Is my stated interest ruining my chances??

cally527, RN · Jun 13, 2012

I am not sure if my opinion will help you at all but here goes. I am not a nurse (I start an ADN program in September) but, I have a bachelors in business and I have worked in retail management for many years. At this point in time, healthcare facilities are still trying to tighten their belts and get as financially stable as possible. The cost of training a new employee (in any profession) is expensive for a company. While it is fabulous that you have a 5 year plan for yourself, it can make hiring managers a little bit uncomfortable. They may see your ambition and plans as a bad thing, meaning they will hire you and spend a good quantity of money to train you and then shortly thereafter you would leave to finish your schooling or to take a job as a CNM.

Just my non-nurse management :twocents:

jamie.glaze · Jun 13, 2012

True. But I wouldn't have to leave a L&D floor to practice Nurse-Midwifery, in fact I could benefit the hospital by just being on the floor in thatI would have a larger scope of practice than your average L&D nurse. That doesn't mean (for me at least) that I would require a ridiculously large increase in pay, but I think it would benefit any hospital to have a CNM on staff in L&D?? Can we say cost-cutting and improved outcomes??

ukjenn231 · Jun 13, 2012

I dont see any reason to remove it if its simply stated as you wrote, if you are applying to L&D floor... Maybe if you are applying to like Med Surg or something other than Women's Health you should remove it or rewrite it to reflect the position. It is just listed as an "interest," heck I'm interested in a bunch of areas of nursing but I'm not pursuing them all... Anyways, my two cents. If you feel it's limiting you, remove it and see if you get better response. As I'm sure you know, the industry is tight now and I don't know what you're applying for - but L&D is a competitive area on a normal basis. Good luck though!!

lovedijah · Jun 13, 2012

I can see 100% what you mean by having a plan... but... Its competitive. Say there's someone out there with the same qualifications as you. Similar resume. BUT their interests are related to the unit they are applying for. Who would you hire? Don't lie about interests, but don't volunteer interests that have nothing to do with what youre applying for. Best advice I got was to sell who you are now. Employers these days are from the show me state. Yes you have goals... but how are the skills you have NOW helping them. I think you could fix your resume more. Looking at your resume.. I have no idea what you did during your clinicals. I can assume... but some people assume less than more. I'd definately elaborate more. Way more. How many clinical hours? What exactly did you do? All I know is you have an ADN. With your non nursing experience you do a good job at telling what you did but not what came from it.Assist customers with purchases... what did this result in? More sales? Better customer service? Built relationships quickly? How? By effective listening. Im not meaning to he harsh, but your resume needs editing. Perhaps even put certifications and interests closer to top so employers can skim quickly. But definately elaborate more on student nursing since its your nursing experience.

llg, PhD, RN · Jun 13, 2012

The way you have it stated now, I don't think the Nurse Midwifery statement is hurting you with applications for maternity units. It would, however, hurt you for other types of jobs. So it might be better to take it off, just to play it safe.

As for it being beneficial for a hospital to have a midwife on staff -- not necessarily. Midwives function in a totally different role than a staff nurse. They are not interchangable and were you to start practicing as a midwife (assuming that hospital has midwives), your staff nurse position would be given to someone else. It would be no different than your leaving for any other type of job.

Then there is the matter of tuition reimbursement. Depending on the exact benefits of the potential employer, your efforts to become a midwife could be awfully expensive for them -- BSN, MSN, maybe DNP. They could be paying for a lot of tuition for you -- and making adjustments in your schedule to accommodate your school needs -- only to have you leave once you get that midwife certification. That's not a very attractive prospect for them. If they are looking to hire an L&D nurse, they would probably prefer to hire someone who really wants to be an L&D nurse, or whatever.

If you are applying for jobs in the maternal-child arena, it's fine to say that you have thought about advanced practice possibilities, are interested in learning more about them, etc. But when you announce up front that the job you are applying for is only a stepping stone to what you really want ... well, that may not be very appealing to an employer.

Learnlesson · Jun 13, 2012

Sorry, but there's no way on tis earth I would hire a nurse without clinical experience. You may want to expand the area you are job searching in. Being a new grad only teaches you enough to NOT kill someone (per our nursing instructor at graduation). You MUST have 1-2 years on the floor in order to be a well rounded nurse and to put theory into practice without an instructor to run to. Look outside your city and take whatever RN job you can get. The experience will at least get you a foot in the door at the hospital you really want to work at.

I am a new grad RN (ADN) who is already beginning RN-to-BSN education. I have thus far been unable to secure a RN/GN residency/internship.
My SO and I have had the conversation lately that I should remove my statement of interest in Certified Nurse Midwifery from my resume. He thinks it is limiting and/or playing on the personal opinions of nurse managers who may not be accepting of the CNM practice model - and that it may be the reason I am not getting call-backs. At all. I think it is me being up front and showing that I have "a five-year plan" I feel like it shows that I have a strong interest in evidence-based practice and a driven focus. Any wisdom?
In his defense he has heard me grumble during my OB rotations about several floor OB nurses that asked me if I "want to be responsible for dead babies" when I told them I wanted to become a CNM.
Here's my resume:
[TABLE]
[TR]
[TD]Objective
[/TD]
[TD]Graduate Nurse seeking RN Residency or entry-level RN position in a progressive healthcare organization that is focused on providing exceptional patient care.

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Experience
[/TD]
[TD]
Student Nurse
August 2010 - May 2012 Such & Such College Fort Worth, TX
Progressed from caring effectively for 1 LTAC patient per day to up to 4 complex patients per day with supervision
LTAC - Hospital
Med/Surg - Hospital
Mental Health - Hospital
Mother/Baby - Hospital
Pediatrics - Hospital
Complex - Hospital
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]
Field Service Representative
March 2011 - May 2012 BLAHBLAHBLAH , Inc. Southlake, TX
Seasonal product support inside of two leading home improvement stores
Build relationships quickly and maintain rapport with management
Successfully market products and report sales trends
Adapt to rapidly changing workplaces and co-workers
Work independently with remote supervision
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]
Field Service Representative
March 2007 - August 2007 Services Woodstock, GA
Maintain product representation inside of a national home improvement store
Assist customers with purchases
Coordinate with competing vendors to minimize conflicts and problems
Complete job responsibilities with minimal supervision
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD][/TD]
[TD]
Dispatch Assistant
March 2006 - March 2007 Transportation, Fort Worth, TX
Coordinate vehicle pick up and drop offs directly with customer
Manage maintenance records on over 500 vehicles in storage
Process employee reimbursements for up to 100 accounts per day
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Education
[/TD]
[TD]
2007 - 2012 College, Fort Worth, TX
Associate of Applied Science in Nursing
Fall 2011 Honors List
2001 - 2005 High School, Mansfield, TX
High School Diploma
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Interests
[/TD]
[TD]Mother/Baby Care, Nurse-Midwifery, Women's Health, Pediatrics

[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]Certifications, Memberships, & Training
[/TD]
[TD]BLS Healthcare Provider, AWHONN member
[/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

Double-Helix, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2012

True. But I wouldn't have to leave a L&D floor to practice Nurse-Midwifery, in fact I could benefit the hospital by just being on the floor in thatI would have a larger scope of practice than your average L&D nurse. That doesn't mean (for me at least) that I would require a ridiculously large increase in pay, but I think it would benefit any hospital to have a CNM on staff in L&D?? Can we say cost-cutting and improved outcomes??

That's not realistic. Hospitals done hire CNM's like they hire nurses. In the majority of cases, CNM's have their own practice and are grated privledges to treat their patients at the hospital. They are not employees of the hospital and are not paid by the hospital. It's not just a matter of switching your job title. There is a huge amount of legal and financial responsibilities associated with employing a CNM. Most hospitals aren't willing to take on the malpractice insurance and liability associated with it.

jamie.glaze · Jun 13, 2012

Sorry, but there's no way on tis earth I would hire a nurse without clinical experience. You may want to expand the area you are job searching in. Being a new grad only teaches you enough to NOT kill someone (per our nursing instructor at graduation). You MUST have 1-2 years on the floor in order to be a well rounded nurse and to put theory into practice without an instructor to run to. Look outside your city and take whatever RN job you can get. The experience will at least get you a foot in the door at the hospital you really want to work at

So what you are telling me is that all new nurses should just pack up and not even apply? We should close nursing schools across the country because new grads are worthless and obviously not prepared to be nurses at all? I think maybe this is what people mean when they say "Nurses eat their young." You are not the first person I have come across who has this same hostile attitude toward new grads. Just where should one attain this mythical one to two years on the floor if all nursing managers shared your thoughts? Specifically what "floor" would that be? How would caring for nursing home patients develop my clinical reasoning for perinatal nursing exactly? Secondly, I have been applying to residencies, not experienced nurse positions. I am well aware of what I don't know but I definitely know more than "how not to kill somebody." My resume, nor any piece of paper I could present could possibly speak to my ability for clinical reasoning - or anyone else's for that matter, that is something that can only be shown through action. Years in a nursing job does not automatically make one a "good nurse," that logic is flawed. It would be like saying I am a good parent just because I managed not to kill my child in the first two years of life... Finally, I cannot look too far outside my city because my only option is to commute to where I work or lose my children, thanks to divorce and 50/50 custody. The first one to move out of the county I live in will automatically become the non-custodial parent, losing their 50% share of custody and reverting to only every other weekend visitation. That is just not an option for me. I am however, entertaining and looking into jobs in an up to 1.5 hour radius from my home. Why would you automatically assume I am limiting myself to my city?

jamie.glaze · Jun 13, 2012

That's not realistic. Hospitals done hire CNM's like they hire nurses. In the majority of cases, CNM's have their own practice and are grated privledges to treat their patients at the hospital. They are not employees of the hospital and are not paid by the hospital. It's not just a matter of switching your job title. There is a huge amount of legal and financial responsibilities associated with employing a CNM. Most hospitals aren't willing to take on the malpractice insurance and liability associated with it.

Being a CNM would not preclude me from being first and foremost a RN. In fact, you cannot be a CNM without having first been a RN. it is an expansion upon the RN scope of practice, specified to uncomplicated pre-, peri-, and antenatal nursing as well as family planning and well woman checks. It is mostly like becoming an OB Nurse Practitioner (which does not exist, WHNPs provide only GYN care, not OB). I get what you are saying about the legalities and liabilities associated with it, that is why many hospitals do not hire physicians either, but rather give them rights to treat patients there. In Texas, a CNM must have an association with an OB/GYN to which they will defer any client who becomes complicated, other than that they are free to practice independently. Parkland Hospital in Dallas does hire midwives and they keep them on staff for the "uncomplicated" wing of births, and many of them have prescriptive authority (not just med-free births) but you are correct they are few and far between.

edmia, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2012

I am a new grad RN (ADN) who is already beginning RN-to-BSN education. I have thus far been unable to secure a RN/GN residency/internship.
My SO and I have had the conversation lately that I should remove my statement of interest in Certified Nurse Midwifery from my resume. He thinks it is limiting and/or playing on the personal opinions of nurse managers who may not be accepting of the CNM practice model - and that it may be the reason I am not getting call-backs. At all. I think it is me being up front and showing that I have "a five-year plan" I feel like it shows that I have a strong interest in evidence-based practice and a driven focus. Any wisdom?
[/TABLE]

I will have to agree with your SO. It's great that you want to be honest, but a manager just sees that you'll leave bedside nursing as soon as you get your CNM, which could be as soon as 3 years from hiring you.

Market yourself as the best L&D ever! Don't tell them you just need the job to gain experience and move on. Because that's what you're really saying.

edmia, BSN, RN · Jun 13, 2012

Sorry, but there's no way on tis earth I would hire a nurse without clinical experience. You may want to expand the area you are job searching in. Being a new grad only teaches you enough to NOT kill someone (per our nursing instructor at graduation). You MUST have 1-2 years on the floor in order to be a well rounded nurse and to put theory into practice without an instructor to run to. Look outside your city and take whatever RN job you can get. The experience will at least get you a foot in the door at the hospital you really want to work at.

To the OP: this is not true at all. Many facilities are willing to take on a new grad and train them properly. Especially in L&D where the skills are completely different from any other type of nursing. Don't be discouraged! Everyone I know who wanted mother/baby or L&D after graduating got those jobs straight out of school.