Trying to be excited

At this point in time an LTC job is better than no job.

I can only hope that my local hospitals will start hiring new grad RNs by the time I graduate. But if that's not the case at least I'll still have my LTC job.

The SAME thing happened to me when I passed the NCLEX in Feb. of 2009. It took three months for me; applying EVERYWHERE in my state, calling recruiters. I had bills to pay, and was getting very bored! I decided that I would apply to one LTC facility that was part of a hospital in my area. I definately had reservations, but what was I supposed to do?

Well, the day after I applied, they called me for an interview, which I had two days later, and they ended up offering me the job as I was driving home from the interview. It definately wasn't my dream job, but I knew it would get my foot in the door and get that 'new grad monkey' off of my back. I told myself that I would stay there for a year, and then try to get another job after that.

I stayed for about 10 months before I began applying to other hospitals and the hospital that the LTC facility was affiliated with. After a few weeks of searching, I did get hired at a hospital and I love it! I felt like a new grad all over again though, because it is a different atmosphere.

LTC will give you the experience that other facilities are looking for, and you will also love your patients that you have. I NEVER thought I would enjoy LTC, especially how much they are bad mouthed. You will be surprised how these particular patients will touch your heart though :) So gain some experience, tough it out; there will be a light at the end of the tunnel!

The whole jobs situation these days really stinks and I know you are disappointed. If anything, go to work and do your best everyday because at least your bills are getting paid! If this place has such a bad reputation, those poor residents need someone like you there to advocate and care for them!

If this place has such a bad reputation, those poor residents need someone like you there to advocate and care for them!

Now that's from the heart, that's an image of a Nurse! I myself, am more of a "physiologic maintenance technician", not a Nurse.

But, you've stirred up an old memory of my Nursing Home rotation in school. Someones (everyone's) grandma, a little old lady who briefly came to life with the extra attention, and was happy again for a brief moment.

Bravo April RN.

Dont feel bad wannabe. This is the world we are living in now, new nurses will have to suffer more before it all comes together now thats all.

I DID score a hospital job but i have to move away from NYC to a town 5 hours away. I wont have any family or friends in ill be living in some tiny town. You need to earn experience somehow and sometimes that means hard choices.

I don't have any advice for you, but I want to say that I understand how you are feeling. My dream is to become a mother/baby nurse, and at this point I have no idea how I am ever going to get there.

I hope you enjoy your LTC job and learn a lot from it, and I hope you someday find your way to ER or wherever you decide you want to be.

Thank you all for your support! I hope that your dreams come true too! Our local job market for RN's just fell out this year, I was 1 year too late. I am going to pray I get this job and keep on looking while at it. Like you said, at least I can pay my bills, that alone beats sitting home on my rear and broke. This is the first time I have been unemployed since I was in middle school. But I am still proud to be a RN and proud to be the first in the family to have conquered it and I am going to put it to good use somewhere!

Keep looking.. Also, with your experience can you work for EMS while you find a job as an RN?