Ortho/Neuro/Urology OR Cardiac Telemety??

Boog'sCRRN246, RN · Nov 12, 2008

I've always heard that a Cardiac floor is the best place to work if you're planning to be a RN since there is so much critical care and cardiology involved towards the end of RN school.

Were ortho/neuro/urology all on one floor at the first hospital you interviewed at? If so, yikes, that would be a very heavy floor IMO. I've worked all three, but neuro was its own unit. Ortho and urology were together but the unit was quite large.

I think any of them would be a great learning experience, but since there isn't extensive cardiac studies in PN school, I think cardiac would be the most interesting.

UnderpaidNurse · Nov 14, 2008

If you are a brand new LVN/LPN any floor would give you a world of experience. If you can get onto a Cardiac floor, I"d grab that one. I worked an Ortho floor and loved it, and got really good at time management etc..just like the girls on med/surg floors. Cardiac is intense with a few patients...both have their good and bad, I don't know where you live, but where I moved to LVN/LPN's are becoming a thing of the past in the hospitals so if thats the case in your area, jump on whatever hospital floor you can. Just my humble opinion :)

willma70 · Nov 14, 2008

Well my interview went well today. The nurse manager said I was at the top of her list. But she had another interview at 2:30 and today was an open interview day. I didn't get to see the floor, but the other people in the hospital didn't really seem to enjoy their jobs. She also told me the pt:nurse ratio is 5-6:1, which seems a little high to me. She does seem like a good nurse manager though. We got along pretty well. She said I should hear something by early next week.

I asked if there was a risk of them letting all LPN's go and she told me they weren't going to do that. It makes me feel a little better, but I know the risk is still there.

How much importance would you place on the facility itself. One hospital is older and seems less clean, and one is very clean and has a newness about it although it is not new. My preference of course would be the cleaner one, but the cardiac job is at the other one and that job seems more interesting.

Sorry this is so long. There are so many questions I have to ask. THank you all for your help.

Fiona59 · Nov 14, 2008

Cardiology is also much easier on YOUR body. The vast majority of the patients are walking and talking and fairly independent. The least physically stressful three months of my life were on a cardiology unit.

mama_d, BSN, RN · Nov 14, 2008

Fiona, I've had the exact opposite experience! We routinely get 300+ pound patients who are near to total care on my tele floor. And it makes this fairly small girl's back ache! I just don't have the leverage (weight wise or height wise) to care for those patients using proper body mechanics.

I've been doing tele for five years and love it. I get floated to step down as well sometimes, and enjoy it up there to (although they won't hire me on up there since I'm not a RN...go figure). I've done my time on ortho, and didn't enjoy it nearly as much. Personally, I'd say to go for the cardiac job if you get the chance to.

willma70 · Nov 15, 2008

Okay, so the first hospital with the ortho position called me today and offered me a job. It only pays 11.50/ base pay. Absolutely horrible, don't ya think? I really think this is the going rate for an LPN who has never worked though. That's what the other hospital told me as well. There's a three dollar diff on nights which may help. I think I am going to accept this job on Mon. I haven't heard from the 2nd hospital, but they told me early next week. I'm thinking of this job as a stepping stone to get to where I want to be. I am going to get my RN ASAP, and this will get my foot in the door to a great hospital where everyone seems to love their job. I am very excited!!! Tell me what ya'll think.

eldragon · Nov 15, 2008

I agree with everything you said. The pay is lousy. But that seems to be standard LPN hospital pay.

The experience you will get in a hospital is unsurpassed. You could make much more working LTC but you would never have any skills. I took the first job I applied for, and was hired on the spot. It is LTC. I have 43 patients and work dayshift. I never get a break, have patients crying on my shoulder everyday, sometimes several patients a day. People fall down every day, skin tears all the time, you name it. But I am not gaining any skills or learning much new, except for time management and paperwork.

All I'm getting is a paycheck. I am putting in one year, and there is less than 3 months to go and then I'll need to find another job in order to get some experience.

I know an LPN who worked at a hospital right out of school and started off at $10.50 per hour plus a shift differential. She learned an enormous amount of things, from skills to knowledge. She's now working LTC because she thought it would be a break plus she wanted to make some money.

Well, she says LTC is much more physically harder than her hospital routine of 6 patients on a telemetry floor.

I say, if you can afford it, go for the hospital job. Absolutely. It's like being paid to go to school.

Fiona59 · Nov 17, 2008

I've worked GI and I've had 300+ kilo patients. That's why I went to Cardiology. I guess the Canadian obesity problem isn't as bad as the US's.

Are you serious about the starting wage? Here is a link to my regions employment page:

https://www.capitalhealth.ca/Careers/CareerOpportunities/HR_EmploymentCategory.asp?jb1=2&jb2=CS-80693-RA

A new grad, with no experience starts at over $20/hour, add in shift premiums and it can reach nearly $25/hour. You need to think about unionizing!