Another lost new grad

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Hi there,

I am a new grad nurse who graduated 7 months ago. I am having a hard time landing a job in my area because it's currently saturated. I have no CNA job experience, which I now of course regret. I have some job experience, but not much. However I have a lot of volunteer experience in a hospital, with a school nurse, and in a nursing home. I have an interview for a nursing home this week, which has been the only interview I have gotten so far. It offers a 3 weeks of orientation with some class training. I know that this is a longer orientation than most nursing homes , but it did not get the best reviews from staff online and it has a sign on bonus. Should I ask to shadow before I accept an offer, if they give me one? Or should I wait for something better? I know it is easier to get into psych nursing than the positions I've been applying. And they'll start to hire again in January. My other option is to move for a nurse residency program in Georgia 10 hours away from where I live. They really need nurses so it would be easier and I would get a longer orientation. However, I'd be leaving my immediate family, which is not good for a first year nurse. I would be staying with an aunt and uncle for the first year.I am interested in a lot of areas in nursing that require 2 years of experience for instance, SANE nurse, school nursing, public health, L and D/ mother baby, wound care, home and hospice ect. What area do you think would give me the best background for these job later down the line ? I could really use some feedback, thank you!

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First, decide what's most important to you. You're all over the place. Hospice and L&D are miles apart, for example. I don't think there's a single job that would be best to prepare for both of them.

If you absolutely have no clue, which seems to be the case, it's probably best to start in acute care. There's no way for me to know if separation from your family is "worth it" to you, though. ?

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Specializes in NICU.

Take what you can get right now, there’s a nursing shortage but there isn’t enough jobs that are friendly for new grads, so needless to say it’s tough right now. Nursing home experience is just as good as hospital experience. And if you feel like you need more time orienting, don’t be scared to mention that.

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Specializes in school nurse.
2 minutes ago, sal97 said:

Take what you can get right now, there’s a nursing shortage but there isn’t enough jobs that are friendly for new grads, so needless to say it’s tough right now. Nursing home experience is just as good as hospital experience. And if you feel like you need more time orienting, don’t be scared to mention that.

What are you basing your nursing shortage assertion on?

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Specializes in Mental Health.
5 hours ago, LostNewGrad23 said:

I am interested in a lot of areas in nursing that require 2 years of experience for instance, SANE nurse, school nursing, public health, L and D/ mother baby, wound care, home and hospice ect. What area do you think would give me the best background for these job later down the line ? I could really use some feedback, thank you!

You seem willing to move, and there are plenty of good places to work that you don’t need two years of experience to get into some of those positions. Wound care and L&D in particular I know don’t require any experience in my neck of the woods.

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Specializes in ICU, ER, Home Health, Corrections, School Nurse.

If your area is saturated, I would make the move to Georgia. Staying in a saturated area is going to put you in the position of settling for something that you really don't want, and then feeling stuck because there are no other options. And, yes, you will be moving far from your support system, but you should be meeting other nurses in the residency program that can be a source of support, new friends, etc.

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Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

In Georgia, you would be living with your aunt and uncle. So you would not be without a support system. If they are willing to let you live with them, they would probably provide you with some emotional support, too. They would probably also help you with some of the practical realities of adult life -- where to shop, doctor, dentist, insurance agent, etc.

What are you waiting for? Take advantage of the support you have it Georgia and invest in your career. You can't expect that the perfect job will always be available right where you already live. The Georgia alternative sounds do-able as you would not be moving there alone and by yourself.

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Specializes in MICU, Burn ICU.

I moved 5 hours away from home knowing that my area would be hard to find a job once we graduated. I applied for a position and got the job 5 months before graduation, had 2 weeks to test, passed and left. So far I'm the only one who got into the intensive care unit and very few have yet to find acute care positions.

My rationale for moving was why stay in one area where there are many facilities out there? If it is just you and you have no children, do it. Spread your wings and fly. I am originally in Burn ICU being crosstrained to ICU and PICU. I'm still floating lol you can too with family being miles away! You'll make new friends. It gets intense but I stay optimistic - if you're in a residency program, it is even better. You'll develop a sisterhood/brotherhood among your colleagues. Doesn't hurt to apply out of town and see what happens! ?

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Specializes in Ambulatory Care-Family Medicine.

If you don't have children or other obligations holding you in your current area, I see make the move. It is terrifying to move away from your parents and the support system that you grew up with, however it will also help you grow as a person in the long run.

If you can land your "dream" new grad position in Georgia and have family members who are willing to open their home to you I say go for it! You will meet new people and make new friends in Georgia. If after 1-2 years you just hate it, you can always move back home with some work and life experience which will help you get a new job. One of the best things about nursing is how versatile and mobile you can be if you want to be.

I would recommend really thinking about what field of nursing most interests you. As others have said L&D and Hospice are worlds apart. You can always change your specialty later, but it would be best to figure out which you like most and start down that road. If you really have no idea, 1-2 years of Med/Surg may help you decide since you can see a little of everything (except L&D unless you are at a small facility maybe).

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I can almost guarantee that the nursing home won't give you three weeks orientation. More like three days. Can you enroll in a BSN program? Having that you are enrolled on your resume could help you get your foot in the door at a hospital. SNF experience is better than none. If you take that job, keep applying regularly to hospitals. Good luck.

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Specializes in Adult Primary Care.

Make the move!!!!

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Move out of state

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