Graduate in May, no experience..

[MayRN2987]

First of all, I just want to say how thrilled I am to have found this site. With that said, I have about a million questions that I will try to condense to one post. Please forgive me.

I will be graduating an ADN program at a local community college in May. I have no healthcare experience, and the reality of that is finally setting in. I am worried about how I will be able to get hired with no experience. It seems to be the general consensus that one must have experience as a CNA/PCT in order to be hired in my area. There is a multitude of reasons for why I never worked as a CNA. To start, I am a mother of two small children and a full time student. I decided long ago that there was no way I could work, go to school, and raise two kids at the same time and do of any of them well. In addition, I receive financial aid for my schooling, and if I had worked I would have lost the financial aid and consequently would not have been able to afford going back to school. Regardless of the reason, it became apparent to me that I had done myself a great disservice by not gaining the patient care experience that comes with working in the field. By the time I realized my folly my license had expired. My question is how will I justify my lack of experience to potential employers?

In addition, I was wondering how confident everyone felt on their first job? Although I have maintained a 4.0 GPA, I feel woefully unprepared for the day when I am on my own. I would feel more confident if I could find a hospital with a nurse residency program, but I live in a rural area and there is nothing of the sort around here. I have heard from fellow students that the nurses they know have told them that you learn the most on the first job instead of at school. Is this true?

Thanks for listening and any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[mmc51264, BSN, MSN, RN]

Yes, school does not really prepare you for what nursing is really like. I personally feel that there is a disconnect in what new nurses expectations are and what reality is. That does not mean it id not doable. Be willing to work hard and don't be afraid to ask questions. There are lots of new grads that have no health care experience.

I had young kids when i was in school. I got a job as a home health aide. Hours are very flexible and it IS experience. See what you can do.

I am not sure most places are going to care about your GPA.

Start applying to positions anywhere and everywhere. Volunteer at a LTC if you have to in order to get an idea of what it is like and that you might have an answer to the inevitable interview question about describing an experience where X happened.

[Fed_RN14]

You will find work. We were all new once. I recommend looking at hospitals in your area and see who offers good training programs for new nurses. Some hospitals have fabulous programs to support and educate their newbies if you will sign a contract to stay for a year or two. And if none offer anything like that, make sure you are applying for positions that are accepting new grads. No one expects a new RN to be ready to actually practice.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

Market yourself during clinicals

[johsonmichelle]

Please note that having a cna job before graduation can be helpful but it does not guarantee getting a nursing job. I had a tough job search and I was cna before my graduation, being a cna is not the only way to get a job, there are other avenues.

[sallyrnrrt, ADN, RN]

I worked charge 3-11 shift CCU at my hosp, diploma after graduating 11a same day, the reason, I spent 9 was charge nurse experience in CCU...of course it was a diploma program, affording tremendous linical time......

as DON in various nursing homes, I always recruited the "better" students from their clinical rotations....it is a win win....

the phrase, I'm really interested in a unit as this, what can I do to help.....goes a long way

[Palliative Care, DNP]

I never worked as a CNA in nursing school either. The only difference to our stories is that I had 4 children. Being a CNA does not mean you will find employment and it is not necessary to being a nurse. Without the connections a CNA has from being employed it may take longer to find a job but you will find one.