Taking a job beneath your training

I would take the job as long as it doesn't keep you from continuing to look for what you want. Better than being unemployed. As a matter of fact, if it were me, I would characterize the job on my resume as an office nurse job rather than working out of your line. After all, what did doctors have to work in their offices before they thought up MAs? Why nurses, of course. Good luck on your job hunt.

I would not take the job if you have to sign a year-long committment unless you cannot otherwise obtain food and shelter, etc.. It's not because the job is "beneath you," but because you are a new grad -- and in a year from now, it may be very hard for you to find an RN job.

You'll be competing against experienced nurses and new grads who will have spent that year either working as nurses or doing nursing skills in school clinicals. There will still be plenty of competition for the good RN jobs and you will not stack up well as an applicant in competition with the other RN's on the job market. While hiring managers will be sympathetic to your plight, they will choose the applicant who has the most current skills.

On the other hand ... if you can be SURE that you will be allowed to advance in the job and given a chance to use some of your nursing skills, you might want to take it if you really can't find anything better. I took a job "beneath my level of education" when I finished grad school and it worked out very well as I was able to upgrade the position a few years later.

In 2002 I was laid off from a $92k systems job. I went to JoAnne's at $6.65 and hour and cut fabric and stocked shelves.

No honest work is beneath me. Some is less pleasant.

An RN who takes a job not requiring an RN license has responsibilities an unlicensed worker, such as a medical assistant, does not have.
In California each registered nurse is required as a condition of licensure to act as the client's advocate, as circumstances require by initiating action to improve health care or to change decisions or activities which are against the interests or wishes of the client, and by giving the client the opportunity to make informed decisions about health care before it is provided.

The registered nurse has a legal obligation to recognize situations which are not in the best interest of the patient and to report these situations to persons who could effect change. -- for example, to report a questionable drug order to the physician who wrote the order or to report an incompetent health care provider to supervisor or licensing agency.

Reporting patient abuse is another example of patient advocacy. In 1985, in response to a request by the California Attorney General, the board adopted the position that failure of an RN to report known or suspected instances of client abuse -- physical, emotional, and sexual -- constitutes unprofessional conduct and is ground for discipline by the BRN.

STANDARDS OF COMPETENT PERFORMANCE:
http://www.rn.ca.gov/pdfs/regulations/npr-i-20.pdf

you will still be responsible to ur license no matter what