any one working in long term care?

[mzjennx, BSN, RN]

hey guys. since most medical centers on Oahu is not hiring new graduate RNs, I was thinking about going into long term care. i feel so reluctant to do this because i dont want to start in ltc and then get stuck in it. i want to be working in the hospital in peds or l&d. i was thinking maybe i could start in ltc for now while i wait for a new grad program. do u guys think this is a good idea or should i continue just waiting for any new grad program?

[augiebear]

I think that it is a great idea. I know a lot of new grads want to get into a hospital setting as soon as they graduate but the reality of it is very difficult. Maybe you should try out LTC, these type of patients are also in the hospitals and it would only enable you to be a better nurse. My brother in law is an RN and has been working in LTC for a while now and is enjoying the same salary as RN's in the hospital. Better than nothing and you will learn from it, the only person who can control getting "stuck" in LTC is you.

[mcubed45]

when we were doing our clinicals at Pohai Nani this semester, they were explaining how even though they're a LTC facility, part of their facility is dedicated to high acuity patients that are basically receiving hospital care on-site. they said you develop the same skills you would working on a med/surg floor.

[tauries]

Hello,

I felt the same way too... But I couldn't just stay home and wait till someone calls me for job. So I ended giving my resumes to all the long term care facilities here on oahu. And now that I'm currently working at a facility, I've been having phone calls from other facilities. And you'd be surprise some of them pay really good. I'm actually a call-in but hey at least it's something. I know what you mean when you say you don't want to get stuck in LTC, there were other nurses I knew that worked in LTC for the 1st year and later got hired in the hospital. However, I know a girl who started off with LTC as an LPN, got her RN, applied to hospitals but no one wanted to hire her, so she ended up being the supervisor at her LTC job. I know I really don't want that too happen to me. And yes, I do miss the acute setting because I just graduated and I want to do all the raw stuff. I thought I would go into LTC when I retire but I guess thats not the case. However, I'm not giving up in applying to the hospital jobs. I've also looked at other states so hopefully I get a hospital job cause I do want to work in the ICU. But with all the advices I've gotten from here, LTC experience is better than outpatient clinic experience because LTC does bedside care & you're with the pts 24/7 unlike clinic nurse-- you'll be stuck there forever. But you know whats sooo stupid, I hope this won't change your mind about LTC nursing, but this girl that i work with told me that she tried applying to the hospitals here in Hawaii, but all of them told her that her experience at LTC is not counted as nursing experience! How stupid is that. Well, this other nurse that i talked to and she's from the mainland told me that in the mainland they consider LTC as a nursing experience. So I guess Hawaii's f*** uped!

[mzjennx, BSN, RN]

So it has been a month since I have had my nursing license. No new job opportunities for new graduates are available in the acute setting. I am really considering starting at a care home so I can get some experience. I dont want to do this, but I need to start working. I am aware of the new graduates who will be entering the work force, and I will have to start paying for school loans soon, so a steady income would be great. I want to start in med-surg or labor and delivery because my ultimate goal was to become a midwife some day... but I guess because of the ecoonmy you got to take what you can get.

Thank you everyone for your support. I will be optismistic and hopeful =DI just dont want to get stuck. I have been holding off on giving the application for the carehome... I am still trying to get inhouse to a hospital even as a aide or ward clerk.

[augiebear]

I know that some hospitals don't accept LTC as experience..I think that is ridiculous...what da hell would you call it then, maybe not the same kind of experience as the hospital, but it IS experience nonetheless..and..how the hell are we supposed to get experience if they are only hiring/looking for people with experience..ay sus!! I hope some changes are made by the time I graduate!!Good luck and I hope you find something soon!

[kauainurse]

I work lLTC

[FNPdude74]

I was actually looking into working at a LTC facility possibly in SNF area if I can't find a large hospital job after I grad this May. If I was to work at places like Leahi or other hospitals in Hawaii Health Systems in the SNF department, would that count as acute/subacute care that many of the large hospitals require?

I thought of starting off in LTC to get the experience and make the pay as an RN, then moving off to a large hospital after a few years of experience.

[WindwardOahuRN, RN]

According to the old HNA/Queens contract (I don't have a copy of the new one) in the "WAGES" section it states:

"The Employer aggrees to recognize service at a SNF/ICF facitility for the purposes of qualifying under the appropriate start rate level for nurses applying to a similar unit."

Now I'm not sure how that would translate to employment on a med/surg floor, etc. Sounds a bit ambiguous.

They do address the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific specifically, however:

"The Employer agrees to reconize service at the Rehabilitation Hospital of the Pacific for the purposes of qualifying under the appropriate start rate level."

I don't know how other hospitals treat the issue.

[mzlily83]

Does anyone have information on perhaps working for a hospice here in Hawaii on oahu?