I would tell any new grad to stay away from LTC. Not that I don't love my job, I do. However, especially for a new nurse, LTC is the worst place to start (believe me, I know, it's where I've started). Long term care facilities are the second-most highly-regulated (and crucified) industries in the US behind Engineering Plants. For a new nurse that has little experience with making critical decisions, accurrate charting, correct communication, blah blah blah, this is the worst place to start out, and I wish I hadn't done that path. For example:
A fellow new graduate of mine worked the night shift at my LTC facility. Resident had bed alarm as she did not understand the need for assistance.
Res got up without assistance, without putting call light on, and attempted to walk to the bathroom. Bed alarm did not go off. Res tripped on cord attached to call light, fell, broke her neck.
New grad nurse charted that alarm did not go off, that Res tripped on cord, ect. This kind of inexperienced (though TRUE) charting made her close to losing her license, because as charge nurse these things should not have occured (it's your job to keep paths clear, check alarms, ect) There are just too many things that can go wrong in LTC and your facility typically does not cover you in their insurance, so your A** is on the line every time you chart a single word!
Not to be a debbie-downer, but LTC can eat you alive. I am so lucky to have made it 6 months as a new nurse without getting written up nor having a mandatory report sent in for something that happened on my shift.
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