New grad nurse can't find work....to take LTC position or not to take LTC position...

Hi everybody,
I am a new grad RN who has been desperately trying to land my first acute care position. My goal is to work on a Med/Surg floor for a few years and eventually transition to ICU. I graduated eight months ago and have since been aggressively job searching with no luck. I have an opportunity to work as an RN at a long term care facility. I have heard that once a nurse works in long term care, he/she will have a difficult time acquiring a position in a hospital. I am not sure if this is true or just a rumor I've been hearing along the way. I am worried that I have been out of work for too long as well... (eight months plus one year while in nursing school)

Has anyone found this to be true? Is it better to get ANY RN experience?

Any input would be sooo appreciated!

Jacquie
Quote from jammo444hi everybody,i am a new grad rn who has been desperately trying to land my first acute care position. my goal is to work on a med/surg floor for a few years and eventually transition to icu. i graduated eight months ago and have since been aggressively job searching with no luck. i have an opportunity to work as an rn at a long term care facility. i have heard that once a nurse works in long term care, he/she will have a difficult time acquiring a position in a hospital. i am not sure if this is true or just a rumor i've been hearing along the way. i am worried that i have been out of work for too long as well... (eight months plus one year while in nursing school)has anyone found this to be true? is it better to get any rn experience?any input would be sooo appreciated!jacquie
A job's a job.
I was an LPN/LVN in LTC for four years (2006-2010) before earning my RN license. Once I got my RN license, I did receive two job offers at acute care facilities. One was a major county hospital in the city where I live, and the other was a regional hospital located in an outlying town within close driving distance of the metro area where I live.However, I turned these job offers down due to the extremely low pay (yes, LTC pays more in this area) and the fact that my heart is not really into the high-pressure environment of the acute care hospital.
An RN who is working in an LTC facility is going to be perceived differently by prospective employers than an RN who is working nowhere. I would take any job that is offered.
[QUOTE=jammo444;6048821]Hi everybody,I am a new grad RN who has been desperately trying to land my first acute care position. My goal is to work on a Med/Surg floor for a few years and eventually transition to ICU. I graduated eight months ago and have since been aggressively job searching with no luck. I have an opportunity to work as an RN at a long term care facility. I have heard that once a nurse works in long term care, he/she will have a difficult time acquiring a position in a hospital. I am not sure if this is true or just a rumor I've been hearing along the way. I am worried that I have been out of work for too long as well... (eight months plus one year while in nursing school)Has anyone found this to be true? Is it better to get ANY RN experience?Any input would be sooo appreciated!Jacquie[Whoeve told you this probably meant to say that once you work in a long term care, you have a better chance of getting a job than starting your carrer working in a traditional hospital...LTAC is where all the experience and stress is and that is why they pay big bucks...once you work in LTAC...you endure the experience and stress such that working in a traditional hospital would be a piece of cake...i mean dealing with peg tubes, picc lines, rectal tubes, foleys, t-tubes, vents, trachs, ng tubes etc..]
Whoeve told you this probably meant to say that once you work in a long term care, you have a better chance of getting a job than starting your carrer working in a traditional hospital...LTAC is where all the experience and stress is and that is why they pay big bucks...once you work in LTAC...you endure the experience and stress such that working in a traditional hospital would be a piece of cake...i mean dealing with peg tubes, picc lines, rectal tubes, foleys, t-tubes, vents, trachs, ng tubes etc..
Take the job. It's nursing experience, which is more than you'd get if you sat on the couch continuing to wait for the dream med-surg job. Plus, you don't want to become a old new grad because that's an even worse position to be in: you still have no experience but now no longer qualify for most new grad positions because you've been out of school for more than a year.You WILL learn a lot there in LTC, and nothing says you can't continue searching for other jobs while you're working.Good luck whatever you decide!
I feel like any experience will help you to get a hospital job. Its definitely better than no experience. I would take the job if it was offered. Plus, you never know you may find you really enjoy it.
Quote from playmaker2008once you work in LTAC...you endure the experience and stress such that working in a traditional hospital would be a piece of cake...i mean dealing with peg tubes, picc lines, rectal tubes, foleys, t-tubes, vents, trachs, ng tubes etc..]
I worked as a LPN for 17 years prior to getting my RN in May 2010...Most of my previous experience has been in LTC...Although I have generally always worked in the higher acuity units, I still am unable to land a hospital job...I have experience with IVs, PICCs, wound care, traches, vents, and tubes..None of this seems to matter..My desire to work in ICU or telemetry has been my motivation to get my RN degree and license..I am not giving up, though..I just keep on trying...The nurse recruiter told me she had 40 applicants for each 1 RN position...So eventually I hope I am the 1 in 40 who gets picked! Good Luck
What you need to understand is LTC experience, is Med/Surg experience, and that can work in your favor. When I passed my NCLEX-RN last year, I waited a week and saw that the lucrative hospital job that I thought was waiting on me was not there, I went straight to LTC and was hired that day, I knew it was not where I wanted to be, as I had been out of nursing for 3yrs and needed more updated training/orientation. So on my days off, I hit hospitals and I sold myself and my experience.Most hospitals are not hiring nurses without experience, and if they do, I can assure you it is from a friend's recommendation.Take the LTC job, it is hard work, but the experience is invaluable, and it will keep you focused to move forward.....Good luck.............
Quote from Kazza, BSN, RNWhat you need to understand is LTC experience, is Med/Surg experience, and that can work in your favor. When I passed my NCLEX-RN last year, I waited a week and saw that the lucrative hospital job that I thought was waiting on me was not there, I went straight to LTC and was hired that day, I knew it was not where I wanted to be, as I had been out of nursing for 3yrs and needed more updated training/orientation. So on my days off, I hit hospitals and I sold myself and my experience.Most hospitals are not hiring nurses without experience, and if they do, I can assure you it is from a friend's recommendation.Take the LTC job, it is hard work, but the experience is invaluable, and it will keep you focused to move forward.....Good luck.............