Any Nursing Agency that hires new RN's w/o experience???

mscsrjhm · Dec 16, 2008

Congratulations.

However- you gotta have the experience.

Many nurses hire into a facility, gain experience by working in multiple areas, take the free advancement classes offered by the facility, and within a year or two- you can make more money working ICU or ER.

Some agencies hire new nurses for private duty cases.

caliotter3 · Dec 16, 2008

You will need to contact various agencies directly with your question. Some agencies hire new grads and others do not. The same office of an agency may change its policy concerning lack of experience at any given time. Agencies are more likely to hire those without experience if they are very desperate for employees and/or have a good orientation policy in place. You will most likely have better luck as an inexperienced grad, if you seek home health work rather than staffing positions at agencies. For staffing work you are expected to be able to go into a facility and hit the ground running as they say, with minimal orientation. No one will want to take the time to answer your questions if you don't have a clue as to what you are to do. Agency nurses are typically given the worst assignments and the staff present may or may not be helpful to some degree. You can't count on it. After all, the facility must hire agency nurses for a reason, so there has to be something about the place that is less than optimal. With home health, though, you can prepare yourself for your job provided that you request and are given, adequate orientation. This is typically called, "training to the case". If you are doing continuous care, or shift, work, you will be given an orientation to a patient by the supervisor or the primary nurse on the case. You will get a copy of the 485, which contains the plan of care and MD orders, prior to visiting the patient. When you go out to the patient's house for orientation, the nurse (or a family member) will explain the routine and what you need to do for the patient. You will learn the basics of the documentation at the office. Most home care is routine care for stable patients. As long as you get these types of patients, you should be ok. All of this can be elaborated on when you interview for the position. Make certain that you ask for a patient care position, and are not being hired for the RN supervisor job. Going in without experience is mostly about having the courage to approach the job with an open mind and being willing to ask questions without hesitating. You just turn down any case that you believe will be beyond your capabilities or request training for specific areas that you need help with. That's all. Be proactive about your learning needs and positive in presenting yourself when you go to get the job. HTH

batjhong · Dec 16, 2008

Thank you so much for sharing me your insights. :wink2:

julzhere · Dec 17, 2008

You might find an agency that will hire you, but doing agency work with no experience will be very challenging, and probably not a good idea. Even with experience, it's not an easy thing to do.

BroadwayRN, ASN, RN · Dec 17, 2008

Agency nurses are typically given the worst assignments and the staff present may or may not be helpful to some degree. You can't count on it. After all, the facility must hire agency nurses for a reason, so there has to be something about the place that is less than optimal.

Not true everywhere. In the hospital where I work (it's an awesome place to work has a very low turnover rate) we greatly appreciate the agency nurses. We run short due to illnesses, vacations, etc and we are very good to our agency nurses.

With home health, though, you can prepare yourself for your job provided that you request and are given, adequate orientation. This is typically called, "training to the case". If you are doing continuous care, or shift, work, you will be given an orientation to a patient by the supervisor or the primary nurse on the case. You will get a copy of the 485, which contains the plan of care and MD orders, prior to visiting the patient. When you go out to the patient's house for orientation, the nurse (or a family member) will explain the routine and what you need to do for the patient. You will learn the basics of the documentation at the office. Most home care is routine care for stable patients.

That's private duty, not Home Health. Home Health is a speciality all to itself and requires a minimum of 3 months orientation even for an experienced nurse.

Private Duty is very doable for a new grad and I'm sure the private duty agency would snap you up in a heartbeat. You really do need to work on a floor and get your clinical skills honed. You should be able to get a PRN position if you're not interested in full time or part time. Good Luck.

showtime1970 · Dec 29, 2008

You really need to get experience in either long term care or a hospital (would be best) before you go agency. I would recommend at least 1 yr experience. I remember being a new nurse and starting my first job and had no clue what I was doing. It's totally different out in the field. You don't want to risk your license that you worked so hard to get.

wearyLPN · Jan 2, 2009

If you LOVE and SEEK stress that will make you cry then pursue this. :)

IMO though, this is a recipe for disaster. Sorry.

Don't put the cart before the horse, get yourself some experience first. As agency you must walk into the facility, get your assignment after a brief orientation (if you are lucky) and get to work. How can you do something with efficiency if you have not done it before. Every time you have to ask a question it takes valuable time from the person you ask, staff REALLY resent this and you would feel it.

RN Zeke · Jan 3, 2009

I would not do that to myself or patients! I have been an RN 1 1/2 years and realize how much I don't know each day. I would not set myself up in a situation that would cause harm to anyone!

nursey2008 · Feb 7, 2009

I have worked for 5 months in a nursing home prior to starting agency nursing in hospital wards. it is possible for rather newly qualified nurses, it is up to your self esteem. HOwever though many newly qualified nurses don't have this self esteem yet and those ones shouldn't work as agency nurses yet. But then again we all had some very tough training that equipped us with loads of knowledge. When you're newly qualified you have a very high level of knowledge so this is then your advantage!

rnjacqueline · Feb 18, 2009

I started as an lvn in the home health field with no experience. I was given an orientation and the pace was much slower and easier 2 digest. You can eventually move onto the hospital arena with some experience under your belt. Good luck. I am ini the s. calif area btw.:nuke:

Vikki09, MSN, NP · Jul 22, 2010

I started as an lvn in the home health field with no experience. I was given an orientation and the pace was much slower and easier 2 digest. You can eventually move onto the hospital arena with some experience under your belt. Good luck. I am ini the s. calif area btw.:nuke:

Do you mind telling me the name of the agency? I am super in need of a job of else I am going to be homeless with 2 young children next month. Thanksin advance.