WHat is considered acute care experience?

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Hello everyone!!! There is a job fair at this LTACH in my area, when I called the recruiter he said I could go and give it try. But the manager only wanted RNs with at least 1 year of experience with vents and trachs. I found the link for the job fair and it's saying you have to have one year of acute care experience. Well I have 10 months experience as a RN and I work on a post acute care floor at my current employment. We get ppl on PD, TPN, trachs, NGs, chest tubes, IV ATBs n fluids, post op ppl, etc. Is that considered acute care??

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Specializes in Oncology.

I'd apply and make sure to mention all of that experience in a well written cover letter.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Rehab.

I had that type of experience before I got my ltac job. It's not technically acute care experience but it will help. You'll have to sell your skills and abilities, but definitely go for it!

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

Generally speaking acute care means hospital. I find it a bit silly but most hospitals do not count LTACH or post acute under the same heading as acute care. Still, it cannot hurt for you to apply. You may be "close enough" to the kind of experience they are looking for to seal the deal with personality fit. :) Good luck!

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Specializes in Critical Care, Education.

I guess people don't realize that LTACH means Long Term ACUTE CARE Hospital. Maybe we need to spell it out for them rather than using the acronym. For my organization LTACH= acute care.

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Specializes in Med Surg.
Is that considered acute care??

It is to me. Good luck!

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A good cover letter will be critical to having them read your resume and call you in for an interview, which you will prepare for well and therefore ACE. Good luck!

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Specializes in Anesthesia, ICU, PCU.

LTAC has always confused me. Is it a hospital with some long term care and some acute care? Aren't those opposites?

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Specializes in SICU, trauma, neuro.

I would apply; if they interview you, you can take that opportunity to sell your experience. I like GrnTea's suggestion about a cover letter.

HouTx--I had the same thought, LTAcuteCareH. :) It IS acute care. However it looks like it's the LTACH that wants the acute care exp., and OP is wondering if her exp. qualifies, not that she's worked in LTACH for 10 mo. and wondering if that counts.

TU RN--LTACH is a hospital for people who need acute care longer-term. It could be weeks to months. They've usually exhausted their standard hospital stay days, but are not ready to be released to inpatient rehab or home. Select Medical is a company that has many locations nationwide; if you want to read more about what they do, what kinds of pt's they see, you could Google them and poke around the website.

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Specializes in Critical Care, ED, Cath lab, CTPAC,Trauma.
LTAC has always confused me. Is it a hospital with some long term care and some acute care? Aren't those opposites?
No....an LTACH is accredited as an acute care hospital that accepts/cares for complicated patients that require acute care long term. These are medically complex complicated patients with multiple co-morbities that have long term recoveries a head of them. They can perform simple surgical procedures like G-tubes and endo's have an x-ray department and a MD i house on duty.

These patients are the sick patients that have suffered multiple complications and have extensive wounds that have run out of their "acute care days", collected from surrounding hospital all under one roof. Many LTACH's have intensive care units with vents and lines, telemetry, and trached patients. These patients are meant to be rehabed and sent home or to a SNF/LTC. These patients are actively rehabed and meds changed/adjusted, blood transfused and cared for like they are in the hospital...with less staff.

OP your experience should qualify...sell yourself. These places are very busy and you will work hard. The nice thing is you really get to know your patients long term while gaining acute care experience.

Good luck!

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I would apply; if they interview you, you can take that opportunity to sell your experience. I like GrnTea's suggestion about a cover letter.

Thanks, but blondy mentioned it first. :)

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Thank you everyone for all the comments!!! It has encouraged me. I'm a little nervous so I'm definitely going to practice what I'm going to say so I can sell my experience and skills. I'm confident in my abilities if given the chance and definitely eager to learn.

The cover letter I will work on too.

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