How to get acute care experience when you are no longer a "new grad RN"

[arose26]

Hi everyone, I am looking to get experience as an RN preferably in the acute care setting but it is so hard to get a job in the hospital when you dont have any hospital based experience. The hospital environment is perfect for me to further my skills, knowledge and experience. I applied for the STARN New grad program a couple months ago but was denied because i am technically not a "new graduate RN" anymore and they were seeking out real RN new grads who preferably did clinical rotations in their hospital. However, I was told at time they will consider an outsider like me when they have an open spot they need to fill and will keep me on file. The position is for a intense residency position which would provide me with the exact training and hands on skilled experience to get my foot in the door and get hospital experience on my resume. My question is how do I get acute care experience and training in a residency program when you keep being told you are not a new graduate nurse but meet all the credentials and licensing?? I think there is some injustice in this system and willing to take it to a higher level if necessary when the hospital bases itself on equal opportunities for all employees.

[Scottishtape]

I'm not sure I'm following how not qualifying for a new grad position is considered "injustice" when you're not a new grad, but...

Apply for critical care positions farther away, network for "ins", and get extra certifications that will help you land a CC job (ACLS, PALS, EKG, etc).

Good luck.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Secure employment at a long term acute care hospital (LTACH) such as Kindred, Lifecare or Vibra. These places have critical care units, pulmonary floors, med/surg floors, etc. You will learn how to manage ventilators, tracheostomies, complicated wounds, and other procedures.

After a year or two of LTACH experience, hospitals will be more inclined to hire you.

Also, consider specialty rehabilitation hospitals such as HealthSouth and Triumph. You will learn how to administer blood transfusions, dress complicated wounds, perform trach care, and so on. Many of my former coworkers have been hired into acute care hospitals after having accrued rehab experience.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

I'm not sure I'm following how not qualifying for a new grad position is considered "injustice" when you're not a new grad, but...

It should be mentioned that the OP also has a FNP (family nurse practitioner) license. Many hospital HR directors and nurse managers may not call to schedule an interview because they fear the OP will resign once something 'better' comes along.

The FNP license creates the perception of overqualification, yet the lack of experience renders a nurse underqualified. This is surely a lose/lose situation.

[Scottishtape]

It should be mentioned that the OP also has a FNP (family nurse practitioner) license. Many hospital HR directors and nurse managers may not call to schedule an interview because they fear the OP will resign once something 'better' comes along.

The FNP license creates the perception of overqualification, yet the lack of experience renders a nurse underqualified. This is surely a lose/lose situation.

Ah, that makes more sense.

So, OP, you're a FNP with no RN experience? That's why they're telling you that you don't meet the new grad definition?

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

It should be mentioned that the OP also has a FNP (family nurse practitioner) license. Many hospital HR directors and nurse managers may not call to schedule an interview because they fear the OP will resign once something 'better' comes along.

The FNP license creates the perception of overqualification, yet the lack of experience renders a nurse underqualified. This is surely a lose/lose situation.

A pitfall of trying to become an "advanced practice" RN and bypassing the novice stage. You're not advanced in the slightest -- you said yourself that you wanted to get into acute care to gain skills and knowledge; an advanced RN has that -- but overqualified on paper.

I think TheCommuter had a good suggestion about LTACH. They are accredited as acute care hospitals (hence the "ACH"). Pts are medically extremely complex, having been sick a long time; the LTACH I used to work at gets a lot from my current level 1 trauma SICU and our burn unit, after being with us for weeks, even months. Many pts are on cardiac monitors, both bedside and tele; ventilators, usually trying to wean, vs long-term home vents; drips; dialysis; and complex wound care -- think burns, wound vacs, wound managers, Fournier's gangrene. We were required to be ACLS certified. Pt acuity is typically between ICU and stepdown.

You would learn a ton, but be prepared to work. It is extremely difficult, much more so than SNF (which I have done) -- more difficult than med-surg, and in some ways more difficult than ICU. And I only got 5 shifts orientation on the floor.

That said...In my area, most of the acute/critical care postings require current hospital experience. My stint in LTACH which followed a stint in SNF got me a look when applying for my current job.

[NotMyProblem MSN, ASN, BSN, MSN, LPN, RN]

A pitfall of trying to become an "advanced practice" RN and bypassing the novice stage. You're not advanced in the slightest -- you said yourself that you wanted to get into acute care to gain skills and knowledge; an advanced RN has that -- but overqualified on paper.

I think TheCommuter had a good suggestion about LTACH. They are accredited as acute care hospitals (hence the "ACH"). Pts are medically extremely complex, having been sick a long time; the LTACH I used to work at gets a lot from my current level 1 trauma SICU and our burn unit, after being with us for weeks, even months. Many pts are on cardiac monitors, both bedside and tele; ventilators, usually trying to wean, vs long-term home vents; drips; dialysis; and complex wound care -- think burns, wound vacs, wound managers, Fournier's gangrene. We were required to be ACLS certified. Pt acuity is typically between ICU and stepdown.

You would learn a ton, but be prepared to work. It is extremely difficult, much more so than SNF (which I have done) -- more difficult than med-surg, and in some ways more difficult than ICU. And I only got 5 shifts orientation on the floor.

That said...In my area, most of the acute/critical care postings require current hospital experience. My stint in LTACH which followed a stint in SNF got me a look when applying for my current job.

Exactly! I hope word gets around to those new grads who plan to go straight to the top. I applaud the ambition and motivation; but you have to actually be able to do some of the things taught in nursing programs as well as knowing why you're doing them.

It'd be very unfortunate to be in the OP's shoes. Having had no desire to become a FNP myself, do the powers-that-be not require continued employment or X-amount of recent years of hands-on clinical experience as a condition of acceptance/continued enrollment in the program?

Perhaps there's a major misconception that advanced degrees will teach all the skills that are acquired from a tour of duty in the trenches.

[Scottishtape]

This situation reminds me of someone in my family. She went to school, straight to PHd, without getting any experience in the field. She has a PHd now, but a year later, she still can't get a job anywhere because of her lack of actual experience.

I just don't understand how someone can be considered an "expert" in a field they have no experience in. It's damaging to those who rely on the "experts".

OP, I'm in no way trying to make you feel bad, it's just a serious flaw in the educational system.

[Lunah, MSN, RN]

You applied for a new grad residency. You are not a new grad. StaRN is very clear about what constitutes a new grad. There is no injustice.

Agree with others to look at an LTACH environment. Best of luck!

[Here.I.Stand, BSN, RN]

That said...In my area, most of the acute/critical care postings require current hospital experience. My stint in LTACH which followed a stint in SNF got me a look when applying for my current job.

Sorry I forgot to add: in my area, the two LTACHs in my area prefer but do not require acute care experience. (They generally do require a yr of nursing experience.)

[CKPM2RN, ASN, EMT-P]

The making of a career is not a rocket, it is a conestoga wagon. Slow and steady, but gets you there. I laugh at all these new grads who want to jump into the dream job, and some of them do just that, but most of us won't. We pay our dues, we gain experience.

Do you want a year (or more) of nursing experience to make yourself more attractive to acute care employers? Try long term care. These places are hiring! They don't care if you're a new grad, they don't care if you want to move on once you gain experience and as a bonus, you will learn real, honest-to-god nursing practice. Some people even find they like it a lot and stay in LTC for a career--that really happens!

In the meantime, take the job you can get while you work for the job you want. That is the way of the grown-up world.

[DTWriter]

How to get acute experience when you are no longer a "new grad?"

Re-locate.

In the Midwest, there are hospitals willing to train...actually, prefer to train experienced nurses who do not have acute care experience.

(Apologizes in advance if this was mentioned) OP, what type of acute care experience are you looking for?