How long until youre not a ''new grad''

[blackvans1234]

Hey all, just wondering how long you must work until you're no longer considered a ''new grad''

More specifically, Im looking to find out how long (on average) you need to work at your first job until other Hospitals will consider you for the same position?

Basically, I work MedSurg/Tele and want to move across the country once I have enough experience. How much experience (time) until these Hospitals will consider me?

From what Ive seen, Hospitals write on their job listings that they require one year experience on the same unit.

So one year? How about six months? What about 18-24 months?

Does anyone have any insight/experience to this?

(I understand that there is no set rule, and there are many variations based on location / economy)

Thanks!

[Nolli]

A lot of the hospitals in my area consider us to be new grads until we hit the year mark. But when I was applying for jobs fresh out of school my mentor, who also happens to be a nurse, said that while her hospital would accept someone with 1 year of experience they preferred 2 and that technically until the 3 year mark while not new grads we'd be considered novice nurses.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

Generally, a nurse is no longer considered a new grad once he/she's accrued one year of paid experience and/or held an active nursing license for one year.

The nurses who have been licensed for more than a year without ever having landed a nursing job are called 'old new grads.' They're no longer considered new grads, yet they lack the much-needed paid work experience.

[Loo17]

The hospital where I work no longer considers one a new grad after a year, the new grads are promoted to RN-1 at this time.

[blackvans1234]

Do you think that after working one year at my current position that it will be easier (relative to the new grad job search) to get a new job?

[QuietRiot]

The program at my school has a LPN program embedded into the RN program. If one was to work as an LPN while they were finished up their RN degree, are they still considered a new grad?

[blackvans1234]

Yes, new grad RN.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Do you think that after working one year at my current position that it will be easier (relative to the new grad job search) to get a new job?

Yes, it would be easier. It would be even easier still after 2-3 years.

[kbrn2002, ADN, RN]

While it may vary from place to place, the standard seems to be 1 year. One year of licensure and you are not classified as a new grad, so even if you haven't worked as as RN you are no longer eligible for the new grad specific positions. Many job postings specify minimum 1 year experience. Job postings that say experience preferred will be more flexible.

Since you're already working med-surg/tele you are fortunately well on the way to getting that needed experience. I would still put out some feelers though to get an idea of how much experience is really preferred in the area you are planning to move into. If the job market is particularly tight 2-3 years experience will be better than 1

[Meriwhen, ASN, BSN, MSN, RN]

You are a new grad for the first year you are licensed. After that year, you become one of three things:

1. A nurse with a year's experience if you have been working a paid position all this time.

2. Still a new grad, if you are working but don't have a year's experience by your first anniversary of licensure. Once you get that year finished, you're no longer a new grad.

3. An old new grad, meaning you have had a license for more than a year but don't yet have any paid nursing experience.

Also, experience isn't just hospital/acute care nursing, but can be accrued at any nursing job. If you work at a SNF for that first year, you're no longer a new grad but an experienced nurse.

As far as moving from the first job to the next, you can do it after a year, but you'll find it easier if you have two year's experience.

Last, if you quit your first job before that year is up, you risk falling into the new grad black hole, which can kill your job prospects even more than being an old new grad can. You have too much experience to apply for new graduate positions, but don't yet have enough experience to apply for staff nursing jobs. If you must leave your first nursing job before the year is up, don't do it until you have the second job offer officially in hand.

[estrellaCR, BSN, RN]

One year of RN work experience (in any capacity, hospital or non-hospital) makes you no longer a new grad. If you graduate from school, but never worked as RN you are no longer a new grad as per what the job post states. New grad program job postings often state "you must have graduate in Fall 2014 to apply" So if you graduated before this you are no longer a new grad as per the job post. For non-specific job posts, You are no longer a new grad if you are unemployed after graduation for more than a year.