How do Clinic Nurses get their jobs?

[SunnyMindRN]

How are nurses able to get in the clinic sector? I keep hearing from the hiring managers that they want medical assistants or you must have clinic or hospital experience. I dont have hospital experience because the hospials only want BSNs for the new grad internships. Ive been told by hospitals that nursing home experience doesnt count because its not acute and clinics say nursing home experience doesnt count either. So how do new grads get into the clinic/ambulatory care sector?

[xoemmylouox, ASN, RN]

Many clinics do not hire RN's unless it is in a management role or in a specialty like Cardiology. Don't let this stop you though. You'll need to apply, apply, apply. Also consider walk in clinics.

[SunnyMindRN]

Thanks for the advice.

[newrnltc]

Hello! I am an RN that transferred to clinic from SNF/nursing home. If you can't get into a hospital affiliated clinic it would be helpful to start off in a doc's office (alternative ambulatory setting). I feel one of the factors with getting into a clinic position especially a private practice is that the doc/hiring powers that be have to see the value in having an RN working alongside them because RN costs double, sometimes triple an MA salary. I am the first RN my doc hired but she knew that there were things she could delegate to me that she could not delegate to medical assistants. Pt teaching, discussion of labs, medication administration, tracking complex cases etc -- this frees up her time to see more pts. But over time she realized other improvements to the practice an RN has to offer -- I do QI, staff education and implement measures to improve pt safety. Let me tell you, I have gone to industry conferences with my boss and many times other docs ask her when I'm standing right there (hello!!!) "is it really worth it to hire an RN?" ---xoemmy is right that many clinics do not hire RNs, I am in a semi management position (problems come to me first) and I am in a specialty clinic (Derm). That being said, clinic nursing is a very different kind of nursing from hospital. Because of the job market, I have yet been able to get the 1 yr med/surg I wanted to. I used to feel like less of a nurse then my hospital counterparts but nowadays each setting is so specialized you become an expert in your field. If you threw an ICU or ER nurse into my clinic they would be at a loss. Admits? I get a new pt every 5-10 min to triage and enter into our EMR. Prior authorizations, insurance plan restrictions, EM codes? What's that? I enjoy being able to do teach pts without call bells going off, seeing them get better on follow ups, not having to fix the tv or get sandwichs like I did on inpatient units. I am actually doing nursing duties!! The hours are quite good, holidays off. The only pay cut I took was my night shift diff. I also have free time and energy to get certs/continue education so if I wanted to move to an inpatient derm unit one day become a wound care nurse that could be a possibility. Clinic nursing is worth looking into. Good luck!

[SunnyMindRN]

Thanks newrnltc. Ive been hired at the local nursing home prn. I am hoping that will help me gain further knowledge and skills. Im glad that you were able to obtain a clinic position and that its a enjoyable place to work. Im still looking for a full timr clinc job while i work prn ltc. Fingers crossed

[LuckyDevil2020, BSN]

Almost all of the RNs in my clinic have experience in the emergency department or the ICU. The ones who don't are typically uncomfortable with performing clinical tasks when the do come up in the clinic.