Want to leave LTC

darren_callcareer18 · May 10, 2020

Hello,

I feel you. As an immigrant nurse I know how it feels like when your work is tooo far from your home. I also started in LTC and worked in night shifts too. It was too overwhelming but for me night shift is much more calmer than working in daytime.

I worked in LTC for 8 months and then decided to transfer in acute hospital. I was given a chance to work in Medsurg and telemetry unit. It was only a 2 week orientation then after that I was on my own.

At first, I feel like I am clueless of what I am doing. Because everything was new to me. And I get anxious before going to work. But as time goes by, little by little, I learned the routine.

I think you will be fine. You will get that hang of it. Just remember not to be too hard on yourself and to always remind yourself that each day is a learning process. A day is never a waste because you learned something new.

Good luck to you.

Dani_Mila, BSN, RN · May 10, 2020

4 hours ago, darren_callcareer18 said:
Hello,
I feel you. As an immigrant nurse I know how it feels like when your work is tooo far from your home. I also started in LTC and worked in night shifts too. It was too overwhelming but for me night shift is much more calmer than working in daytime.
I worked in LTC for 8 months and then decided to transfer in acute hospital. I was given a chance to work in Medsurg and telemetry unit. It was only a 2 week orientation then after that I was on my own.
At first, I feel like I am clueless of what I am doing. Because everything was new to me. And I get anxious before going to work. But as time goes by, little by little, I learned the routine.

I think you will be fine. You will get that hang of it. Just remember not to be too hard on yourself and to always remind yourself that each day is a learning process. A day is never a waste because you learned something new.
Good luck to you.

WOW! only 2 weeks of orientation doesnt sound like that's enough. But it seems like you got the hang of it right now. I have been searching for any jobs beside LTC, but not a lot of options near where I live unfortunately.

Guest757854 · May 12, 2020

On 5/7/2020 at 1:17 AM, Dani_Mila said:
I work in LTC. Sub-acute rehab floor to be precise. I have been wanting to leave my job for a while and I have been searching a lot. I have been working at this place for about 2 years now and I feel stuck. I want to work at a hospital, but I am scared of the unknown, will I be able to handle it especially the acuity level, the demands? At my facility, I get about 23-28 patients. I work night shift. I feel like the workload has been too much lately, requiring to write skilled notes for every patients, no support from management, no pay increase after 1 year of working. I am hitting 2 years and still no pay increase. I always get anxiety before work even after 2 years! Lots of agency nurses in this facility therefore care is not consistent and patients always asking me to fix things because "other nurses don't do anything" which I find overwhelming. It is very far from my home about 65 miles. Therefore, I end up staying at my parents house for 3 days just to be closer to work. I do not drive so I take the public transportation. I was offered an interview at a hospital 30 miles from home, but decided to decline because of transportation. I was also offered a job near my house, another LTC, but the pay is low and was hired on the spot...without even me knowing...to me it was a red flag and felt uneasy so I decided to decline that offer as well. My question is for anyone who easily transitioned from LTC to hospital jobs, how were you able to do it? Thinking about it just now I feel anxious. I really want to leave my job, but because I know the setting, protocol, and I am in school for my BSN, it is making it harder for me to leave, but I feel like I really have to go. As of right now, I am looking into other jobs, but I do not see anything that I am interested in. I live in a small town, not a lot of hospitals or healthcare settings. Therefore, choices are quite limited.

"When you take a leap of faith, you build your wings on the way down" (Unknown).

I will and do encourage anyone to get out of LTC/SNF work ASAP! I worked in SNFs for 9 years while I had my LPN license. And at first...it was great! But soon the economy tanked and nurse to patient ratios were at an all time high, due to economic downturn and sevete cost cuts to medicaid. I have helped many of patients....taken care of the most sick and vulnerable patients. Patients whose acuity was so high they Belonged in a hospital, but there they were in a LTC/SNF. I leanred so much in the SNF world. But I just outgrew it and realized what LTC care really is when the curtain is pulled back. I amd greatful and Do appreciate my experience in LTC but I just cannot go back.

I say GO GO GO to the hospital!! Go now!