How did you get your first nursing position

EarthChild1130 · Nov 8, 2009

I think I actually got pretty lucky. I went to work on an acute-care, inpatient psych unit a few weeks out of school...I did my practicum there, and I was working as a tech on a forensic evaluation unit (love the job but lots of safety issues). Anyhow, the day I went from GN to RN, the unit manager called me and said 'We have an opening coming up and I'd like to offer it to you.' Of course I took it! I love that place and if we get restationed there I'll harass them into hiring me back LOL.

KittyK · Nov 8, 2009

When I got my first position 30 years ago there wasn't a nursing shortage. I was graduating in April and getting married in June. I needed a job in the new community where my husband and I would be living--a small college town with one small hospital.

I made an appointment with the Director of Nursing in January for an interview. She was very gracious as she toured me around the hospital. But, she explained, there were no open positions. I told her I understood, but if one came open, I wanted her to remember me. Looking back, I can't believe how bold I was!

Someime in May the hospital called and said they had a part-time position on the evening shift for IV team. I took the job even though I had never started an IV. I had that position for several months until a med/surg position opened up. I've always been grateful for that IV experience.

SuesquatchRN, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2009

I went to the local ED and they said, "You're a nurse? We need you!"

Otessa, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2009

Whether you are a new grad or an experienced nurse, explain and share your story for inquiring minds. What ultimately lead you to your first nursing position? How did you feel? How persistent were you?

Worked in a nursing home for first 2 years of BSN program as a CNA then moved to hospital for 2 years as a CNA on a Telemetry floor. The summer between Junior and Senior year was a nurse intern where I floated throughout the hospital-with the blessing of my Tele manager-then went back to Tele floor as a CNA for my Senior year.

Interviewed on different floors-the only new grad hired to Tele floor-only 7 new grads were hired that Spring throughout the whole hospital-this was in 1992.

I heard later that my co-workers (RNs, LPNs, and CNAs) on the Tele floor would have protested if I wasn't hired :-)They were such an awesome group of people!

otessa

MedSurgeMess · Nov 8, 2009

I worked as a CNA on the m/s unit where I am now. They had my job waiting for me. In fact, they told me I wasn't allowed to go elsewhere!

vivacious1healer · Nov 8, 2009

After my first year of nursing, I was able to work as an LPN (after passing the exam) at a hospital in which we were doing our clinicals.

It worked very well since they were willing to work around my school schedule as I worked towards my RN degree. I worked every Fri&Sat from noon until midnite.

I ended up moving after graduation, and landed my RN job at the hospital my mother worked at for 30+ years.

It was a combination of luck, who ya know, AND at that time (8 years ago) hospitals in my region were purposely over hiring new grads....and could afford to do so.

mamamerlee, LPN · Nov 8, 2009

I have to go back 35 years!! The hospital where I went to school was a large medical center. They hired many of us, but only an elite few got hired into ICUs, and I was one of them - Neonatal ICU! What incredible nerve and an inflated sense of confidence I had !!! I loved that job!

Bonnie Chung · Nov 8, 2009

I got my first nursing job 3 years ago. I was hired at a big hospital in Manhattan and the nurses there were great! I was nervous when I went for the interview but I got a call 2 days later from HR that I was granted the position. You will learn what you need to know at the hospital!!!

Dalzac, LPN, LVN, RN · Nov 8, 2009

I was a CCUtech/monitor tech and as soon as I graduated I went to work at the same place in CCU. and Eventually retired from there I still love the place

Super_RN, BSN, RN · Nov 8, 2009

I was a STNA for 1 1/2 years before I got my RN. An ICU position was open, the ADON offered it to me, and I happily accepted I didn't even interview.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Nov 8, 2009

I was set to graduate nursing school in 2005. Had never worked as a nursing assistant/secretary/anything else in a hospital or doctors office. I did a 12 week student nurse thing the summer before last year. 6 weeks in PICU, 6 weeks in Rehab.

There are two major hospitals in my city, and of course, I wanted to work in a hospital, not a office or anything like that. I applied in January of 2005 for the "new grad RN" position. You fill out the application, indicate on it where you'd like to work. I put on it NICU, PICU, ER or L&D. NICU was the only one I got an interview at.

So when I go to the interview, I was 36 weeks pregnant. It was my first real job interview-I was only 23 years old! I'd always had basic jobs, where the interview was "when can you start?". IT was a situational/behavioral interview and the interviewers were not very friendly or pleasant!

4 weeks later, I finally heard that they didnt' offer me the job. So, I asked the recruiter what other units were hiring, and accepted interviews at ortho and cardiac surgery PCU. Neither of which sounded exciting. I had the baby by this point. I went to the ortho interview when my baby was a week old or so. Coming out of the interview right before me was a classmate, who saw me and told the interviewer that I had a baby last week~ i thought this would screw me. i was offered that job. Cardiac surgery PCU interview went well, she talked so long i had to cross my arms across my chest hard to inhibit let down!! lol that job seemed nice enough and the manager seemed really nice-she is the one that sealed it for me.

Took that job, and worked there for 15 months before switching to labor and delivery where i've been for the last 3.25 years!