Is there any travel nursing for new Grad's?

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I finished nursing school in May 2012, I had a temporary postion at a local hospital helping them launch there Electronic Medical record system for 3 months. They were not able to hire me because of budget issues. I have applied everywhere I can possible think of and contacted every single person I know in the medical field and still I have not had very much luck finding a job in any area. (I am in CA) I want to go into travel nursing is there any company that will hire a new grad and train them? I am more than willing to relocate or do travel assignment, but most companies want you to have at least 1-2 years of experience. Does anyone know of a company that will hire new grad's for travel nursing?

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Specializes in ED, trauma.

Travel nursing by nature is when an agency works with you to secure and assignment and sends you to a facility you have greed to with no more than a day of training.

Essentially you hit the ground running because you are there such a short time. They expect you to know how to be a nurse before you can travel from facility to facility or state to state.

Check the travel nursing forums too. (Under specialties)

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Thanks! I will look into those.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

You're not likely to find a travel position as a new grad. Like the previous poster said, you get at MOST a day or two of orientation and then are expected to be able to function as an experienced nurse.

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Specializes in Pedi.

If you are more than willing to relocate, then apply for staff nurse positions in other areas/states. Travel nurses need to have experience. When I worked in the hospital, travelers got 2 days of orientation max. New grads, on the other hand, got 12-20 weeks. It is not a safe position for a new grad to be in and I would be leery of any travel company that would hire a new grad.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.
If you are more than willing to relocate, then apply for staff nurse positions in other areas/states. Travel nurses need to have experience. When I worked in the hospital, travelers got 2 days of orientation max. New grads, on the other hand, got 12-20 weeks. It is not a safe position for a new grad to be in and I would be leery of any travel company that would hire a new grad.

Great advice

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

I work for an agency. My orientation was all about the facility I worked at, NOT about Nursing 101...because they expected me to already know that. They do not have the time, motivation or money to teach a new grad how to survive the first year of nursing.

That being said, you could look around and see what you find--some home health agencies will work with new grads--but I wouldn't be surprised if you don't find a travel agency willing to take on a new grad for acute care.

KelRN215 has great advice: if you really want to travel, apply out of state and rack up your year or two of experience that way.

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I think that will be my next step, to apply out of state. Thanks for all the great advice!

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Specializes in Private Practice- wellness center.

I don't know where you live now, but try small more rural towns. I'm a new grad and have been applying EVERYWHERE in San Antonio and the surrounding area. On a whim I decided to try applying for a couple of hospitals in MUCH smaller cities about two hours away. THAT is what finally got me a job here in Laredo.

I did contact a few home health agencies along with travel agencies, and was told to call them once I had a MINIMUM of one year experience. Hospice agencies may take you with only 6 months, but they're far and few in between.

Good luck!

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