICU, you can transition at anytime.