New Grad Nurse Gap Year?

[oaktree39]

Hello!

I am currently in an Accelerated BSN program that will finish at the end of the month. I am thinking of doing a year of service before I enter clinical practice, and I wanted to hear people's thoughts. My main question is, would this affect hiring opportunities the next year if I do not enter clinical practice immediately? How would this look to hiring managers and people involved in hiring decisions?

I would still take the NCLEX as soon as possible in August or September, depending on when my school gives the authorization to test. I would then apply for jobs/nursing residencies in March or April of next year and hope to start working in July or August of the same year.

For the year of service, I would be working with a group that addresses poverty and homelessness. It is a relationship-first model that helps increase the self-esteem and self-efficacy of people experiencing homelessness. As a volunteer, I have personally met and seen people impacted who get into housing, go sober, and reconnect with estranged family because of this.

Here are some of the benefits I think this would give me: 

• resilience and adaptability in the face of adversity 
• people skills like de-escalation and situational awareness
• a broader and more compassionate view of marginalized groups, as a lot of people experiencing homelessness are immigrants, have mental illnesses, etc.

Do you think this is a good idea? Or do you think I would be putting myself at a disadvantage for the future? Would it be better with certain specialties/floors? If this makes a difference, I am a man in my early 20s.

[FullGlass, BSN, MSN, NP]

Please get a nursing job ASAP after graduating.  You need to start working right away so that you don't forget what you learned in nursing school.  It is also strange that you do not want to start earning $ ASAP after graduating.  If you are interested in working with homeless people, there are nursing jobs that will allow you to do this.  You can also work and volunteer part-time.  Get solid nursing experience, knowledge, and skills first!  You can always take a sabbatical after that.