job search after accelerated nursing program

Hi smack722, there is only one answer to this very important question: You must do both. Work as a nursing assistant (NOT patient sitter. not counted as clinical experience) while in the program. But buyer beware of the accelerated programs out there. In my personal opinion, you end up becoming poorly prepared for nursing. If it were me, I would become a nursing assistant and go to a community college's associate degree program. You can always get the BSN afterward. good luck!

Hi smack722, But buyer beware of the accelerated programs out there. In my personal opinion, you end up becoming poorly prepared for nursing. If it were me, I would become a nursing assistant and go to a community college's associate degree program. You can always get the BSN afterward. good luck!

Personally I graduated from an accelerated program and I am regarded as a well prepared nurse and I work in a very difficult unit that is considered one of the toughest in our hospital! I will say I did all prerequisite classes at a regular college d/t having a slot at a BSN college but when my parents health went down I moved closer and changed to accelerated program. I take offense at your lumping all into one. The truth is if you are in an accelerated program you will work twice as hard because you have to if you want to succeed and pass your boards! My suggestion would be to get your foot in the door somewhere. Sitting is fine at first and gives you time to study still. But when you get about 6 months from graduating get into a patient care position so your foot is in the door....remember this program is harder and working too much will make it hard to succeed...so if financially possible just work part time. Good luck!

Also remember your clinical can be put on your resume under added experience so list it in detail!

gonementally, I meant no offense to you. as I wrote, "in my personal opinion". I'm not trying to lump people together. but i disagree with adding your school clinicals to your resume's experience. it's not nursing employment experience.

Hi smack722 there is only one answer to this very important question: You must do both. Work as a nursing assistant (NOT patient sitter. not counted as clinical experience) while in the program. But buyer beware of the accelerated programs out there. In my personal opinion, you end up becoming poorly prepared for nursing. If it were me, I would become a nursing assistant and go to a community college's associate degree program. You can always get the BSN afterward. good luck![/quote']

I don't think these assumptions speak to the majority of programs or students. I also think a person with a prior bachelors degree would be selling themselves short to choose an ADN program over an accelerated BSN. (UDel's accelerated program is a second degree program.)

I didn't suggest adding it in employment. But i had my resume gone over by our job coordinator and he had me put in the skills and experience in a section of additional experience...and considering he worked as a developer with one of the big job search engines...I'd say he knew what he was doing and the HR at the job i got even said that was good to put in....experience is experience and i NEVER claimed it was job experience...it was listed as clinical experience.

Just wanted to be another to debunk a blanket statement: Accelerated nursing alumnus here, from a highly-regarded program that is 2nd in the state for NCLEX pass rate. Poorly prepared we are definitely not! Just because we absorbed the material in less time does not make us less prepared to be nurses. We all have the same RN license at the end of the day, and most of the learning happens on the unit once one is working.

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You don't NEED to work as a nurse's aide to find a job as a nurse.

The job market is so awful that being an aide will not set you apart.

This is what being an aide will help you with: boosting your resume, paying any bills that need to get paid, and possibly getting a job at the specific hospital you are working for--if they are hiring new grads and prioritize internal applicants/ say internal applicants only.

And if that hospital is particularly desirable the "internal applicants only" may still have 5-10 interviews for 1-3 positions.

And it will not be of great help outside of that specific hospital. It will only help you with the place you are working.

It's no longer the path to success and stability.

One of PP's mentioned putting clinical rotations on your resume as 'experience'..... PLEASE don't do this. It won't fool anyone. Those were educational practicums, not working experience. Limit your resume to facts - potential employers will check for validity & you don't want to be caught stretching the truth to make yourself look better.

Employment while in an accelerated program is difficult but IMO its a must-- I'd probably start about a year into my program if I had to do it over again. Now I'm a graduate of an accelerated program but I know nobody and have 0 experience or contacts and I wish I could do it over. I can't find a job to save my life but all the previously employed people in my class have got jobs at their respective agencies.