Long Term Care Nurse Career Overview | Nursejournal.org (2023)

FAQs

What is the job description for LTC nurse? ›

Long-term care nurses perform routine procedures such as recording vital signs and administering medications while also providing specialized treatments for progressive and chronic conditions. These nurses also provide educational and emotional assistance to patients and family members.

As a long-term acute care registered nurse, you provide care to patients with chronic conditions and prolonged or incurable illnesses. Your duties include providing patient care and assisting physicians and other medical professionals with treatment and illness management.

Fast Facts About Long-Term Care Nurses

As of March 2022, the average annual salary for an RN with long-term care skills is $64,370, or $29.96 per hour. The 65+ population has almost a 70% chance of needing LTC.

Patients in long-term care facilities require assistance 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. And this includes holidays and weekends. Therefore, most long-term care nurses don't have a nine-to-five job. Many facilities offer weekly schedules with five 8-hour shifts, three 12-hour shifts or a mix of the two.

Role of Nurses in Healthcare: Basic Duties

Medication and treatment administration. Client education. Case management. Recording medical information.

A long-term employee is someone who works with a company over an extended period of time. The length of employment that constitutes long-term employment varies depending on the type of job, often ranging from five to 10 years with a company.

Long Term Acute Care Hospital (LTACH) versus Long Term Care (LTC) LTACHs provide care for patients with multiple serious medical conditions requiring a longer stay than encouraged in traditional hospitals. LTACHs help to facilitate prompt discharge of clinically complex patients.

Typically a SNF will offer a more residential experience, whereas an LTACH will focus on more rigorous clinical care and observation.

LTACH patient ratios are usually 1:5 or 1:6. This means that each RN is responsible for no more than six patients during their 12-hour shift.

Gerontological Nurse Practitioner (GNP)

According to Salary.com, the average salary* of a Gerontological Nurse Practitioner is about $100,000 per year or about $48 per hour.

What is the highest paid nursing field? ›

Medicaid: Does pay for the largest share of long-term care services, but to qualify, your income must be below a certain level and you must meet minimum state eligibility requirements.

It can include skilled nursing care, speech, physical or occupational therapy or home health aide services.

Caring is best demonstrated by a nurse's ability to embody the five core values of professional nursing. Core nursing values essential to baccalaureate education include human dignity, integrity, autonomy, altruism, and social justice.

These measures specify best clinical practice in four areas: Heart Failure, Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI, i.e. Heart Attack), Pneumonia, and Surgical Site Infection prevention. Health organizations' performance on the Core Measures is assessed by examining documentation in patients' medical records.

A long-term career goal is a milestone that someone spends years or even decades working toward. An example of a long-term goal within the professional world may include moving up to a managerial role, breaking into a new industry or earning a higher salary.

Sample Answer

In the long term, I want to focus on understanding the industry as a whole so that I can advance to a management level position. My ultimate goal is to work closely with the company's clientele and oversee major projects. Feel free to be honest, but be sure to remain as positive as possible.

If you're in-between, you might be a good candidate for long-term care insurance if you're in good health, can afford the costs (including possible premium increases), don't want to use most or all of your assets and income to pay for long-term care, and don't want to burden family or friends.

What is the average length of stay at LTAC? ›

People who move to long-term acute care hospitals spend an average of more than 25 days. How long you stay will be based on how well you are doing and how much progress you make during your stay. Your case manager at the LTAC hospital will let you know when you are ready to leave.

Medicare pays all but the daily coinsurance. For days beyond 100: You pay the full cost for services. Medicare pays nothing. You must also pay all additional charges not covered by Medicare (like phone charges and laundry fees).

Health care is described as different levels of care: primary, secondary, tertiary, and quaternary. Primary care is the main doctor that treats your health, usually a general practitioner or internist.

The types of patients typically seen in LTACHs include those requiring: Prolonged ventilator use or weaning. Ongoing dialysis for chronic renal failure. Intensive respiratory care.

SAR (subacute rehab) and SNF (skilled nursing facility) refer to the same disposition option and are often used interchangeably.

Generally, the nurse-to-patient ratio recommendation is one nurse to every four patients. According to a National Nurses United report, there are currently no federal mandates that regulate the number of patients registered nurses (RNs) can care for simultaneously.

Their standard is one nurse for every five patients on average in medical-surgical units.

California has the highest recorded range of ratios, with as many as six patients to one nurse for psychiatric care. To put this in perspective, New York's average nurse-to-patient ratio for psychiatric care is around 3:6. Massachusetts has recently passed laws that mimic the California model.

Assesses patient needs and develops plan of care with physician. Coordinates and oversees care plan with patient, family, and support staff—LVNs and nurse assistants. Monitors and evaluates patient response to treatment, medication, and healing or mobilization progress. Oversees case management.

What is the role of the long-term care home assistant? ›

Care workers will work one to one to support our clients in; attending court, academic/day programming, home visits, and in the home with day to day functions.

As discussed earlier, Skilled Nursing Facilities provide more complex medical care and rehabilitation while Long Term Care Facilities offer more permanent support for day-to-day needs. In some instances, both types of institutions are combined to provide the most comprehensive level of care.

Top-notch clinical skills are necessary for every nurse, and home health care nurses are no exception. In order to meet the varied needs of their patients, home health care nurse should be able to deliver skilled services like the following: Assessment and skilled observation. Wound care and dressing changes.

The surgeon is your primary doctor and considered the leader in the operating room. It is the responsibility of the surgeon to ensure the operation goes smoothly, with minimal complications.

Care usually is provided in one of three main stages: independent living, assisted living, and skilled nursing. Nursing homes offer care to people who cannot be cared for at home or in the community. They provide skilled nursing care, rehabilitation services, meals, activities, help with daily living, and supervision.