So in May I took the stage for my pinning ceremony and in July I received my license as a registered nurse. I searched for work for what seemed like an eternity, but was lucky enough to land a position in a skilled nursing facility 2 miles from my apartment. I am so excited and I can't wait to start (10 more days)! Granted, my dream is to work in an ICU, but I'm a new nurse and I feel that working in a skilled facility will be a great learning experience. I think it will help me develop time management skills and my DON says that this particular facility is great for a new grad because most of the patients are in acute rehab, so I'll be doing wound dressings, initiating IVs, the big med passes, dealing with feeding tubes, etc. The place also pays about $6 more an hour than any of the hospitals in my area and has a really good benefit package and all that jazz. They are also still hiring for a few overnight and evening shift positions and welcome new nurses to apply.
Well, most of my graduating class still haven't found work. I've suggested this place to some of my buddies and they immediately shoot the position down because it's a skilled nursing facility. Then they give me the whole "I can't believe you're actually gonna work in a nursing home" or "I would never want to work in ltc or a snf. All you're doing is wiping butts" schpeal.
I'm sorry, what? I mean, many of them act like they are above working in a skilled facility or long term care. I'm sorry, but as a new nurse I don't feel like I'm above anything. Even if this place paid me crap money I would take the job in a heart beat just to gain experience. But then again, I feel that even if I had 10 or 20 years of experience under my belt I wouldn't be above ltc or any other field of nursing. I believe that caring for any population, no matter how young or old, whether you're welcoming a new baby into the world or easing another out of the world, is not beneath anyone. I understand that geriatric nursing or long-term care may not be everyone's cup of tea, but hell- OB nursing is not mine. I would not, however, act like I'm too good for OB. It's just not something I'm interested in doing.
So while everyone else in my class is still holding out for that position in a hospital (along with the 800 other new grads in my area) I was lucky enough to be given a chance at a small facility willing to pay me top dollar for my area. Oh yeah, they also have free parking (the hospitals around here make you pay $100/month to park in their garage). I was given a chance by this place and I'm very excited to give them my best. They are willing to work around my school schedule (I'm going back for my bachelors and probably fast-tracking it into the masters program) and are happy to welcome a new grad to the staff. I start orientation on the 14th, and the nurses and administrators that I've met have all told me that they are excited about me starting and are willing to work with me to answer questions and train me properly. One of the nurses even told me she loves working with new grads because it helps her better her practice.
Now, I am very enthusiastic about this job. I'm sure there will be many times I'm overwhelmed and may end up going home and crying in my pillow. The staff might end up being mean and burnt out and whatever other negative thing. I may hate this job. Or the staff may be nice and wonderful and I may love this job... I don't know. But at least I tried it before I judged it. I'm thankful and grateful for the opportunity.
Good for you! I respect that you didn't knock LTC, even though it is your dream to go to ICU. While your peers are "holding out" for that dream job, you will be caught up on all your bills, and set. In this economy, you have to take what you can get. Many experienced nurses are feeling the burn too.
A good friend of mine (back when we worked LTC) eventually left to go on to ICU! So don't lose hope, you too can do it. I wish you the best. :redbeathe
P.S.
Your classmates have some nerve, and have no business telling you what you will be doing in LTC. Personally, their statements are offending, and even though I am not working LTC right now, I would not want to work with them anywhere.
You sound pretty terrific to me. Great attitute! Someone I would be proud to know and/or work beside. We could more nurses with that positive outlook. Good Luck with your nursing career.
You are one smart cookie. Congratulations. I would love to work with you. Your patients at the LTC will be lucky to have you and you will find working with them very rewarding.
I'm a new grad, too. During nursing school i worked at a rehab hospital, and they picked me up after i graduated. I looked for a job in a hospital, but guess what? No one was hiring lol. So, I took the job. Now I'm getting experiences out of this world, from a lot of pts at once, dressing changes, caring for a patient with a PE (yes lol a pe), another with a temp of 104, navigating talking to doctors and fellow staff members, I feel like im the one learning now. You'll be learning and applying your skills. While your old NS peers are sitting at home hoping and wishing for a job, you'll either be experienced and loving your current position, or open to new possibilities with the experience to back you up to get into them.
I know how you feel about wanting to start in ICU. I did too! I still have a dream to make it there, but in the mean time I'm learning a lot right now, too. Someday I may move on, but for right now I'm gonna stay and keep learning. You can do it! Don't let anyone look down on your job. Especially not someone who has no job anyway.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
Guys I really think nurse recruiters are going to be well aware of the tough situation that to me is unheard of (even in past recessions) that today's new grads are facing and this idea they will find it admirable for a new grad to regard LTC as beneath them will be shattered big time. We are in uncharted waters here, and those who never question "the way it's always been" will be left behind. JMHO.
I know exactly how you feel! I'm not a nurse (yet). I recently passed my LPN year and am waiting for my ATT, also I start my RN year later this month.
Anyways for the past 6 years I've been a CNA in LTC. At school I get alot of BS from my classmates about how they'd NEVER work in LTC and how LTC nurses lose their skills. However guess who got comments from my instructor at clinicals last quarter about how comfortable I am with geriatric patients? ME! I feel that you will gain some amazing skills. I know I HAVE! The nurses I work with know my goal is to be a nurse so they bring me in for dressing changes, odd lung and heart sounds, assessments, and use every opportunity to teach me. I really felt it's helped me in nursing school. I really think that you will be an amazing nurse in LTC! And you'll be amazed at the skills you will use IMO.
Specializes in Vents, Telemetry, Home Care, Home infusion.
LTC facilities with acute rehab + wound programs can provide just as intense orientation and training scenario as hospital these days with TPN/ IVAB, PICC lines, wound care, tube feedings, trach's and even vents in some facilities.....
Good luck with cutting your teeth on this first nursing position :)
Congrats on your first job! Tell your classmates to stuff it.
It sounds like you will learn a lot where you will be working as the previous poster stated many SubAcutes are pretty intense these days due to the changes in healthcare. I would recommend you keep a diary of sorts documenting all the new skills you learn so when you do decide to move on you will have an accurate record of what you did during you time there, not only for yourself but for your resume.
I think you will be surprised at the new skills you will learn, so enjoy your new job!
Congrats on the position. Your enthusiasm and attitude will take you far. And those patients will be lucky to have you -- they need people who care! Please keep us posted. (Oh, and we clean poo in the ED as well. Lots of it. LOL. Wherever there are patients, there is poo. Your classmates have their heads in the clouds.)
I started out in Med/Surg, all my classmates gave me a horrible look when I told them where I was working. Well you know what? I did a little over a year of med/surg and landed my dream job. So putting some time in and getting experience will make you a much more valuable prospect than your friends who will sit around without jobs until the market gets better!
:up:
nyteshade, BSN
555 Posts
Good for you! I respect that you didn't knock LTC, even though it is your dream to go to ICU. While your peers are "holding out" for that dream job, you will be caught up on all your bills, and set. In this economy, you have to take what you can get. Many experienced nurses are feeling the burn too.
A good friend of mine (back when we worked LTC) eventually left to go on to ICU! So don't lose hope, you too can do it. I wish you the best. :redbeathe
P.S.
Your classmates have some nerve, and have no business telling you what you will be doing in LTC. Personally, their statements are offending, and even though I am not working LTC right now, I would not want to work with them anywhere.