I'm terrified I won't find a job!?

[lee0112]

Hi! So I am a recent new grad nurse who moved back to my home in Connecticut to live with my family after going to school in Massachusetts for a bachelors in nursing! I haven't yet taken the NCLEX, however I have recently been looking at some job opportunities in the area where I live. Everyone in nursing school including professors and clinical instructors have always said to start off on a med surg floor in order to really solidify nursing skills like assessment and critical thinking skills before potentially starting a speciality,which makes sense. But whenever I look at jobs in my area, there are hardly any hospital med surg jobs. Most require previous hospital experience which I don't have and I can't move out of state for a job because I don't have the money for rent or other expenses. I just wanted to ask if there are other places new grads can work in order to gain that experience to develop better assessment skills and confidence as a nurse? I'm very flexible so I'm not demanding on where I work, I just want to be somewhere that can help support me in finding my way as a new nurse. I absolutely love psych nursing, women's health and a bit of community nursing! Does anyone have any places new grads can work that aren't a hospital to help them improve skills as a new grad?

[guest042302019, BSN, RN]

If you can find the means to move, do it. You gotta be flexible that first job. I worked in nursing homes the first 1.5 years and then I got a job in a Trauma level 1 university. You could also do acute rehab centers. They are tough places to work but you learn good stuff. I think going directly into med-surg isn't necessary IMO. Good luck.