How can new RN grads in CA get experience?

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After reading many posts, it seems that many new RN's are having trouble finding jobs because most hospitals require RN's to have years of experience. How can an RN get experience if hospitals won't hire? That's what scaring me about going into nursing.

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.
How can an RN get experience if hospitals won't hire?

1. Find a rural out-of-state hospital that will hire and train you. Return to California after you accrue at least a couple of years of acute care hospital experience. Places like Wyoming and North Dakota are still hiring robustly.

2. Join the military and be a nurse in the army, navy, air force, national guard, etc.

3. Consider out-of-hospital healthcare experience such as home health, private duty, clinics, nursing homes, hospice, psychiatric facilities, jails, prisons, etc.

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Specializes in Surgical Trauma ICU.

Relocate, if you can't then you may want to reconsider going into nursing

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Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.

It's not just in CA, or acute care. You pretty much have to take what you can get these days. I had the same frustrations but found a HHC agency that hired me without home care experience, and will provide training, also.

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I'm not even in nursing school yet and I volunteer at two hospitals while trying to find a hospital job as well. I have my EMT license and am trying to become an ER Tech to gain experience. A lot of places say you need 1 year experience but I was talking with the ER manager the other day and she basically told me to keep volunteering throughout nursing school, while looking for a hospital job, because it helps you network. Yes, its a tough economy, and networking will no longer guarantee you a job, but it can (and usually does) lead to at least an interview. Also, I'm applying to a program that is sponsored by one of the local hospitals here and they hire about 50% of the new grads (about 20) each year. All the clinicals are done at this one hospital so by the time you're done, they have a pretty good idea about what kind of nurse you'll be.

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Would it help if I get a CNA license while in nursing school?

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

I would also strongly encourage you to work during nursing school as well. CNA, Unit Clerk, ER Tech, Secretary are all good options. Working will help you network and eventually get a job once you graduate. All of my friends who had some type of hospital-related jobs during school got offers right away after they received their license. Nowadays, just graduating from a nursing school and having a license aren't just enough anymore.

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Would it help if I get a CNA license while in nursing school?

I have a CNA/HHA and work for a home health agency. I know once I graduate from RN school I could move right into being an RN for them if I could not find a hospital job. Plus you will meet nurses on the job and some of them work in hospitals therefore you are networking and also making good references.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Would it help if I get a CNA license while in nursing school?

It would because:

1. It's healthcare experience in a hospital.

2. It gives you a chance to see up close and personal a lot of what you are learning in school. You may not be able to do much more than see since you're not a nurse, but still, that's something.

3. It's networking opportunities.

4. It makes you an internal applicant when applying for that facility's new grad program. It's no guarantee you'll move into a RN job, but it can help your chances.

Don't take the job at the cost of your academic performance, though.

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