Clinical or home health for new grad?

[frodo-dog]

I have just graduated in AZ from an AND RN program. I have no contacts in hospitals and basically have no hope of landing a job in a hospital as new grads are very difficult to place in AZ.

I started out wanting to get into nursing in order to work in rural health and home health, but the school really pushed working in a hospital: no lectures detailed the nature of home health and we only had 1 clinical day in home health. Hence I feel pressured to apply to hospitals and feel like a failure if I don't get accepted into a hospital.

I still feel that health care is bifurcated by clinical and home health: just looking at jobs, the requirements specify either clinical experience or home health experience.

I did get a job offer from a home health agency, it sounds really exciting, the agency has a new grad program that certifies new grads on vents (with no RT to assist), trachs and legal issues surrounding home health as diversified from hospital care. I get the long term relationships with patients that I so desire, I really believe that more and more patients will want home care and resist going into a hospital and I so want to get involved in telemedicine. But in the back of my head is 2 years of school telling me that I MUST MUST MUST go into a hospital setting.

What are your thoughts? Where is the future of nursing?

[Tarmstrong]

Tough choice. I went to the hospital and worked a year. I am moving over to home health and the experience I learned on the floor is one of the reasons I was selected for the position. I do know you need to be strong is decision making because it is just you out in the field, no one down the hall that can come give a second opinion.

Keep trying and good luck.

[nurseprnRN, BSN, RN]

if they want to give you education and support, i'd say go for it. in phx you can also try for the ihs-- see what they have to offer.

as to the questionnaire, it's not worded such that the choices are equivalent or unique, so i am unable to answer it.

[frodo-dog]

The poll is an SATA for general thoughs, not really a select one over the other. It doesnt state that though... :-(