New Grad Question: Grades vs Medical Experience

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With the economy the way it is and its effect on the hiring of new grads, are hospitals more likely to hold medical experience, such as PCT, over grades? Thanks

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With the economy the way it is and its effect on the hiring of new grads, are hospitals more likely to hold medical experience, such as PCT, over grades? Thanks

It will definitely based on your experience. Grades are only important, when you decide to proceed and get your master's degree, and maybe later on a doctorate degree. When it comes to a hospital setting, working in an ICU, Critical Care, and etc. You need to have experience. Your grades are not the basis of how well you will interact, and care for your patients, but you as a person through experience, and an excellent critical thinking skills.

Hope this helps.

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Thanks, thats what I figured.

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Specializes in Telemetry, IMCU, s/p Open Heart surgery.
It will definitely based on your experience. Grades are only important, when you decide to proceed and get your master's degree, and maybe later on a doctorate degree. When it comes to a hospital setting, working in an ICU, Critical Care, and etc. You need to have experience. Your grades are not the basis of how well you will interact, and care for your patients, but you as a person through experience, and an excellent critical thinking skills.

Hope this helps.

i totally agree. when i was applying for jobs, i wasn't asked what my GPA was at all. i was, asked however, if i had any experience with patients or working in a medical setting. while i was in nursing school, i worked at my university's student health clinic and i also worked in the hospital that i currently work at as a safety observer. we were basically PCAs that worked one-to-one with patients who were confused, suicide precautions, etc. it really helped b/c i would be sent to different units around the hospital and i got to experience the dynamics on pretty much all the nursing units. it's how i picked the unit i work on now!

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Specializes in Neuroscience/Cardiac.

experience. no one has ever asked me anything about my grades.

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Specializes in ED.

Ideally you should have both. I disagree with some of the above posts. If I had someone with great grades and some experience I would take them over a person with poorer grades but a great deal of experience. Why? New nurses have a very high learning curve. The nurses who know more from the beginning and work harder, in my experience, have a much easier time transitioning. Of course, there are many other factors that go into hiring people, but that is my general philosophy.

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My local hospital has opened up their new grad program a few days ago. They state that only graduates from our state with a 3.0 can be accepted. I think more hospitals will look at grades these days for new grad hires.

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there is no rhyme or reason and sometimes it has nothing to you with you at all-seriously- not who you know, rockstar GPA or PCt exp... in my area, PCT exp is imp but there were many whose resume was forwarded but never interviewed, there was pref for students of the hosp based nursing school with scholarship obligation (ADN), then BSNs--- voodoo magic!

Just keep applying and get those good grades bc you love it ;)

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This is what I've been finding. It's both now. I put my transcript in my portfolio in it's own sleeve and have been told, "Yes, good you have this... it's important now." This is happening to my classmates as well, and is why I now have included mine. On my resume I have just simply stated "honors all semesters" to keep it simple.

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Oh and forgot to mention this important thing... those that struggled to keep their pct/cna jobs going during school are not being offered jobs in my area, it is having absolutely no bearing. How awful.

However those that live on the border with a neighboring state, and happened to pct in that state were offered jobs, so they took their NCLEX to get licensed in that bordering state not in ours. So that's how variable it is.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

As a new grad who went through the painful job hunt, I can tell you that while experience still matters, employers are looking at grades a lot more now than they were a few years ago. Nearly every job I applied to--including in LTC and SNFs--asked about my grades and/or a copy of my transcript. And while I don't think my grades is what landed me my job, considering I didn't have much experience in psych, those grades definitely helped open the door for the second interview so I could sell the employer on myself.

There's so many new grads (and experienced nurses) and not enough jobs out there for all of them, that employers have the luxury of cherry-picking applicants and looking for exactly what they want. So get the experience if you can...but don't neglect the grades either. They both matter right now.

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Specializes in Just school!.

Where I am it's all about the experience and who you know. Hence the reason I've been looking for a job for almost a year. I live in a small city, and I am pretty sure I haven't kissed the right butts! Ha ha! It really depends on where you are as to whether experience is necessary.

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