My First Possible Job as an RN. Advice Needed, please

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Hi Everyone,

I found some nursing jobs posted on craigslist for new graduates RN working or getting paid as CNAs at around $13/hour. Since I am a foreign nurse who passed the Nclex a few years ago, would you recommend me getting this job at this low pay? I am definitely interested to acquire experience, but I do not want to get stuck at this pay.

Also, another job for new foreign RNs is paying a little more per hour with a promise to train in any specialty in a small facility of 56 beds, but I would need to commit for 3 years.

So, my questions are: work as a CNA at low pay, or as a New Foreign RN locked in for 3 years, or should I explore more?

I am interested in Med-Surge for now and then want to move into ICU eventually.

Would this be a good start? Wouldn't 3 years be too long?

Any input is much appreciated.

Thank you all.

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Forget about the $13 thing. That's nonsense. The other option might not be a bad gig...but if I were you I'd shop around. Which state are you hoping to work in? There are nurse residencies you can apply for.

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Don't go for any of those two .

Sent from my iPhone using allnurses

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I live in Southern California, so I hope to find a job here. I looked in to the residencies, but I heard it is very competitive to get in there, so I wonder...The $13 per hour looked really low to me too, I was wondering though and needed advice. I haven't applied to any of them yet.

Thank you for such a prompt reply.

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Thank you. The second position that would hire me as a full RN was more promising, but I don't like the idea of being locked in for 3 years...

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I suggest you look into less competitive positions such as home health, or skilled nursing facilities.

A 3 year contract will limit your options. Do you have a BSN?

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Hi, ICUman,

NO, I do not have a BSN. When the Board of Nursing accepted my curricula in nursing, I believe they said they considered me a Diploma program, but I do have a full RN license. I passed the Nclex 4 years ago. I also have a Bachelor's obtained in California at a prestigious state School with a very high GPA, so I don't know if that would help. Also, I am fluent in Spanish and another language.

I wonder if these woul dhelp me as well.

Thank you.

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Specializes in ER, Trauma, Med-Surg/Tele, LTC.
Hi, ICUman,

NO, I do not have a BSN. When the Board of Nursing accepted my curricula in nursing, I believe they said they considered me a Diploma program, but I do have a full RN license. I passed the Nclex 4 years ago. I also have a Bachelor's obtained in California at a prestigious state School with a very high GPA, so I don't know if that would help. Also, I am fluent in Spanish and another language.

I wonder if these woul dhelp me as well.

Thank you.

The competition is very tough in Southern California and the chances of getting into one of the residencies at the big hospitals without a BSN is practically non-existent. Having a non-BSN Bachelor's does not make you anymore competitive in the SoCal market regardless of the school's prestige. Try smaller community hospitals. They still consider ADNs, although even still, BSNs are preferred. Being fluent in Spanish is a major plus though. And as the previous poster suggested, try non-hospital settings as well such as nursing homes. Don't accept that $13/hr job. That is far, far too low for an RN. SoCal new grad RN wages range anywhere from $25 to $40 with $32-$35 being the median range.

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Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.

I've seen some of those craigslist ads saying they will hire new RNs as CNAs at that low rate to give them nursing experience. That alone makes me suspicious, because I don't think someone who is hired as a CNA can call that nursing experience even if all they want is an RN they can pay $13 per hour.

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Hi Caligula. Just a heads up, to work as a CNA in CA most facilities require a CNA license, even if you are an RN. You can take the CNA exam without having attended a certification program, but to get the license, you have to have been working for pay for a specific amount of time. It sounds crazy, but what can you say.... it's CA. I would be very leery of anything posted job wise in Craigslist. Make sure you check it out thoroughly before committing to anything. Southern CA is notorious for being a very difficult area for new grad RN's to find work (or even experienced RN's who have not worked for a few years). It took me over 2 years to find the position I'm in now but be persistent and don't give up. Best of luck!

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