So I am graduating from nursing school this August with my ASN.
On paper I am a brand new nurse, but have been working in a Level One Trauma Center in NYC as a Paramedic for fifteen years.
I run codes by myself, treat, diagnose and stabilize critical patients.
I am looking to work in an ED in Florida, North Miami and am not sure how to market myself or the type of position I can apply for.
Even though on paper I am brand new I have the skill set and knowledge of an experienced nurse.
Does anyone have any ideas on how I can go about getting prospective employers to view me as more than a brand new nurse?
Um yeah. I wouldn't go throwing that around at any potential interviews and would NOT phrase it like that on your resume. You do NOT have the same skill set and knowledge of an experienced nurse. Simple as that. And after you have a few years of NURSING experience under your belt, I'd be interested to see your reaction when a hot shot medic with a shiny new nursing license dares to say those same words to your face.
Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
Even though on paper I am brand new I have the skill set and knowledge of an experienced nurse.
No, on paper you are brand new and in reality you are brand new with the knowledge of an experience medic. The nursing model and medic model are two completely different things, and you won't know what you don't know until you actually work as a nurse. Please do not present yourself as someone with experience- it will not look good to people who do the hiring and it will not look good to those you will work with if offered a position. Sure, some facilities will recognize your medic experience and provide a small amount of additional compensation, but others will not, simply because you are a new grad nurse with zero nursing experience.
Even though on paper I am brand new I have the skill set and knowledge of an experienced nurse.
Um, no. You have the knowledge and skill set of an experienced paramedic. You aren't a brand new nurse yet, you still have to graduate and pass NCLEX. Once you do that you WILL be a brand new nurse both on paper and in reality.
Specializes in Infusion Nursing, Home Health Infusion.
I agree you are a brand new nurse and there is nothing wrong with with that. Don't expect to jump straight to the Boardwalk and Park Place nor would you want to do so! You need and want to be evaluated as a new nurse so you can get the proper preceptorship and training that you need to function in your new role. While some of the duties and skills of paramedic and RN overlap they indeed are different especially depending on your exact RN role as they are very diverse. So you may actually be cheating yourself by your current thinking. You may also be sabotaging your ability to fit it by presenting your self as "experienced " and you do not want to foster any bad feeling in your future coworkers . So just accept you are what you are and move on from there. You have experience in another aspect of healthcare and you are a brand new RN and that is where you are in life's journey now. Just enjoy it now because you only get to be there once.
I haven't read every reply but here are my thought: a well written resume, if completed properly and professionally (sparing the boasting and attitude of deserving better) should speak for itself. I had 2 interviews as an STNA based on my resume alone. My first nursing job, my employer found my resume and called me in for an interview without me ever having contacted them. My second and current nursing job I did submit my resume and was called in for an interview the same day. I have no super powers. Before I became an STNA, no previous healthcare experience. As a new RN, only healthcare experience as an STNA. I don the provide a cover letter or anything declaring my exceptional skills. My resume has a purpose statement that is about 7 lines long explaining my personal beliefs on nursing and why I feel I am a good addition to any facility. The rest is a normal professional resume. As I said, it should speak for itself.
Yeah, you're a new nurse without any nursing experience. Nursing isn't about running codes. You shouldn't see that many outside the ED if you're doing the job right and the patients are being triaged appropriately.
BuckyBadgerRN, ASN, RN
3,520 Posts
Um yeah. I wouldn't go throwing that around at any potential interviews and would NOT phrase it like that on your resume. You do NOT have the same skill set and knowledge of an experienced nurse. Simple as that. And after you have a few years of NURSING experience under your belt, I'd be interested to see your reaction when a hot shot medic with a shiny new nursing license dares to say those same words to your face.