I've been in LTC for 14 years. Does anyone else experience the total lack of respect for LTC nurses? Anytime someone finds out I'm an RN, the first question is always "Where do you work?" I always answer with in LTC and almost every time get the same answer.... "Oh". It's like you're not a "real" nurse if you're not working trauma or something. I routinely care for 30 + patients, meds, treatments, documentation, ADL care when short staffed, counselor, social worker, tx nurse, admissions, dietitian, emergency care, etc, etc, etc. Yet what I get is "oh, don't you want to work in the hospital?" It frustrates me to no end. Do people go to the ER and ask them why they don't work in LTC? If my parents were in a nursing home, or myself even, I'd hate to know the nurses taking care of us was doing it "just b/c she couldn't hang with a med surg floor". I get so sick of explaining why I like LTC. I've been a CNA, LPN, RN, and hope to one day be a geriatric NP. But my love will always be LTC. I know people have had bad experiences, and sometimes group all facilities and nurses into a big category, but I'm truly an AWESOME LTC nurse! I even had an instructor in school say LTC was for nurses who couldn't "cut it in the hospital". I briefly went to med surg, and I tell you, other than the fact the computerizd documentation was giving me a fit (used to writing a novel by hand every day), I found it to be a lot less work. (not knocking MS nurses, that would just be doing back what people do to me). I know it's a unique monster all its own. But I've noticed you can say you work in MS, public health, home health, a doctors office, psych, etc, and that's OK. But say you work in "a nursing home" and people look at you like they feel sorry for you??????????
I think when it comes to working LTC people do think it's the lowest of the lowest but in all actuality it's not. Think about how many nurses complain how short staffed they are when working long term care and then about the hospitals. Who has more mandates and state inspections? The hospitals, they cannot get away with working nearly as short staffed as LTC. Unfortunately the elderly are kicked by the way side and get what they get. Think about the public relations in your area regarding hospitals, it's everywhere around here. I never see advertisement for LTC facilities except for the private pay assisted care, why, because LTC facilities do not have all the extra money that hospitals have. LTC is given a bad name, when it is a place that alot of us will end up. I work in a LTC facility and believe you, me the politics make me want to throw up, but the residents make my day. I'm one of those nurses who like to get to know my patients and continue in their day to day care. Just think how people look at you when you say your a LPN and work LTC. They all assume that's the only job you can get because hospitals will not hire you, but that is not so. I work there because I enjoy my little geriatric people, they make me crazy and make me smile and that's why I went into nursing. If society somehow glamorized LTC then obviously this stigma would go away but one day when these negative peoples family are in a nursing home they will praise God that us special people want to take care of their family member. Also on another note, hospitals publicize how they will make you better and get you back to your regular daily life, what would a nursing home have to publicize to improve their negative publicity???
I agree with a lot of what has been posted in this thread. I work in a geriatric assessment, treatment and rehab unit in a public hospital, where a lot of our job is assessing people for LTC, or receiving patients from LTC facilities for assessment of a higher level of care. Other wards in the hospital send us their patients, sometimes just on the criteria that they are 65+ years. We cover all medical specialities, including mental health. We deal with IV, PICC, ostomies, delirium,hoist transfers....you name it, it's there. And the opinion (I have found in general, anyway) is that what we do in our area isn't as good as the "real nursing" of acute areas. In fact, when nursing friends of mine found out I was doing my new grad experience in Older People's Health, they were outraged about how I "wouldn't get the clinical experience I need". Well, tonight I've nursed a man with necrotising faciitis, done a blood tranfusion for a new patient, done observations on all of my patients, communicated with family members, put five people to bed, supervised two new nurses in our area, helped with a man who needs restrained - all in a routine night. I have certainly felt the need to defend the area I work in to other nurses, particularly peers who are talking about the more "glamorous" areas like cardiac, ENT, ER etc. I have come to the realisation that I am lucky to be able to get to know my patients and make a difference in their lives, sometimes being the only person who can listen to them and advocate on their behalf. Care of the elderly is a demanding area and we need to be boosting ourselves up about choosing to work here. It's not a soft option, or an "out to pasture" area. Thanks for your posts - it's good to have some opinions and views to read that support my own thinking.
I work in LTC, am a new nurse, have taken training in the OR. While in OR training the instructor had the nerve to say that LTC is the place for UNSAFE nurses to go. Her other job was briefly on a psychogeriatrics floor, and she couldn't cut it. Med errors, couldn't handle the pace etc. So whose Unsafe?
I use my skills and have more responsibility in my 50 bed LTC unit than i would in a hospital where I have a charge nurse to handle Dr's calls, a unit clerk to process orders, pharmacy that delivers prepackaged meds and lab and xray just downstairs. I have to fly by the seat of my pants, make the decision to send someone to ER if I suspect a problem, assess lung sounds, UTI symtoms, deal with aggressive dementia patients, staff, and all the paperwork that goes with it. I also do a med pass 2-3 times a shift for all 50 patients. So I really hope that I'm not UNSAFE!
I personally know that LTC isn't for me, but I give the nurses who are passionate about it my utmost respect! I think everyone has their niche, and people who judge are just plain cruel. My best friend gets the same type of responses when she tells them she works Med-Surg and not a specialty unit.
I'm an RN in a LTC facility too and I often feel frustrated with the lack of respect I get from my LPN coworkers and even from my family. I had a conversation with my ADON and she gave me some good advise - she said "be true to who you are and what made you want to become a nurse." I love getting to know my residents and their families. LTC nurses ARE 'real' nurses and we definately are doing the Lord's work! Keep it up sisters and brothers :-)
I totally agree that we are disrespected. I have also heard people refer to LTC nurses as 'not real nurses' or heard people sate the job is 'easy street'. I guarantee we are some of the few nurses that continue with traditional nursing practice on a daily basis and if any other 'nurses' think we have it easy, they should come and have a go.
Very, very true!! I worked in the hospital, in specialty areas like ICU and Ambulatory Surgery for over 16 years.
When I first went to LTC it took me at least 3 months to really 'get it'. LTC is HARD WORK. There are many things about it that I like, but you can't let things get away from you, or you're lost.
Hi! I will be having my orientation this June 1 in LTC. A side question though since you have already 14 yrs of experience, I graduated BSN and may take my NCLEX-RN exam by july. Since I have no license yet what will be my limitations in handling patients. Any advise will be greatly appreciated.
Here.. Here!! I love my LTC Career as well. I like working with the same Patients... I have learned so much... and somedays are amazing I deal with the emergancys and the mundane. I became a Nurse because I wanted to make a difference. I treat my Residents with Dignity and respect. I go home at night i am satisfied with my choice.I know I have made a difference. When I work Charge Nurse i have 56 LTC residents. and 30 assisted living residents.
They may look down on me... but who cares what they think they will change their minds when i am taking care of there Parents.
It's ironic the ones that look down on us for working LTC, are the ones who will think were God when we are the one taking care of their mom, dad, grandma or grandpa. They will have a respect for us then, when we are the ones who chose to work in LTC and take care of them. If none of us wantied to work with the elderly, than who would? Just think of all the baby boomers that will be entering LTC soon, someone has to be there to take care of them. For those that don't want to work in LTC, they better be thankful that we do.
Specializes in Med-Surg, Telemetry, Mom Baby, Hospice, Rehab, LTC.
I've been working in LTC for almost 8 years now and I love it. Yes, I'm sick of the replies "why are working in a nursing home?" I think it's a rewarding career, for me that is. My goal was to just work there for my 1 year experience, but I became attached to my residents and they've became my little family. Some of these residents have no family members or their visits from families are very minimal. So in return, we become their families.
To the contrary of us not being "real nurses," why do some of our residents come back from being treated at the acute hospitals with stage II and III pressure ulcers, slighty contracted, poor dry skin, oily soiled hair, dirty nails, etc., etc?? What? Come on acute nurses...no turning and repositioning q2h? No ROM to the extremities? No bed baths? What do you guys really do at your "glamorous" jobs? I've seen this happen several times. The point is, the blame is always on the LTC facilties, but I've seen too many of our resident come back from the acute hospitals looking horrible. Oh, and another thing, they always come back with a foley catheter with no indication for its use, hmmm? Incontinent care is too tough I suppose.
I am going back to school for my BSN because my goal have always to be a OB nurse (L&D or postpartum). Other than that, I like LTC. I like my geriatric residents, they make me smile and vice versa. It also feels good when their children and other family members actually appreciated you for the job you are doing.
To the contrary of us not being "real nurses," why do some of our residents come back from being treated at the acute hospitals with stage II and III pressure ulcers, slighty contracted, poor dry skin, oily soiled hair, dirty nails, etc., etc?
All of my old ones come in from the hospital with at LEAST a stage II!
And we get them healed up.
:)
One nice thing about being older is that I couldn't care less what some irrelevent person thinks of my job choice.
kstec, LPN
483 Posts
I think when it comes to working LTC people do think it's the lowest of the lowest but in all actuality it's not. Think about how many nurses complain how short staffed they are when working long term care and then about the hospitals. Who has more mandates and state inspections? The hospitals, they cannot get away with working nearly as short staffed as LTC. Unfortunately the elderly are kicked by the way side and get what they get. Think about the public relations in your area regarding hospitals, it's everywhere around here. I never see advertisement for LTC facilities except for the private pay assisted care, why, because LTC facilities do not have all the extra money that hospitals have. LTC is given a bad name, when it is a place that alot of us will end up. I work in a LTC facility and believe you, me the politics make me want to throw up, but the residents make my day. I'm one of those nurses who like to get to know my patients and continue in their day to day care. Just think how people look at you when you say your a LPN and work LTC. They all assume that's the only job you can get because hospitals will not hire you, but that is not so. I work there because I enjoy my little geriatric people, they make me crazy and make me smile and that's why I went into nursing. If society somehow glamorized LTC then obviously this stigma would go away but one day when these negative peoples family are in a nursing home they will praise God that us special people want to take care of their family member. Also on another note, hospitals publicize how they will make you better and get you back to your regular daily life, what would a nursing home have to publicize to improve their negative publicity???