Is experience in unrelated field worse than no experience at all?

[Ms.RN1]

I'm looking for some of your expert opinions on a situation I am in. Quick, a little about me, I graduated with my BSN in December 2012, passed the NCLEX February and got my license early April. Ever since, I've been applying constantly for RN positions with not even a single interview. My dream is to work in OB, eventually get my CNM but that's getting ahead of myself. With this job market, I was not picky and applied to all types of positions. I attended job fairs and a few weeks ago received a call from one of the companies that had my resume from a job fair. I went on an interview and was offered a full time position, but it is in a non medical inpatient psychiatric facility. I accepted the job, as it was my only offer and in this economy I am grateful to have a job. I have heard that if you want to go into a field other then psych, you shouldn't stay in psych for long as you lose your medical skills (in my case I haven't even had an opportunity to practice them at all yet as a nurse) and you are not marketable outside of psych. On the other hand, if I didn't accept this job, I'd be not working as a nurse at all. I plan to continue to apply to jobs in OB or Med/Surg while working. I would like to think that a year of Psych nursing would look better to a year of not working at all, but is this the case? Does it look that bad that my experience will be in psych? Would I have a better chance eventually getting into OB if I don't take this position? And just to make it clear, I am interested in this position, I love psych and I think I will love the job, it's just that I love OB more and unfortunately they are very different specialties.

[ggabri07, BSN, RN]

Smart Girl for accepting the job. First of all reject all negative information that you here. Let me tell you my story. I started working as a case manager directly out of nursing school. It was my first job offer as a nurse and although not desirable...It paid great money and I needed a job. While working I started applying for clinical jobs. I updated my resume to make sure that it reflected all of my skills. I finally got an offer for an inpatient psych position for a small hospital. Again....not my first choice but I was making some progress. Again...I kept on applying for other positions....then got an offer for a psych position in the crisis center. There I learned how to draw blood, do EKGs, assessments, admit-discharge, etc...on the side I obtained my ACLS and PALs....got back on the Job Search...now I am going to be an ER NURSE!!!!! My dream job from day one. With patience and persistence you will and the job that you want.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Please stop referring to NURSING jobs as MEDICAL. Physicians are the only clinicians who practice medicine. Our industry is Health Care - not 'medicine'. Whew - I feel better now.

PP is correct - a paying job is preferable to no job. And psych nursing is a 'real' nursing job. If it is an inpatient psych facility, how can it not be also providing "medical" (psychiatric) care? Getting your foot in the door with a health care employer is important.

[BloomNurseRN, ASN, BSN, RN]

I think any position as a nurse is a good thing at this point. I have worked in medical offices and in healthcare for the last 10+ years but none of it in direct patient care (medical transcription, billing, coding, and management) so I know that's what I'm dealing with right now. I do believe I will find a nursing position soon though and that my experience in management and healthcare in general is a positive. Good luck!