I'm a new nurse (graduated May 2009, licensed September 2009). I worked at my first nursing job - a clinical position - for about 8 months. I left the job for personal/professional reasons about a month and a half ago (I was absolutely miserable.)

Here is my question: With hospital/other clinical nursing jobs really hard to come by, is it a terrible idea to take a non-clinical position? (The job I'm interested in is a public health research position, something I'm very passionate about.) I think I would stand to learn a lot from this position, but I'm worried that it could be detrimental to my nursing career to move into a non-clinical position so early on. Will I be able to get a clinical job in a few years if/when the job market improves, or would I be shooting myself in the foot, so to speak?

Thank you for your advice...

A job is a job. Don't waste time worrying about getting a clinical job in the future. Deal with the future when it is your present. Right now concentrate on doing well in the job you have now. The future will take care of itself and people move around from one area of nursing to another all the time. So you will be able to get a clinical job if you are persistent, in the future.

I think you should probably take the job -- particularly if it is something you are passionate about. However, there probably will be a price to pay later if you want to get a clinical job. You might need a refresher course or something, depending on how long it is before you go back to a hospital job.

The longer your absence from clinical care is, the harder it will be to go back. However, you may end up never wanting to go back if you can find another niche for yourself. For example, you can get a Master's Degree in Public Health and head in that direction.

It is very hard to get back into hospital nursing once you have been gone for a year or two even with refresher courses from the reports I have read.

However, maybe you can make a life long career out of the new stuff so go for it!

As a nurse supervisor, I see that it is very hard times right now for "inexperienced nurses", however, I say go for your passion. In time the economy will improve and being a nurse will be just like old times: all you have to do is have RN after your name and you have doors opened to you. Plus, who knows, maybe you will stay in research for good. I have a background in research and if things were different, I'd love to have a research position with my RN. Good luck to you!