RN in nursing home

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · Apr 26, 2012

I could have written this post myself. I was a LPN working in LTC on and off for 2 1/2 years before I became a RN. I hated my previous LTC so much that I put in my two weeks without having another full time job in lined up. I was tired of the dynamics and putting my license on the line.

It was truly a step of faith. While in between jobs I worked my PRN school nurse job. The more I was tired of working in LTC the better my job search became. I even wrote a thread about it.

https://allnurses.com/nursing-first-job/new-grad-got-691834.html

Needless to say, after putting in numerous of applications and effectively following up I landed three interviews and decided to accept a job in CVICU. Read my thread for the details.

Trust me I felt your pain.

Scarlette Wings · Apr 27, 2012

it is so hard for me to understand how you could work in long term care and say you hate it. nursing homes are something that we all need at some point or another. the elderly are precious and at time aggravating and yet they have more wisdom in their little toe than i have in my whole head. the care of the elderly is a joy. you do have to be called to work in one i think. i have always loved working with them and my daughter works as the rn at a nursing home full time and at hospise part time.she has always loved older people and that's the way it should be with the staff that work in nursing homes,

if the nursing home is really not for you then you do need to look elsewhere. good luck and i am sorry that your heart is not into nursing the elderly. they have so much to offer.

OnlybyHisgraceRN, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2012

it is so hard for me to understand how you could work in long term care and say you hate it. nursing homes are something that we all need at some point or another. the elderly are precious and at time aggravating and yet they have more wisdom in their little toe than i have in my whole head. the care of the elderly is a joy. you do have to be called to work in one i think. i have always loved working with them and my daughter works as the rn at a nursing home full time and at hospise part time.she has always loved older people and that's the way it should be with the staff that work in nursing homes,
if the nursing home is really not for you then you do need to look elsewhere. good luck and i am sorry that your heart is not into nursing the elderly. they have so much to offer.

it is not the elderly that the op hates it is the dynamics of the ltc facility she is in. i felt the same as she when i worked in ltc. when i say i adored those residents, i really adored and loved each one of them. each of them had a special place in my heart.

i would often, sing them songs. i gave out a thousand hugs and kisses for them every shift. i provided them with good quality care. i did everything i could to be their advocate.

when family didn't show to celebrate birthdays and holidays i was there. when they needed a shoulder to cry on, they used my shoulder. when they needed to vent, i was all ears. when they cried, i wiped their tears. i enjoyed taking care of the elderly so much. however, there were times, when i couldn't do as i described due to the poor working conditions. when we were short staff i didn't have time to hold that hand, or talk. i had to do the best i can. i hated long term care because as time went on things got worse. i started not to feel like a nurse anymore, but instead a pill pushers who job was to please the state at all costs. so we don't hate the elderly, we hate the working conditions and unreasonable demands ltc puts on staff.

marmbrusterRN · Apr 30, 2012

It is not the elderly that the OP hates it is the dynamics of the LTC facility she is in. I felt the same as she when I worked in LTC. When I say I adored those residents, I really adored and loved each one of them. Each of them had a special place in my heart.
I would often, sing them songs. I gave out a thousand hugs and kisses for them every shift. I provided them with good quality care. I did everything I could to be their advocate.
When family didn't show to celebrate birthdays and holidays I was there. When they needed a shoulder to cry on, they used my shoulder. When they needed to vent, I was all ears. When they cried, I wiped their tears. I enjoyed taking care of the elderly so much. However, there were times, when I couldn't do as I described due to the poor working conditions. When we were short staff I didn't have time to hold that hand, or talk. I had to do the best I can. I hated long term care because as time went on things got worse. I started not to feel like a nurse anymore, but instead a pill pushers who job was to please the state at all costs. So we don't hate the elderly, we hate the working conditions and unreasonable demands LTC puts on staff.

You said it better than I could! You definetly understand where I'm coming from.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2012

I worked at nursing homes for 4 years as an LPN/LVN prior to earning my RN license in 2010. Economic times were horrible when I completed the RN program, so I accepted a PRN job at a short-term rehabilitation hospital as a way to gain some non-LTC experience. After nearly two years, I am still employed at the rehab hospital.

I did eventually receive a full-time job offer at a regional acute care hospital on the med/surg oncology unit, but declined it for several reasons. So it is possible to obtain hospital employment after spending several years in LTC/nursing homes. I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors.

CoffeeRTC, BSN, RN · Apr 30, 2012

Hmm...what type of facility do you work at? small, large? private or part of a chain/ corporation? I ask this because maybe you need to look out of the box or look for a different facility if only LTCs are hiring in your area.

Larger places sometimes have room for advancement either in the department or out of the facility. MDS/ RNAC, staff education etc?

What about insurance co? Hospice or visiting nurses? Senior daycares? alot of these look for LTC experiences?

or even LTAC?

JZ_RN · May 1, 2012

I feel the EXACT same way.

And Cheyfire- It is not that we don't care for the elderly, I love my residents, but when I have so many that I have no time for them, or no supplies, or run out of meds, or get staff cuts mid shift, or management wants to yell at me for things I have no control over because of THEIR poor staffing, the nursing home is NOT an ideal environment to work. I have nothing against the elderly, and while I do get frustrated with behaviors, they are still people and deserve care,but I also deserve a decent place to work where I have the tools and time I need and am treated like a nurse, not a robot slave to abuse, and that is why I would love to get OUT of LTC. If my parents ever need care like that, they will move into my home and have a private duty nurse. I cannot stand the philosophy of nursing homes, just because they are not "acute" doesn't mean one nurse can care for 50 people at one time!

Mobiusrain · May 10, 2012

There have been past threads here talking about the same frustrations in LTC. It's nice to know that many of us share the same feelings about the poor work conditions in nursing homes. We are frequently misunderstood about the reason we hate LTC and come across to others as "elderly haters". I really loved my residents back when I was in LTC. Such a shame I couldn't properly take care of them because "I might not finish my med pass on time". Right now I'm doing private duty nursing, but I still look forward to being able to advance my nursing career and eventually make it to a hospital unit.

my_purpose · May 23, 2013

I have just graduated with a BSN and I planned to work for the county hospital because I love what they do and who they do it for. Absolutley love it. Well, they are not hiring due to building a new facility. I have always been a compassionate person, love to volunteer and thus I thought that i could do the most good in a LTC facility and possibly help to make some needed changes. This is a second career for me, so I want to work in an area that I love. Should I pursue long term care?

sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN · May 24, 2013

yes, we need you :angrybird3:

HippyDippyLPN · May 26, 2013

I love when people who have no idea what it's like to work in LTC want to chastise you for not crapping rainbows when you vent about it. LTC is....on another level you will never get unless your in the trenches next your RN daughter/sister/aunt whoever it is, taking care of 40 patients by yourself with 2 cna's who hardly carry their patient load either and understandably so.