Graduating RN No hospital experience

Jolie, BSN · Jan 5, 2005

You DO have hospital experience, in the form of nursing clinicals. Don't sell yourself short because you have not had a paying job in the field of nursing. Working as a nursing assistant, patient care technician, or home health aide is certainly helpful for nursing students, but it is simply not possible for everyone. While new grads with this kind of experience may have an easier time initially adjusting to a nursing job, it won't make a huge difference in the long run. Experience as an aide does not equal experience as a RN, and good managers and recruiters know this.

NAs, PCTs, and HHAs function in a support role. They do not have the knowledge level, skills or responsibility of a licensed nurse. That is why the value of such jobs for students is limited. Most extern programs offer the student nurse a greater educational experience by pairing him/her with an experienced RN so that the student can practice assessments, higher level clinical skills (such as IV starts, Foley insertion, etc.), critical thinking, decision making, prioritizing, etc, all with the support and constant supervision of a RN. Unfortunately, it does not sound as if your classmates received this level of instruction in their extern program.

My advice to you is to take full advantage of your clinical experiences. Develop a good relationship with your instructors and the nurses on the unit. When the time comes, ask these people to provide you with clinical references. Go into your job interviews with confidence and be ready to discuss your strengths based on your clinical experiences. Think of examples of outstanding nursing care you gave your patients. Also be honest and be ready to discuss your weaknesses, but don't apologize for them. You are a new grad, and are not expected to excel in every area of care.

When salary is discussed, DO NOT offer to work for a lower wage because of your lack of experience. No new grad has RN experience! You should be offered the same wage as any other new grad, with the possible exception of someone who has previously worked at that facility in another capacity.

As a former nurse manager, I will tell you that I had no qualms about hiring new grads or nurses without experience in my clinical area (NICU) as long as they showed confidence and initiative. But anyone who walked into an interview with an apologetic attitude received a kind "thank-you" note, and never heard from me again!

Goldenhare · Jan 5, 2005

:) Thanks Jolie!! I feel so much better! Especially that I am VERY interested in NICU. You have given me some great adviceincluding some things I have not thought about before-Audrey

BeenThereDoneThat74, MSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

hi everybody!
so in a way, i'm thinking i made the right decision in keeping my decent paying,flexible, part time library job. however....i need some feedback as to how difficult it will be for me to find a job. i'm interested in something a little less than 40 hours a week as my family has really been suffered by the amount of time i spend with school and studying... its not quite as simple as saying that i am lazy (or i don't think i would have a 3.3), but i realize that i am not "conforming to the ideal" i am willing to accept a lower starting salary because of my lack of experience. is this a viable option or is it a stupid idea? any ideas or comments would be appreciated!! thanks!!:uhoh21:

i don't think anyone would consider you 'lazy' at all. you have a family, and while you may need to work to help support them, they are your priority. don't get me wrong, i wouldn't go into an e potential employer and say you can't work weekends, nights or holidays (unless you want to work as a school nurse), you'll get this :chuckle :chuckle :chuckle (or a door slamming in your face!!!). as far as not working ft, well it's not impossible. in most hospitals, your status is based on a full time equivalent (fte). full time is 1.0 fte. anything below that is usually considered part time. 0.5 is half of full time. many places that have 12 hr shift use 0.6 a lot (2 12 hr shifts a week). there is even a 0.8 which is 11 shifts a month (at my place), instead of 13 shifts for full time. it does make a difference. ft is difficult, especially with kids. if a place is in real need of nurses, they will be negotiable. but keep in mind, they will try to make you take ft, because you are a new grad, and the consistency and repitition will get you trained and skilled quicker (you would probably have to orient ft, especially in critical care, which involves more classroom).

as far as accepting a lower paying job because of lack of experience, i'm confused: are your friends who are externing going to receive a higher starting salary as rns? where i live (as far as i know), all new grads start out with the same salary (unless you have a bsn). i didn't think an externship counted as 'experience differential'.

and as far as not taking the extern (or not getting it; no one has to know that btw), you don't need to expain that to anyone. maybe you wanted to keep your cushy library job, so you could better concentrate on your studies. many people struggle with the decision to take externships or cna positions. some people don't feel it helps at all. some nms don't care either. they may want to 'mold' you to their liking. i'm not in virginia, but i don't suppose you will have trouble finding a job.

unknown99, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Do you have a clinical in a hospital? If so, then there is your hospital experience. Also, many hospitals offer a new grad program.

nursemary9, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

Hi

I'm in Chicago.We hire new grads all the time with no experience.

They get new grad pay. Which in Chicago, is pretty good. We have new nurses hired for full and for part-time. 8 hr. shifts or 12 hr.

Mary Ann

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 5, 2005

There was a point in time where none of us had any hospital experience. Many nurses can't work in hospitals while they are in school and their only experience is their clinicals in school. They do fine. I did fine, you will too!

Good luck to you!

Goldenhare · Jan 6, 2005

Do you have a clinical in a hospital? If so, then there is your hospital experience. Also, many hospitals offer a new grad program.

Yes. we have had, or will have had, 4 semesters of clinical experience. I appreciate all of the advice that everyone has given so far!! Audrey

Gompers, BSN, RN · Jan 6, 2005

:) Thanks Jolie!! I feel so much better! Especially that I am VERY interested in NICU. You have given me some great adviceincluding some things I have not thought about before-Audrey

If you're interested in NICU then you really don't need to worry too much about previous experience. While I do know that externships exist in NICU, it's not something you see everywhere. And having previous work experience didn't really help me much when I started as a new grad in the NICU - my first CNA job was in med-surg and my second was in NICU but I was more like a secretary or housekeeper - rarely got to even TOUCH a baby, even in step-down. You don't learn much (if any) NICU stuff at all in school, so units expect you to come in needing complete training.

You mentioned something about not wanting to work 40 hours per week for a few years, and that's more of a concern to me. If you plan on working in an ICU, especially, you really should work full time (or close to it) for the first year. It's usually recommended, and believe me, I've seen a big difference in new NICU nurses who started working part time vs. full time.

BUT the difference is - when you're in school, you spend a lot of time away from home, and then when you actually ARE home, you're studying. Whereas when you start working, when you come home you will have much more time for your family!

Goldenhare · Jan 7, 2005

If you're interested in NICU .....
Yes, thanks, you make a really good point! You are right about coming home and studying. My school is 2 1/2 hour commute RT. In my last full time job, I did 65+ hours a week (no overtime) and then took paperwork home. Its hard to keep in mind that FOR THE MOST PART, I should be able to leave work and go home to my family, not more work. Thanks again for everyone's input. I really do feel lots better :) :) :) :) :) :) Audrey

actioncat · Jan 7, 2005

New RNs start out a the new RN rate, whethr they have experience as an aide or not.

Less than 40 hours a week should not be too difficult to find, I imagine. Most nurses I know do 32 or 36 hour work weeks. I know very few that have a set schedule for 40 hours a week.

purplemania, BSN, RN · Jan 7, 2005

the majority of new grads have no official nursing experience so you are on the same level as most of your competition. Hospitals do not expect you to have that experience as a new grad and should hire you to positions where you can have a mentor or preceptor to help you "grow". Good luck.