Need some advice

[tx esrun]

Hi everyone,

I need some advice from all of you fellow LVN/LPN's. I'm wanting to re-enter the workforce after having stayed home with kids. I live in a small community with limited opportunities for nursing (ie, no hosp., 1 HH agency). However, there are several very reputable Nursing Homes and plans for a small hospital in the next year or so. My thoughts were that I would apply at a Nursing Home and if hired it would give me an opportunity to get back in the swing of things until the hospital is opened. I have no experience in a Nursing Home setting and I haven't worked in 5 years. I'm looking for your thoughts on what chances I do or don't have with getting hired. Thanks!!!!!

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I am a newer LVN with about 8 months of experience in the field. I can honestly declare that I love working in a nursing home due to the breathable pace, wonderful residents, and the sense of fulfillment that I receive at the end of each work day.

[tx esrun]

Thanks Commuter for your thoughts. I've heard from several nurses that working in a Nursing Home can be quite rewarding. Being a nurse with 8 mos. experience did you encounter any difficulties in getting hired? What types of skills, etc do they look at? Did you have to take a written or skills test?

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I received my temporary Texas license on February 2 and was hired a few days later. I have never encountered any troubles with finding work because I live in a large metropolitan area. I simply show up to the facilities and am hired on the spot without any testing for skills or anything of that nature. The reasons for the "on the spot" hiring process is due to the fact that nursing homes are so poorly staffed and they cannot afford to turn away the help.

[tonitoyo]

Please i need information on how to the LVN board exam after completing 2 semesters in the RN program.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Please i need information on how to the LVN board exam after completing 2 semesters in the RN program.

Some schools have the option of allowing you to sit for the LVN boards after the first year of an RN program. Most schools do not offer this option. Therefore, you would need to ask the department head of the RN program where you attend or plan to attend because they're the only ones who can give you a definite answer. Good luck.

[jamangel]

I'm wondering Commuter if your experience is based on working in an upscale LTC environment. Don't get me wrong there are rewards but they are far and few between in most nursing homes here UNLESS they are upscale. The more upscale the more they care about staff/patient ratios which allow for those rewards vs standard LTC facilities where by the time you finish one pill pass it's almost time for the next and so you get very little interaction with the patients.

[CHATSDALE]

depending on where you live sometimes you have to take what is available

i have worked in hospital and in ltc settings and there is pluses and minuses in both

coming backafter being off for any length of time is rough but if you have the determination yo will be fine

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm wondering Commuter if your experience is based on working in an upscale LTC environment.

I have worked at 2 other nursing homes, both of which were not upscale. In fact, one was a small hole-in-the-wall type of facility.

Therefore, my experiences are varied and simply not based on the experiences I have had at the upscale nursing home. I just happen to like LTC and ECF nursing. Most people want to avoid LTC/ECF nursing like it's the plague, but I'm not one of those people.