Hello all.
I am an RN with a home health hospice in Denver. I have worked in hospice for 2 years: 8 months as an RN and the others as an LPN (I was an LPN for 3 years before getting my RN). Before hospice I worked in LTC and sub-acute care in a rehab facility in San Francisco. I really enjoy the philosophy of Hospice, and I enjoy my job, but I don't think it is my calling. Or maybe it is, but I would like to try another area, more in the acute care areas. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on how to switch "specialties"? Since I am a newly graduated RN, I have that obstacle in front of me, and I also have no acute care experience, well none that hiring managers will take into account. My hospice has an inpatient unit, and we do a lot of acute care things, like PICC lines, ports, lots of med administration, lots and lots of wound care. But anyway, all of the nursing recruiters I have talked to say I need more experience. My hope is that after working as an RN for a year I can perhaps get into a hospital, but I really have no idea where to begin as there is that catch-22: you can't work in a hospital unless you have experience, but you can't get experience if no one will hire you.
I know the job market is pretty much nonexistent right now, so I am not in a hurry. But I will do anything (almost) to get into the system. My dream is to work in labor and delivery. How do I get there, from helping people leave the world to bringing them into it?
Thank you for any advice!
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