Nurses who never worked in the hospital?

lvndtn · Aug 10, 2012

most hospitals require that you have experience of at least 1-2 yrs and clinicals don't count. So I would check on their requirements for applying first. Or if you know someone on the nursing admin team or someone who know's someone on the team then that would also help out as well. Yes a hospital is a great place to work for a first job if you're lucky to get in. I'm currently working at a nursing/rehab facility which hires new grads which I think is also a great first experience but dealing with the same routine everyday doesn't give you that much more experience than you would hope for. But again it is a good first experience... well for me, anyways, I don't know about other people.

Try to apply everywhere you can and don't limit yourself because you never know who might be hiring you and if you might like that first job.

Jess_Missouri_RN · Aug 10, 2012

I don't think hospital experience is a needed experience now as it was in the past. I did go directly to a med-surg floor and spent 2 years and still work PRN (more than I like) and I do believe for me it was a great start. It helped me with organization, prioritizing and time management plus the basic hospital skills. Also I've done a lot of patient teaching. Also, I now work full time in a clinic which my experience on the floor got me there. Depends on where you want to be in the future. Home health also likes med-surg experience. I would like to teach in my future so it will help with the clinical aspect requirement, which is another reason I stayed PRN. I guess it depends more on your future goals. In my case, it did help open doors to other avenues. Good luck!

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Aug 10, 2012

I have six and a half years of nursing experience (4 years as an LPN and 2 years as an RN), and I have never worked at an acute care hospital at any point during my career.

I started out in long term care (a.k.a. nursing homes) and remained there on and off for 6 years. I worked a short PRN/casual stint at a psychiatric facility and loved that, although the facility was too far from home for me to continue commuting there. For the past 2 years I have been working PRN/casual at a small rehab hospital and like it on most shifts.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Aug 10, 2012

I have been an RN for 19 years and never in a hospital. I did work in hospitals prior to becoming a nurse.

As a nurse I have done:

Clinic nursing (Kaiser type mega clinic) as staff nurse

Case management

A brief stint in Radiation Oncology, but I left because it really needed acute care skills

Nursing coordinator for a multiple practice site OB/Gyn group

And for the last 8 years research at a university

cannonball59 · Aug 10, 2012

Wow, thank you so much everyone for sharing!

CrunchRN - Might I ask if it is possible to be hired in a clinic setting as a new grad? If not, how would I get the experience needed besides a hospital setting? Or how can I get any experience needed if I were to work in the hospital at all for that matter since 1-2 years of experience is required? I'm just confused on how this all should work for a new grad with zero experience. Would I have to keep trying to continue to find a new grad opening? Thank you so much!

llg, PhD, RN · Aug 10, 2012

Years ago, my college roommate went into home health directly after college. She has since gotten an MSN in Community Health and become a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner. She currently works part time as a school nurse. Never did inpatient work.

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Aug 10, 2012

You just have to try for things whether or not you think you are the ideal candidate. That has worked for me every time. Some people love new grads/blank slate - others not so much. Just go for it!

pinkfish333 · Aug 10, 2012

I never had interest in working in a general hospital. I have worked in long term care for over six years and absolutely love it. I have worked in mental health for one year as well. I have no plans for working in a general hospital.. ....against what everyone seems to think I should be doing. So go for what you want and feel comfortable with. Nursing has so many options, you do not have to work in a hospital if you dont want to.

LadyRN10 · Aug 10, 2012

Just graduated in June and I chose not to work in a hospital. I worked in a hospital as a CNA and ER tech, but really felt I wanted something different.

I work as an RN in a residential school for children with Autism and some level of either Mental Retardation or some other form of neurological deficit (shaken baby syndrome, etc.) I over see about 11 kids and our client/staff ratio is at most 3:1, not including nursing staff. My duties are NURSING duties only. I pass meds, make assessments as needed, tracheostomy care/suctioning, straight caths for the kids who cannot empty their bladders, blood draws, g-tube feedings, and other various nursing tasks. I am not pulled in a million directions and have a lot of time to bond with my kids. I love it :)

FLArn · Aug 10, 2012

Never worked in a hospital. Worked in skilled nursing facilities on the skilled (rehab) floors. They are what hospital med surg used to be: 2 to 3 day post op CABGs, joint replacements, post CVA / MIs etc. They require lots of interventions and good assessments but the ratios are higher than the hospitals ever were! Most SNFs the patient:nurse ratio is 20-30:1. Also did home health with pediatric trach/vents. Now I am working as a hospice nurse for the past 9 years, 7 years at the inpatient unit and 2 years in the field. Love it so much...can't imagine going anywhere else!

scabby21 · Aug 10, 2012

Wow, thank you so much everyone for sharing!
CrunchRN - Might I ask if it is possible to be hired in a clinic setting as a new grad? If not, how would I get the experience needed besides a hospital setting? Or how can I get any experience needed if I were to work in the hospital at all for that matter since 1-2 years of experience is required? I'm just confused on how this all should work for a new grad with zero experience. Would I have to keep trying to continue to find a new grad opening? Thank you so much!

I graduated almost 2 years ago with my RN, BSN and went directly to work at a clinic. I love my job and almost everything about it. I did work in a hospital as a PCT throughout nursing school. I dont think it is necessary for all nurses to have hospital experience,especially if the hospital is not where you want to be. Most of my instructors told us that we needed to get at least a year of med-surg under our belts. There were a few that didnt think that though. Find an area that you enjoy and try to get a job in that area. If you can't well you just may have to find something that you dont enjoy as much and wait for an opening.