Help!:(

[maureenelopre]

Hi! Can anyone help me?? I've been looking for a job but no institution takes interest because I have no previous work experience since I'm a new RN. Thanks fellow nurses! :)

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

Try looking outside of hospitals: rehab, skilled nursing, LTC, dialysis, outpatient clinics, private practices, etc. Right now it's hard to get into an acute care facility as a new grad, and IMO any work experience is better on your resume than an empty space because you sat around waiting for a hospital job to open up. So look outside the box for jobs--then while you're working, you can keep searching for a hospital position while racking up experience in the process.

Good luck!

[maureenelopre]

I've searced online for out of hospital nursing jobs but they require some minimal exprience and certifications such as CPR. I'm thinking of getting a CPR certification asap ad I hope that gives me a higher chance of getting hired. Thank you so much! You've been very helpful.

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

To be honest, you will need CPR or BLS (basic life support, so they're basically the same thing) for any nursing job, and employers are going to expect that you will have it before you even arrive at the facility. So definitely get it now while you are applying.

Also, heads-up: I'm not sure why, but many places prefer the American Heart Association's BLS over CPR. In fact, some places will specifically tell you they will only accept BLS. However, see which one the local employers in your area prefer.