GN/RN and waiting - What to do in the meantime

elkpark · Jan 26, 2011

You're a new grad with a job offer, and you're wondering if you should pass it up for the possibility of an internship five months from now???

I understand the job is not in your preferred specialty, but is there anything else particularly objectionable or problematic about it? These days, I would definitely take the firm job offer now. You've got the rest of your career to work in your preferred specialty. Until fairly recently, new grads routinely expected to take whatever entry-level general med-surg position they could get and recognized that they would "work their way up" over time to their dream job. That's what people in most occupations expect to do (start with whatever they can get and "work up" to their dream job) -- I don't see why nursing would be any different.

If the internship were a firm offer and it was just a matter of waiting until it started (or the economic and employment conditions weren't what they are right now), I would feel differently, but, with employment prospects for new grads what they are currently, I can't think of a good reason to pass up "a bird in the hand" for the possibility of one "in the bush." If you pass up this job, and then don't get the internship, this job will be gone and then you'll be entirely back to starting from scratch.

(BTW, since you mentioned it, most people don't put clinical rotations on a resumé, unless there is something special and unusual (remarkable) about the rotation(s). Everyone who looks at your resumé will know what kind of clinical rotations you had in school (the same as all other nursing grads have had). Many new nursing grads have no healthcare experience to put on a resumé other than nursing school, and that's fine -- healthcare employers are used to that. Graduating from nursing school and getting licensed is what counts. If you feel you really must, you must make it very clear that these were student rotations, and not even inadvertently give the impression that you're trying to pass them off as work experience.)

Congratulations on your graduation, and best wishes for your journey!

hiddencatRN, BSN, RN · Jan 27, 2011

(BTW, since you mentioned it, most people don't put clinical rotations on a resumé, unless there is something special and unusual (remarkable) about the rotation(s). Everyone who looks at your resumé will know what kind of clinical rotations you had in school (the same as all other nursing grads have had). Many new nursing grads have no healthcare experience to put on a resumé other than nursing school, and that's fine -- healthcare employers are used to that. Graduating from nursing school and getting licensed is what counts. If you feel you really must, you must make it very clear that these were student rotations, and not even inadvertently give the impression that you're trying to pass them off as work experience.)

I agree with everything you said except this: new grads don't all have the same rotations. The local ADN program doesn't have maternity OR peds rotations. Also, if you're placed at a variety of different hospitals, there's a chance you'll be applying to hospitals you were at for clinicals and I would definitely want to make sure that was on the resume. We were told to put our clinical rotations on by our career center and every visiting HR recruiter that came and spoke with out class. Once you get your first job as a nurse they come right off.

But yes, OP, you should take the job offer you have unless you are comfortable looking for work for several more months. The internship shouldn't even factor in to your decision: your choices are a job offer you HAVE and the possibility that there will be something more in line with your interests that you will apply for, be selected to interview for, and then offered.