How important is it to get clinical experience in the beginning?

[nobodywarnedme]

I am currently sending out resumes & interviewing for my first RN position. Everyone seems to think going into the hospital & getting clinical experience is the way to go in nursing. I have found several jobs that are not acute/sub-acute care general clinical skills type settings. I have came across one job in particular that deals with patients in outpatient setting and is more psych related. The job has the perfect hours, the pay is slightly above the average for the area, and offers full benefits (except tuition reimbursement). I feel the skills needed for the position are a good match with my previous skills & life experiences. I have also done some research on the facility & strongly believe in their mission & feel like this would be very rewarding work. I also like that you get to build professional relationships and see the follow through. The recruiter I was speaking with said they hire new nurses & seemed to like me & asked that I contact her for an interview if I am interested in the position.

I also have an offer for a sub-acute care facility that has an excellent opportunity to learn & advance my career, but has lower pay ($250/week less). Honestly, I feel I would be fine if I never worked in the hospital or with acute care patients. But at the same time I don't know if I should limit myself at the beginning of my career. I hear strong clinical skills are the basis of many other jobs.

Any input to whether I should consider positions outside of acute/ subacute care? Any stories from RNs who have gone alternate routes? Thanks

[llg, PhD, RN]

From reading your post, it sounds like you already know the answer. If you ever want to work with acutely ill patients (e.g. inpatient hospital setting), then getting that type of experience early in your career is extremely important. The longer you are away from that environment, the harder it is to go back to it and get a job in that type of setting.

However, getting that experience is not important if you will never be looking for that type of job. What will your future hold? What types of jobs will you want in the future? Nobody knows. But you have to ask yourself whether or not you want to let go of those skill now at this early point in your career. Only you can answer that.

For some people ... working with outpatients or less acutely ill patients is they only type of nursing they are interested in. They have no qualms about giving up those possibilities -- and that's OK. Just understand what you are doing and be willing to live with the consequences of your informed decision.

[Swellz]

Honestly, I feel I would be fine if I never worked in the hospital or with acute care patients.

Isn't that all you need to say? It seems like you're passionate about this other opportunity. I hope you'll choose what's right for you. Getting back into acute care will likely be a challenge if you decide to do it later, but it's not like you don't learn outside the hospital. You just learn different skills. If you're happy outside the acute care environment, then good for you. Go get it girl!

[eggyweggy, MSN, RN]

Go with the job that best matches your passion and career goals. So many nurses go into acute/subacute because it's what you are "supposed" to do and end up moving on after a year. Why be miserable in a job that isn't going to get you closer to your career goals?

[calivianya, BSN, RN]

It sounds like you think the first job would be a good fit for you. Call that recruiter back ASAP and tell her you're interested!

[nobodywarnedme]

Thanks for the input. I definitely have some thinking to do regarding where I see myself in the future (short term & long term). I am thinking I might ask for an interview to get a better feel for the environment & go from there. Truthfully, I may not even get an offer. Honestly, I don't think I would be miserable in subacute or certain areas in the hospital & I certainly could deal with med-surg for a year or 2. On a side note, but not totally unrelated...one of the interviewers basically said to me that monkeys can learn the clinical skills. I don't believe that for a second, it kind of blew my mind that she said that.

[JennyMae]

I graduated in 2012. I was not successful in getting a hospital position for acute care. I got interviews but couldn't land a job. so, i took a home health position. I loved it, but my car didn't. And there was excessive amounts of paperwork to complete "off the clock" before I could get paid for visits.

After 6 months of Home Health I took an education position at a technical school. Again I love it but I can't work 72 hours a week for a 40 hour paycheck.

Now anything I apply for they want 1-2 years of acute care previous experience.

So YES!!! You need acute care experience from the employer perspective.

[smoup]

On a side note, but not totally unrelated...one of the interviewers basically said to me that monkeys can learn the clinical skills. I don't believe that for a second, it kind of blew my mind that she said that.

Heard this all through nursing school. It's not the clinical skills that are hard, it's everything else. A lot of the clinical skills we do, someone has taught a family member to do to take care of their loved one, or taught the patient themselves.

I went straight to psych after graduation. Never planning on working in a hospital setting.