New graduates with no clinical skills.

Nursing Students Pre-Nursing

Published

I am a pre-nursing student and I am currently taking Intro to Nursing. One of my assignments was to interview an RN. One of the questions I had to ask was what advice you would give to students or new graduate nurses. I spoke to a nurse at a local hospital and she said she would tell all students to get out there and get as much clinical experience/skills as possible - to not just sit back, but to get out there and find something that needed to be done and do it to practice the skills and get the experience. She has noticed that new grads do not have the skills they are supposed to have, even on simple things like starting an IV. I thought that was great adivce. She said that it seems like new grads "have no idea what they are doing". I wonder if this is normal accross the board. Could it be that people are going into nursing just for the paycheck and aren't really interested in learning? What is your opinion? Do you agree or disgree? What would be your advice?

As a new nursing graduate I can say with 100% certainty (at least for myself) that it has nothing to do with laziness and everything to do with simply not being given the opportunities in nursing school. Clinicals are usually 5-8 students to one instructor who is expected to ensure that students are "practicing" safely. Which usually leads to the conundrum- a person can't possibly be in two places at once. We are repeatedly told not to "bother the nurses" and that we are "guests on the unit". Some nurses have enough time and energy to be more involved and others are just way too busy. It's as simple as that. A= limited opportunities to do skills B= limited supervision opportunities C= not enough practice. A=B=C. The most frustrating part is that as a new graduate- I know I'm undesirable because yes- I DO LACK COMPETENCY in basic skills. I'll be brutally honest here. But it's not for lack of trying. I studied like crazy, maintained a 4.0, did an internship in the ICU, practiced in the sim lab well beyond mandated hours, and tried to learn as much as humanly possible in clinical. Yet it's all theoretical. Until I get my hands onto a patient I know nothing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

After reading all of these posts, I have a question: If new grads are undesirable due to lack of skills, and most employers want at least a year of experience - what kind of job can new RN's get? I'm a little confused on this. I know a few people with different stories, but I'm curious to know how people are gaining experience in order to have a better chance at securing a position.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER, Trauma, Med-Surg/Tele, LTC.
\ said:
After reading all of these posts I have a question: If new grads are undesirable due to lack of skills, and most employers want at least a year of experience - what kind of job can new RN's get? I'm a little confused on this. I know a few people with different stories, but I'm curious to know how people are gaining experience in order to have a better chance at securing a position.

Persistence, patience, and luck. There are new grad residencies out there and many new grads will get into them. However, MANY does not mean MOST. Most employers (from smaller community hospitals, nursing homes, home health, clinics, MD offices, etc) are too small to offer formal new grad residencies. However, many of these smaller employers will still give new grads a chance by offering longer orientation periods even without a formal residency. On the downside, these smaller places might offer significantly lower wages to new grads. For example, new grad RN wages typically range between $30-$35/hr without differentials throughout Southern California. I've seen Craigslist ads offering $20-$24 to new grad RNs o_O That's what I made as an LVN new grad! But of course, for new grads not lucky enough to have gotten into residencies, they'll take the job to get experience. Also, it depends largely on where you live that determines the difficulty in finding a new grad job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Persistence, patience, and luck. There are new grad residencies out there and many new grads will get into them. However, MANY does not mean MOST. Most employers (from smaller community hospitals, nursing homes, home health, clinics, MD offices, etc) are too small to offer formal new grad residencies. However, many of these smaller employers will still give new grads a chance by offering longer orientation periods even without a formal residency. On the downside, these smaller places might offer significantly lower wages to new grads. For example, new grad RN wages typically range between $30-$35/hr without differentials throughout Southern California. I've seen Craigslist ads offering $20-$24 to new grad RNs o_O That's what I made as an LVN new grad! But of course, for new grads not lucky enough to have gotten into residencies, they'll take the job to get experience. Also, it depends largely on where you live that determines the difficulty in finding a new grad job.

Thank you...I haven't crossed that road yet but it's always in the back of my mind. Sometimes I have nightmares after reading the stories on these boards!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm a pre-nursing student as well and I just applied for spring, so I'd take nursing classes in spring, summer then I'd have fall off...but during your "off" semester you can apply for a co-op and it costs the amount of a 3 credit hour class & you'd work as a nursing assistant at the hospital here. (It's a teaching hospital) so wed get to practice our skills while getting paid, plus get your foot in the door. I'm assuming you have to have a good gpa to qualify.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Now that I am on my second semester I understand what the problem is... my school has no open lab to practice skills. I wonder if this is a problem everywhere or only in my school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CNA.

I believe that many people choose nursing without any experience in patient care just knowing that the nursing field will always be in high demand. But many also have lots of patient care as well. The best nurses are ones that have had experience before that, such as being a CNA, or nurses who just care and are passionate about their job. My advice- just make sure nursing is for you. And yes, gain as many skills as possible before being a nurse. I am a nursing student and work as a CNA in a hospital in Seattle. I have learned SO much compared to simple care giving jobs or nursing home jobs. It really helps :-)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ICU.
I believe that many people choose nursing without any experience in patient care just knowing that the nursing field will always be in high demand. But many also have lots of patient care as well. The best nurses are ones that have had experience before that, such as being a CNA, or nurses who just care and are passionate about their job. My advice- just make sure nursing is for you. And yes, gain as many skills as possible before being a nurse. I am a nursing student and work as a CNA in a hospital in Seattle. I have learned SO much compared to simple care giving jobs or nursing home jobs. It really helps :-)

I disagree with this. I have no healthcare experience. Just because someone is a CNA does not make them a good nurse. The two roles are completely different. I did my research and chose a career that I truly want. I happen to be fascinated with the medical field and science. I have seen this argument time and time again. Just because I do not want to be a CNA does not mean I have no idea what nursing is about or I don't really want to be in the field. It simply means I want to focus on my studies while in school.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Now that I am on my second semester I understand what the problem is... my school has no open lab to practice skills. I wonder if this is a problem everywhere or only in my school.

Our school has very little skills lab as well. I know a lot of my classmates have been very frustrated with this. I'm grateful that I have extensive prior experience. Most of my classmates do not have the same luxury. We had one day of skills lab just before each rotation, and that was it, and it was a half day at that. I was floored, especially after having run a full time nursing skills lab for another school for a short time prior to starting my own program!

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm sorry but I also disagree with this. A CNA does a lot of things, but CNA's are not licensed to perform a lot of the skills that an RN would do, such as setting up an IV or a foley cath, just to mention a couple. I do not believe that not having had the opportunity of working as a CNA prior to entering nursing school or during nursing will make me a less competent RN than one that has. If this were true, perhaps nursing schools should make CNA experience part of the pre-requisites for entering into a nursing program, otherwise, it is the school's responsibility to ensure that the students have plenty of opportunities to learn and practice all the necessary skills.

My passion for nursing, my love of nursing, and the reason I decided to enter this field are not the question here. Having obtained skills prior to nursing school is not the question either. The question is... are all nursing schools like this or is my particular program lacking.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Just because I do not want to be a CNA does not mean I have no idea what nursing is about or I don't really want to be in the field. It simply means I want to focus on my studies while in school.

Yes, exactly! I shouldn't need to, the school should provide opportunities for skills practice.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Pediatrics, Emergency, Trauma.

Not everyone will have the opportunity to learn those "tasky" skills; those skills can be taught to pts (ie, self cathing) and lay people. The skills of learning how to think like a nurse-the nursing process, especially assessment which is the cornerstone to drive your interventions, is FAR more important than getting that IV or foley; that won't help if you can't assess for potential complications of said IV (think infiltrate) or blocked foley.

As for CNA requirements, some schools DO require CNA experience; it had been a growing trend depending on the area that schools are more accepting and are in favor of recruiting individuals with a background in pt care into nursing programs; being comfortable with working with vulnerable populations as well as pts with SERIOUS an complex holistic needs helps bridge the disconnect that can occur that many nurses have witnessed from nurses without a background, including burnout or even compassion fatigue; that's not to say all individuals with experience don't experience it either; however, the trend is less, due to knowing the politics of healthcare as well as having a comfort enough to advocate at all levels; I think these can be adapted to from entry level as well; but it will certainly take time and competency.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment