Capstone/senior practicum-Home Health vs hospital

[all-smiles]

Hi all!

I was just wondering if I could get some advice from some nurses out there about my senior practicum. I have a choice to do my senior practicum at a home health agency or at a hospital on a medical floor. What I was wondering is, would it hurt to do my rotation at a home health agency? I was thinking that because hospitals are not really hiring new grads, that if i got some experience in home health then i would have a better chance at getting a job. However, I do want to work in acute care at some point, so who thinks that it would hurt my chances?

Thanks in advance!:)

[caliotter3]

Hospital med surg floor to increase your hireability in both areas. More practical to you in the long run.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Huh, don't know that I'd agree Caliotter. In this environment, all-smiles might have something there. I'm going to say do home health, and turn it into an interview - which will be much easier to do since you will be in the car, etc. Go for it!! In reality hospital work will not ever happen for thousands of NGs. I mean never.

[caliotter3]

Home health agencies are easier to get a job with. They pretty much hire anyone with a clear license. But even hh agencies look for candidates with hospital med surg experience. A practicum there is closer to paid experience that is sought by all kinds of employers. The hh agency will hire you anyway, so the med surg experience is more useful.

[BrookeeLou_RN]

With the current marketplace.. I'd say go for Home health practicum, will give you plenty of med..maybe not so much surg.. but not all hospital units ever get surg either.

[April, RN, BSN, RN]

I see what you're saying, but I'd go with the medical floor. I don't think it would work against you if you were applying for a new grad position in home health, but I do think that a home health practicum could hold you back from getting a new grad job in a hospital setting. You state you want to work in acute care at some point. Since we all know it's tough for new grads to get into hospitals right now, a practicum on a medical unit would give you the opportunity to network and to prove yourself as a good potential hire.

[cokeforbreakfast]

The ONLY students in my cohort that got jobs right out of the gate got them through their senior practicum. Pick a practicum where you'd like to work (make sure that the facility doesn't have a firm "No New Grads" policy), then wow them with your willingness to learn!

[all-smiles]

Thanks everyone who gave their advice. I am still not sure what I am going to do, but I think I'll ask the people in my class that did their community health at the hh agency I would be doing my senior practicum through and see how they liked it.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Yeah that's a good idea. Start haunting the websites of your clinical choices. Ask around. Most hospitals in my area have a firm policy: no new grads, must have 1+, 2yrs acute care experience as minimum. Yet, some got hospitals jobs right out of school in my class. Those had actual family working at the facility - most with a direct connection to the DON. One a city political pressure contact. So, it's like that. BSN/ADN no difference. Tech or no tech makes no difference where I am. Bad/good grades make no difference. Those who had connections into the jobs have had no healthcare experience at all. You have to know somebody these days, and having a MD pal to put in for you often ain't enough anymore. MD's have seriously lost clout (and this, does upset them ) If they all work for a big hospital corporation, they are more just working stiffs like the rest of us.