Told LTC a waste of my time

Specialties Geriatric

Published

Specializes in Operating Room, Long Term Care.

I will be graduating soon with my RN degree. I have a Surgical Tech. degree so my husband and others are insisting I go into Surgical Nursing. To tell you the truth, I found Surgical Nursing boring and the only way I would enjoy it is if I was also working as a first assist to the surgeon. Since I'm in a rural area, this isn't an option. I fell in love with Rehab. Nursing at the Long Term Facility I did clinicals, I also loved their Alzheimer's Unit. When I tell my loved ones this, they tell me I'm wasting my other degree and I would be giving up a Monday-Friday job for a job were my options will be limited. My sister-in-law who is a HR person at the hospital told me this would hurt my chance of getting into the hospital and that I should go straight to Med-Surg so I can transfer to other parts of the hospital for more options. Will LTC in the beginning of my nursing career kill it? Money is not a factor, I want to love what I do, but I don't want to kill any chances of advancement in the future.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I don't know if my experience would be relevant, seeing as how I started out in nursing well over a decade ago, but I didn't have any trouble getting a Med/Surg position after working in LTC for almost 2 years. In fact, I've gone back and forth several times between some form of extended care and acute care, finally settling down in geriatrics about four years ago.

Personally, I don't believe ANYTHING you learn, in any setting, is detrimental to your nursing practice. Rehab nursing is much like the hospital---you have a lot of VERY sick and unstable patients who are fresh from open-heart surgeries and joint replacements, post-CVAs and so on. You can't be a slouch in skilled nursing, that's for sure!

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Specializes in Gerontology, nursing education.

I think you should follow your heart. LTC can be physically and emotionally challenging and the acuity of LTC residents is much higher than in the past. You will work hard but I think you already know that.

With the aging population, there will likely be an increased demand for experienced, dedicated gerontological nurses in the future. I also think it's a shame that the best and brightest nurses aren't encouraged to go into gerontology. Moreover, you will be learning about a variety of disease processes, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, oncology, and Alzheimer's and other memory care issues. You will also become familiar with geropsychiatric issues, including depression, anxiety and the long-term effects of substance abuse. You will learn about the emotional, spiritual and physiological changes that accompany aging, and you will be challenged by the complexity of end of life issues. BTW, you will also learn a lot about pharmacology because you will need to become familiar with many different medications, not only those that one might encounter in medical or surgical specialties.

I don't think you're making a mistake at all by doing what you want. You also have tremendous room for professional growth in that you could eventually become certified as a gerontological nurse, go into management, or become a gerontological CNS or NP. And if you're happy with LTC, there is no reason you can't stay there and be satisfied for the rest of your career. It's really up to you.

Unfortunately, there is some stigma regarding working in LTC. I think it's partly because it isn't as "glamorous" a specialty as some of the others and because there are, unfortunately, some people who work LTC not because they want to but because there are no other jobs. Sometimes management can be less than 100% supportive of staff and sometimes management contributes to the problem of low worker morale by not respecting the people who work LTC. I also think the stigma of working LTC is associated to the negative perceptions of the general population about LTC in general---many people cannot envision themselves being or working in a nursing home and don't understand why someone else might want to work in LTC. I also understand why some people might question why you'd give up a M-F day shift job but, you know, there are too many nurses who are primarily motivated to get into management, education or other positions not because they have particular interests or talents but because they want weekends off. Eh, weekends off are overrated, especially in terms of the job satisfaction you will get from working in the specialty you enjoy the most.

On the other hand, you truly can build relationships with your residents in LTC and you do make a significant difference in the lives of the recipients of your nursing care.

Wishing you the very best!

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Specializes in LTC, MDS Cordnator, Mental Health.

Moogie......Absolutely

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Specializes in LTC, Acute Care.

If you want to go into LTC, I ask that you to please go into LTC. You don't know how much LTC residents need nurses and other staff who truly WANT to be there. If nothing else, you will learn to be a whiz at time management and running your butt off. :)

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Specializes in Operating Room, Long Term Care.

Thanks so much for your responses. I need to follow my heart and do what I enjoy because life is too short.

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I going back to LTC. It's partly because that's where I was offered a job, but I have to say I found making a difference in the lives of the residents to be extremely fulfilling. There are some sad parts to it but these folks NEED me and you will come to care deeply for them. Some of them. One thing we forget is that people are people, including LOLs in LTCs. SOme you like, some you don't.

Whatever you do wear a smile for them. :)

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Specializes in Geriatrics, Transplant, Education.

LTC or Skilled Rehab is NOT a waste of your time if that's where you want to be! I'm a new grad (actually....as of today's date, I officially have a year under my belt, so I guess I'm NOT a new grad anymore!!) my first and only job so far has been on a transitional care unit in a skilled nursing facility....anyone who says you will lose skills or not learn enough knows nothing about what goes on in such a setting.

I have grown SO much as a nurse & a person in over the past year...learned about diagnoses ranging from diabetes to spinal cord injuries...helping people gain and maintain independence is a powerful thing. I see myself in geriatric rehab for a LONG time & hadn't given doing what I'm doing now even a thought when I graduated.

Best of luck in whatever you decide!

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Specializes in LTC.

I'm sorry but no one has the right to tell you that LTC will hurt your nursing. There are so many different areas of nursing and they all serve their purpose, if you really loved the residents then thats where you should be:heartbeat. Love what you do and it wont be a waste of time.:nurse:

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I work in LTC. That is my first job as a nurse. i been working there for year now and i learned something new everyday.

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ltc won't hurt ur career.

not working a mon-fri day shift job is one of the reasons i became a nurse, so many other careers out there if that's what folks r looking for.

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Specializes in med-surg 5 years geriatrics 12 years.

I left LTC last year to go back to med-surg; not because I didn't like LTC but only because the facility put $$$ before resident care. Given a choice, I'd work LTC if the staffing here in this state was better. The residents gave me more than I ever did them.

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