[kcflower]

I have 6 years experience on a cardiac step-down unit and want to make a change. I am finding this difficult going the traditional staff nurse hospital route. Are nursing agencies more open minded to someone who wants to try a different area or will I run into the same problem? I would like to try mental health but without "official" experience on the resume, I am not finding many open minded individuals. Advice is appreciated.

[suzanne4]

As an agency nurse, they are expecting you to have experience in the area that you are going to be placed in. The facility is going to be paying for someone with skills in that area, not someone that is going to need to be trained.

If you are hitting road blocks going the traditional route, expect things to be much worse trying agency for an area that you have no experience in.

It is going to take time for you to find a position like that, but more than likely it is going to need to be started at a staff nurse level to get the required experience that you will need.

Best of luck to you.