RN in LTC

[the nurse who lived]

I need some advice. I have been offered a position at a nursing home and although it is not my ideal job, it is a job and I will hopefully gain some experience through it. The down side is that I will be functioning as an LPN instead of an RN. I have been applying for jobs for quite some time and have not been hearing back from any hospitals which is ideally where I would love to work. I'm confused as to if I should take this job or if I should wait till I hear from a hospital. I do not want to make myself look bad to a future employer, such as a hospital, by taking a job then possibly leaving after a short time of being there.

I am considering doing the LTC per diem that way I can work around a more desirable job. I do not know what the right thing to do is... Please help

[vampiregirl, BSN, RN]

Good Luck! I started my nursing career in LTC and learned so much. It gave me a great foundation. Organization, critical thinking skill development, learning delegation, exposure to lots of different diagnosis (and many patients with multiple diagnosis!) are just of few of the benefits. It is hard work, but worth it.

Plus, I'll bet you'll get the opportunity to care for some amazing residents. If you get a chance, pick the brains of any retired nurses who are your residents:)

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

Congrats on the job! Since you have some time before you start I would suggest you take some time and browse around the LTC forum. You will get a good idea on how this world works and some very helpful hints to help you manage your time wisely. Feel free to post any questions there that come to mind.

[the nurse who lived]

Congrats on the job! Since you have some time before you start I would suggest you take some time and browse around the LTC forum. You will get a good idea on how this world works and some very helpful hints to help you manage your time wisely. Feel free to post any questions there that come to mind.

Awesome! Thank you so much :)

[DierkyBrewster]

You will be very surprised on how much you will learn in LTC. I have dealt with everything I can think of, from PICC lines, dressing changes, trachs, peg tubes, access ports, colostomies, urostomies, not to mention learning how to deal with emergency situations because sometimes you are the only nurse available in an emergency situation. It's a great foundation for learning and growing your nursing confidence!