Transitioning from LTC to Medsurg?

[SouthernBelle85]

Hey y'all,

I've been a LPN for about a year and a half. Give or take a few months. I've worked in LTC for all of my short nursing career and thinking of applying for a job in a hospital to get more skills like inserting IVs (I've never inserted one ?).

Has anyone done this? Is it hard to transition? I feel like it will be starting over and whole new ball game for me. I'll dealing with sick people for one and I don't know. I think I've gotten super comfortable with my LTC job but I'm really burned out and need something new.

[Hoosier_RN, MSN]

job shadow in a hospital for more than shift and on different shifts. Find out expectations/job scope of LPNs in the hospital. Some states do not allow LPNs to start IVs, some allow only for this in LTC setting. Where I live, the few LPNs that are at the area hospitals work as CNAs, are not allowed to even touch meds (hospital policies, not state directed scope). There are no CNAs either, except as transport persons. Make sure you know what you are getting into. Good luck, and I hope you find the job you're looking for!

[inthecosmos, BSN, MSN, RN, APRN]

Job shadow! It is a great way to see if the transition is worth it for you. IVs aren't the pinnacle of nursing either. What additional goals do you have with this transition? What skills do you want to gain? How is this going to move your career (in one direction or the other)? What are your career goals? Do these apply to your current goals?