Is it OK to not work for a few years after passing NCLEX?

[barkandwag]

Heres a question. Once I have Graduated and passed my NCLEX. I would like to take a few years off to work on a relationship http://images.allnurses.com/smilies/added/redbeatheart.gif and personal things. Would that be acceptable to not start working as a nurse until 2 or 3 years after taking my NCLEX?http://images.allnurses.com/smilies/xmas/starornament.png

Thanks for all Advice.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

Well, a twist on what others are saying: I do believe that you would be doing yourself a disservice by not working as soon as you can, for the same above reasons...however, from what this economy is doing, you may be forced to not work at all because many new grads are faced with this same issue-cannot find a position.

A friend of mine that graduated from my LPN program with me took close to 9 months to take the state boards and then, waited for a year before she applied at a job because she worked in retail making a heftier commission than what any LPN or RN would ever earn, and her heart was never in nursing. The recruiter that interviewed her kept returning back to that fact..."Why didn't you work, what took you longer to sit for NCLEX, etc...".

If there were a way to get hired part time someplace where you can get some experience, that would the way I would go, but to take none for a few years is VERY risky in this tight economy.