Does having healthcare experience help land a job as a new grad?

[soxgirl2008]

I'm just curious does anyone know how much of a role having healthcare experience (ER tech, CNA in a hospital, etc) helps you when you are a new grad? Does it help? Or to employers is a new grad without RN experience the same as a new grad with CNA experience? I've heard from some people that it really helps and I've heard from other people that it makes no difference, so I just wanted some opinions from you guys that just graduated!

[pat8585]

I think having CNA experience is helpful. A lot of times a person who is a CNA gets promoted once they have passed the NCLEX.

Happened to me!

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

It really depends on the situation, the hospital, the job, etc. Like the first poster said, sometime you can get promoted from CNA to nurse at the hospital/home health/LTC facility you work at. So if you are going to school in the area that you want to work in, it would be helpful to try to get a job at the facility/specialty you want.

Other than that, having CNA experience might be helpful, but the I'd say the most important factors are performance in nursing school and a professional resume. I worked as a CNA for two years while in nursing school- one year in LTC and one year in adult/pediatric home health. I got hired as a new grad (I actually graduate in a couple weeks) in a pediatric ICU. Having the peds experience might have helped get me recognized, but the woman I interviewed with went over my resume with me. What she mentioned was how well it was laid out, how clearly I articulated my strengths and goals, and the organization of my clinical experience. She didn't even mention my CNA experience the entire interview.

However, I think it's really helpful for nursing school. I learned a lot as a CNA that really helped me as a nursing student. Even simple things like being comfortable bathing someone and talking to them help make a better nurse.

[DogCrazy]

When I graduated, the only people who had jobs at graduation were people who already worked in healthcare. Everyone else started looking. I know I was really grateful to have taken my job as a tech when graduation rolled around and pickings were much slimmer than anyone had anticipated.

[mkjh]

My class just graduated. The only people that already have jobs, have experience working as a tech while in school. The rest are still looking. It wasn't fun working while I was in school (I have kids too) but having a RN job now makes it all worth it.

[SummerGarden, BSN, MSN, RN]

op: it is all about who you know sometimes that gets you the job. therefore, being a tech allows you to know people when you are trying to get your first job. so, yes, being a tech can help. the only time i have seen it hurt a nurse's chances is when he/she was considered to be a bad tech and had a bad reputation as a tech. therefore, that person was not hired to be a rn upon graduation and also lost his/her tech job when he/she became licensed (some states and facilities do not allow nurses to work as techs). gl!