Got an incredible job but it's not in the clinical arena...

[PharmaRN]

Hi everybody, I am a recent grad of an accelerated RN program in Maryland. After hunting for several months for any position at all, an old networking connection helped me score an incredible, one-of-a-kind job working for a small corporation that owns a few nursing homes. Essentially, the job was created for me and tailored to my strengths, and the compensation is significantly higher than anything else around (as much as $8/hr or so more than my former classmates). I am fairly skilled with computers and have experience managing a large staff in a pharmacy setting, so my role is the IT nurse (developing electronic medical records, troubleshooting, etc.), training and inservices, PRN charge nurse, and special projects.

Sounds great, right? Here's my issue... unlike all of my other former classmates, I am not building any clinical skills. It's far too early to tell if I might want to pursue a masters in nursing informatics at some point, but I do know that, for several years, I've dreamed of becoming a nurse practitioner. I have a great love of assessing and working with patients, and my years in pharmacy have given me a very thorough knowledge of drugs -- I am using neither of those skills at this point. In fact, I feel far more like a manager now than I did when I actually was one (in pharmacy). I don't feel like a nurse, and I'm wondering/worrying if I'm only a couple years away from being so far outside of the clinical arena that I'd never be able to find a job anywhere but in nursing informatics.

Is there any advice you all can offer? I'm very worried that I'm going to wake up one day and realize that I've boxed myself into a role that I don't want to pursue for the rest of my life. BTW, I'm pretty much stuck working M-F 9-5, so I don't have four days off during the week in which I could try to pursue a part time job in a hospital. Should I try to get a job working PRN at a hospital? Is this even feasible given the fact that I have no clinical experience?

Thank you all for your time and support!

[missladyrn]

My advice would be to take the job and be thankful you have the opportunity. In the meantime I would try to find a weekend per diem job doing something clinical. Weekends are hard to cover, so you could maybe work 1 weekend day a week (per diem at my hospital requires 4 shifts per month).

I certainly wouldnt pass up a job offer like that. If nothing else, it is something to have on your resume and pay the bills while you look for something clinical. In my area new grads can take over a year to find a job, so take what you can get and continue to look!

[labelle777]

I think you should try to also find a part time clinical job. Per diem is good also, but I have not come accross any employers willing to hire new graduates for per diem jobs, they usually only accept experienced RNs

[eeyorelov]

That job sound great, be thankful besides you can do so much as an IT nurse within a hospital if you choose to leave it won't matter that you aren't "in a clinical area"!!!

[bigskye15]

My advice would be to take the job. As a new grad, I would love to be offered any position at all. Be thankful, because you are one of the lucky ones.