How Do You Promote Yourself as an Almost-Grad?

[EquuszARNP]

Hiyas:

CPNE's less than a month away. Several places I'm looking at applying have instructions for new grads to apply 6-8 weeks before graduation. Groovy, they're considering new grads. Except, I don't have much to say in the way of nursing; being an EC student not even any clinical to brag about. I just have my medic experience to fall back on. After much deliberation, here's the "Skills Summary" at the top of my newly revamped CV:

Nationally Registered EMT-Paramedic and Oregon Licensed EMT-Paramedic. Current RN candidate, degree pending. Certification in Advanced Cardiac Life Support (Instructor), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (Instructor), Basic Cardiac Life Support (Instructor), and Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (Instructor). Training in nursing care, and seventeen years of clinical experience in all paramedic basic and advanced life support skills. Experience in teaching and testing EMT and paramedic curricula. Expanded Scope (suturing, ENT, primary care) training and experience in remote locations (Saudi Arabia, Johnston Atoll, Iraq, Kazakhstan), including off-line advanced treatments and emergency MEDEVAC procedures. Extensive experience in occupational health and safety treatments, fitness examinations, and training. Fluent in English, conversant in Arabic, German, Filipino (Tagalog) and medical Spanish. Interests: Horses, music composition and recording, travel.

It then goes on to list my current degrees and certifications, pending degrees (AASN and B.Sc in Psych), work history and job descriptions, and references. The usual. But how about that intro to get me in the door?

Thanks,

--Equusz

[agldragonRN]

don't really have a valuable opinion but your resume is very impressive!

you can speak filipino? that's awesome! how did you learn?

good luck with the cpne!

i'm two exams away before cpne.

angel

[learninmama]

Looks great!!!

[EquuszARNP]

don't really have a valuable opinion but your resume is very impressive!

you can speak filipino? that's awesome! how did you learn?

good luck with the cpne!

i'm two exams away before cpne.

angel

thanks! let's hope the recruiters agree!

i learned tagalog by living in the philippines for four years (my high school years) while my parents were working there. i tend to have a knack for languages.

good luck on the rest of your exams!

--equusz

[dolphn545]

I did post on your other thread, that's closed now. And my suggestion is to see if any of the local hospitals will offer an internship type program, that way you can get your foot in the door, and satisfy the technicality of clinical hours.

After reading your other post I looked at one of our local hospitals, which is where I got the idea from. It was listed under the Professional Education on the hospital's website. Here is what one of my local hospitals does:

-----------------

******* is pleased to offer nursing students who have completed their junior year the opportunity to gain valuable clinical experience in an educational and supportive environment.

Student externs will assume a paid nurse aid position and have the opportunity to rotate through various clinical areas of the hospital for experience and observation. ***** offers the student extern a wide variety of clinical experiences including medical, surgical, trauma, cardiac services, critical care, and pediatrics.

In addition, you will have the opportunity to attend weekly educational sessions encompassing various nursing topics.

Topics Include:

- An individualized, competency based nursing orientation

- Weekly classroom experience to build on your knowledge base

- Supervised skills practice

- Access to on-line NCLEX review program

Who is eligible?

If you have completed your junior level of your Nursing curriculum and have maintained a 3.0 GPA or better and a current CPR card (AHA Healthcare provider or equivalent) you are eligible to apply for a student externship.

Dates:

June 7 – August 9, 2009

This 10 week program begins the first week of June and continues through August.

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I realize that this isn't for your area, but like I said, maybe a hospital in your area will offer a similar program.

Just my 2 cents ...

Good luck to you! :-)

[EquuszARNP]

Thanks for your help. Sorry about the other thread, it got closed because I had to defend myself against someone who blindsided me with some bizarre accusations.

I'm assuming by "Junior level of nursing" that that's for BSN candidates only?

I'm definitely going to look around. I know the Legacy system in my area has a nursing internship program that doesn't require specific clinical hours (it's a 6 month program), and there's also a couple community hospitals that are more flexible in their criteria.

Thanks for your post!

Equusz

[Cobweb]

Dunno if this will help, but maybe...

I always bypass Human Resources if there's a job I'm really interested in. They may have guidelines they have to follow, but often (not always) know little about the positions they are trying to fill. I go straight to the DON or Head Nurse or whatever and talk to them about the job. This has never failed me so far :yeah:I call ahead and make an appointment and try to show them that I will be an actual asset to the job and not just a waste of space. They often then will grease your way through HR. Hope that helps!

[EquuszARNP]

Thanks. Yes I plan to do this once I have license in hand, however, this hospital seems to be rigid in the online system. The nurse recruiter did, however, take my qualifications to each of the department heads for the jobs/internships I applied for, and asked if my experience would work in lieu of the required clinical hours. She emailed with each reply (so far, no). When I'm licensed I may just go there and start knocking on doors, but I may get shown the exit and told to use the online system.

No biggie, there are lots of hospitals within an hour's drive of me. I'm pretty confident I'll find something. However, I did go back and add my CNA and Ward Clerk experience to my CV, even though that was over 20 years ago!

--Equusz