Nursing home job

[GradNurse543]

Hello everyone,

I graduated from nursing school in the winter...I've applied to hospitals and nursing home. I finally have my first interview at a nursing home. I was wondering anyone else thoughts on working in a nursing home...is it really hard to get a job in a hospital after? if you do are you oriented like a new grad cause its a whole new setting. Just wondering, everyone thinks its so easy to get a job..."you'll be set for life" but clearly its not true. my classmates that work in hospitals all worked there before of knew someone and the other ones are in nursing home. I feel like no hospitals want to hire new grads..

[PrincessRN101]

your just finding out, what many people knew a long time ago. work your nursing home job, until better can be done

[CapeCodMermaid, RN]

A job is better than no job.try to work on the post acute or rehab unit. You'll get experience with IVs, wound vacs, TPN...and the best assessment skills and time management skills. You might like it so much you'll decide to make a career of long term care.

[sbostonRN]

Completely agree with the other posters! I started out in LTC and just finished my first year there. I have learned so much about time management, dealing with families and doctors, etc. I work on a subacute rehab floor and we see a bit of everything - some patients are long term, most are post-op joint replacements, complex wounds, IV antibiotics via central lines, TPN/PPN, etc. The experience got me an interview at an acute care rehab hospital, which will get me experience with telemetry, vents, trachs, in addition to everything I'm doing now.

So yes, I would definitely suggest starting off in LTC/subacute. It's not for everyone but you may find that you love it. I really like taking care of the same patients each day - you have time to develop trust and a relationship, and can know when they change from their baseline.

Good luck!