Jobs not in the hospital setting

*ac* · Dec 4, 2009

Most likey more than a year. Two, three or more. Sorry, I am two and still feel stuck in the hospital.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Dec 4, 2009

rns can work in hospitals, elementary schools, [color=yellowgreen]middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, clinics, [color=sienna]doctors' offices, home health agencies, hospices, ambulatory surgery centers, [color=olive]nursing homes, psychiatric facilities, radiology suites, factories, private duty, [color=sandybrown]birthing centers, [color=pink]jails, [color=gray]prisons, dialysis centers, [color=deepskyblue]trade schools, [color=plum]the military, and a variety of other settings. just pick one of these places, submit your application and resume, and see where it takes you. other than declining to hire you, what is the worst that could happen? good luck!

CrunchRN, ADN, RN · Dec 4, 2009

I did - and it was due to networking.

LilRedRN1973 · Dec 4, 2009

New grads are welcome where I work. It's an outpatient psychiatric medication clinic that is run by the state. I work Monday-Friday with an hour for lunch. I get 13 paid holidays a year, great benefits (I pay $140/month for medical, dental, vision for a family of 5), and a pension. I love my job and the clientele we work with, although there are those moments when I miss the acute world of the ICU. The majority of the RN's I work with make around $70k a year (they've been here 3-5 years) with no overtime. It might be a bit boring for those looking for more excitement, technology, and medical issues. For me, working with psychiatric patients is fulfilling and can also be very unpredictable. I wish I had known about this place upon graduating because I would have applied back then.

iRN86 · Dec 4, 2009

New grads are welcome where I work. It's an outpatient psychiatric medication clinic that is run by the state. I work Monday-Friday with an hour for lunch. I get 13 paid holidays a year, great benefits (I pay $140/month for medical, dental, vision for a family of 5), and a pension. I love my job and the clientele we work with, although there are those moments when I miss the acute world of the ICU. The majority of the RN's I work with make around $70k a year (they've been here 3-5 years) with no overtime. It might be a bit boring for those looking for more excitement, technology, and medical issues. For me, working with psychiatric patients is fulfilling and can also be very unpredictable. I wish I had known about this place upon graduating because I would have applied back then.

what state are you in?

LilRedRN1973 · Dec 4, 2009

I'm in Nevada.

bcyogi · Dec 5, 2009

Life is good 1973: Are you in Southern Nevada or Northern Nevada? I am in Southern Nevada. Any openings at your place? How would I locate the postings if so? Thanks for any info. Sounds like a nice job.

AmyCan · Dec 6, 2009

Thanks everyone, this has helped a lot! And Life is Good 1973 your job sounds awesome to me, hope I can find a good one like that! Thanks

LilRedRN1973 · Dec 8, 2009

You can click on this link:

http://www.dop.nv.gov/

Then click where it says State of Nevada Job Opportunities. It will take you to a listing of all jobs available in the state. Click on a job for the description, the requirements, etc. It will tell you on the listing information whether it's for southern or northern Nevada. I know they have a facility like this one down south...it's called SNAMH. I'm constantly getting emails at work for their openings. They have a current opening for a Psychiatric Nurse II that requires a year of psych experience but don't let that stop you. I applied for this one and although they were looking for someone with psychiatric experience, they took a chance on me because of my own life experiences and how I presented myself in my interviews. I'm extremely happy here and enjoy my job more than any other nursing job I've had thus far. Working for the state does it have it's downfalls, such as our current mandatory furlough days (I am required to take one day off without pay each month until our state has some money...lol). But I don't mind and use that day to enjoy myself without kids or husband!

elkpark · Dec 9, 2009

IMHO, places that will hire a new grad into an outpt position without any experience are not doing you any favor. You can't go wrong getting a year or two of solid med-surg experience -- that will provide you with a good background for whatever you choose to go into later. However, if you start out in a specialized, outpt, non-bedside position and, a few years down the road, find that you want to (or need to) get into another clinical area or an inpt, bedside nursing position, you will be at a great disadvantage as a candidate for those positions. I think it's a big mistake to "pigeonhole" yourself professionally right at the beginning of your career.