How did you get your feet in the door?

[SweetOldWorld, BSN, RN]

It has been my goal for some time to work in Infection Control. I am an experienced med/surg nurse with a BSN. I've been applying for Infection Control jobs but keep getting told they are looking for someone with experience. I joined APIC, but need experience in order to become certified. How did you get your foot in the door? What can I be doing to increase my chances of landing that first job? I would prefer to work in a hospital but am open to other opportunities. I just don't know where else to look and I keep running into that "experience needed" roadblock.

How do you get started in this field?

[stephanie2012]

not yet, now i am just a beginner, or i can say that i am on the way to being a nurse.

but i believe that if you really have passion, and this is the things you want to do, you plan to take it as your career, ok, try your best to convince them that you are the right candidate, and best promising one for the position, let them feel your sincerity. there is always a way out.

good luck !

[Double-Helix, BSN, RN]

Where do you work now? Does your hospital have an infection disease department or an MD that consults on infectious disease? If so, I'd ask that MD if it would be possible to work with him on a volunteer basis one day per week or whatever your schedule permits. If there is already an infection control nurse working in a hospital near you, you might consider asking to volunteer with that nurse in order to gain some experience.

[sauconyrunner]

best thing would be to offer yourself to help with the Infection prevention Performance Improvement projects. And join the infection control committee. Both those things should exist at your hospital...