Hospital or Nursing Agency?

lighterbeing · Sep 12, 2007

I would recommend a staff nursing job in the beginning. Much, much about Nursing is on the job training...You may feel you are ready to take on anything and one thing after another comes up and you don't have a clue what you are seeing. And there is always that nagging suspicion that something just isn't right with that patient. That is when it really is important to have staff who know you to turn to. Go in there with a willingness to learn and offer to help other staff who look like they are up to their eyeballs in it, make yourself a good team player, and you will benefit the whole unit and will learn and grow in the process. And I promise you, you will need mentoring from the long time nurses. There is so much adaptation and change in agency nursing, they expect you to hit the floor running and many times view you as an outsider who is making more money than them, so why give you any assistance. Nursing is one field you don't want to learn things the hard way.....peoples lives are at stake. Ok, that is my 2cents on the matter. Good luck and best wishes in your job search.

scrubing77 · Sep 12, 2007

I am not sure where you are applying but I graduated this past may and i am working at a hospital here in Chicago. I was offered 2 positions right off the bat. I wanted and got ICU with a few months of experience in the hospital on a tele floor that is their orientation program before i go to the ICU but i liked it and that is why i wanted the job i took.

As for most agency they require you to have anywhere from 8 months to one year of experience before you can work with them depending on what area you work in or what your back ground was before you were a Nurse.

suzanne4, RN · Sep 12, 2007

Most agencies require a minimum of one year of hospital experience, as you will not be getting orientation of more than a few hours or so when you are placed in an agency position. These positions expect you to be able to hit the floor running with only very minimal orientation.

A full-time hospital position would be much better for you if you have been out of nursing for three years, you do not mention how much experience that you had previously.

There are many job openings all over Chicagoland, so if you are having problems securing a job, you may wish to look at yourself and how you are marketing yourself to begin with. I have never met you, so cannot say a thing specifically to you, but a suggestion would be to find out why you have not been hired until now. Is there a common denominator as to why they have not taken you? Were there issues with previous references?

Always better to look at yourself first and see what needs to be worked on before doing anything.

Best of luck on your job search.:balloons:

TazziRN, RN · Sep 12, 2007

If you don't have any experience how are you listing ICUs as your specialty?

Agree with the others, in order to work agency you need to be able to jump in and take a full load with minimal orientation. New nurses with little or no experience cannot do that.

punkstar · Sep 12, 2007

Most agencies require a minimum of one year of hospital experience, as you will not be getting orientation of more than a few hours or so when you are placed in an agency position. These positions expect you to be able to hit the floor running with only very minimal orientation.
A full-time hospital position would be much better for you if you have been out of nursing for three years, you do not mention how much experience that you had previously.
There are many job openings all over Chicagoland, so if you are having problems securing a job, you may wish to look at yourself and how you are marketing yourself to begin with. I have never met you, so cannot say a thing specifically to you, but a suggestion would be to find out why you have not been hired until now. Is there a common denominator as to why they have not taken you? Were there issues with previous references?
Always better to look at yourself first and see what needs to be worked on before doing anything.
Best of luck on your job search.:balloons:

As far as experience goes, I have never worked in the hospital as a nurse before, but only as a registrar in admitting. It was only last Friday that I did apply and so I'm guessing I should sit tight and remain patient for any phone calls that may come through. Most of my references are my school professors from nursing school and so I have no issue with that. My resume and cover letter are up to par, so I think and is written/sounds professional. I, myself, am just a registered nurse ready to take up on his first year of nursing. I honestly have so many dreams that I'd love to fulfill...and being a 24 single man that I am with an ADN...all I can do is take it one day at a time.

This is the path I have traced....

ADN obtained --> Get 1 year exp. in any specialty --> w/ tuition reimbursement, enroll in an RN-BSN program for FALL 2008, switch to ICU position and work part-time while going to school --> Graduate 2010 with a BSN, by this time I'd have 1 1/2 yr of ICU exp.--> apply for school of nurse anesthesia --> Graduated school of anesthesia 2012-14? Who knows how long...MS/MSN w. conc. in anesthesia (CRNA).

So this is my plan...CAN I DO IT? I feel like I am ready. If I must repeat courses to boost that GPA, I will. If I have to take my GREs over and over for an acceptable score, I will. If my experience is still lacking, I work, and I will never give up.

My will for nursing...my will to care...my life to nursing life is in focus.

I just need to know that at my age...I am not too late.

punkstar · Sep 12, 2007

If you don't have any experience how are you listing ICUs as your specialty?
Agree with the others, in order to work agency you need to be able to jump in and take a full load with minimal orientation. New nurses with little or no experience cannot do that.

Thanks Tazzi...

I'll make sure to change that specialty listing...I thought it was asking what "specialty" I would be interested in...

And as far as agency clarification goes...I understand now.

It seems like my best bet is landing a STAFF NURSE position, any place right?

TazziRN, RN · Sep 12, 2007

Thanks Tazzi...
I'll make sure to change that specialty listing...I thought it was asking what "specialty" I would be interested in...
And as far as agency clarification goes...I understand now.
It seems like my best bet is landing a STAFF NURSE position, any place right?

Right. Not in LTC if you want to work agency, needs to be in acute care. Unless you find an agency that staffs LTCs. LTC is a specialty in itself.

Dolce, RN · Sep 12, 2007

Have you tried monster.com, careerbuilder.com or absolutelyhealthcare.com? There are lots of hospitals that need new grads but sometimes it just takes a little bit of looking. If I were you I would post my resume online with the above websites. You will be having 6-10 phone calls per day from nurse recruiters trying to hook you up. Believe me, there IS a nursing shortage out there.

punkstar · Sep 12, 2007

Have you tried monster.com, careerbuilder.com or absolutelyhealthcare.com? There are lots of hospitals that need new grads but sometimes it just takes a little bit of looking. If I were you I would post my resume online with the above websites. You will be having 6-10 phone calls per day from nurse recruiters trying to hook you up. Believe me, there IS a nursing shortage out there.

Dolce, thanks for the tip! I'll make sure to expand my chances!

punkstar · Sep 13, 2007

It seems like my best bet is landing a STAFF NURSE position, any place right?

So I have a job interview tomorrow for a full-time position in the ER. Wish me luck!

TracyB,RN, RN · Sep 13, 2007

Aww, Dude. You totally need to work in a hospital & get a new grad spot in ICU...

There are openings all over the place! I don't know if your exact location is the problem, or if it's wording b/c your first post made it sound like you had experience from 3 years ago, to find out you worked as a registrar.... kind of misleading & maybe that's what the recruiters are concerned about...

As far as anesthesia.... if you're going for CRNA, I would recommend a SOLID 2 yrs of ICU/Critical care exp.... I think most programs around here won't even give you a second thought 'till ya' have that 2 yrs.

Also, you may want to try to get that experience in a trauma center....

good luck