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

Specializes in ICU + Infection Prevention.

Was wondering if they'll give PCT experience more weight if you hold a CNA vs an EMT?

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Specializes in TSICU, Renal Transplant, IR, Cath Lab.

In the current job market, you would do well to position yourself to stand out in every way you can, including academic performance, especially if you're a new grad. There's a lot of competition out there! I will graduate with an ADN this May, and I am fortunate enough to have already landed my dream job in SICU in the same large teaching hospital where I've worked as a nursing student for the past year. Not only did they require that I submit a current transcript, which they looked at carefully, the interview panel seemed very receptive to my stated intent to immediately pursue my BSN (then they all looked at my transcript again to see my grades for the prerequisites in the bridge program I had mentioned).

The competition for the position was very stiff, not only from new grads but from experienced nurses trying to get into the ICU. I'm thoroughly convinced that my grades, my experience (such as it is), my intent to continue my education, and the fact that I have been a good employee with an established performance record all played a role in landing the job. Granted, this was for a pretty elite unit, but the same principles would hold true for any job in almost any field. Right now employers can definitely pick and choose, and you can bet they are doing so.

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we have a family friend who happens to do all the hiring for a local psych-hospital and knows a bunch of other hiring directors. When i asked this question a year ago she said she would take experience over education nearly 90% of the time.

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what state are you in?

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Each facility is going to be different.

I know at my facility to even be considered they were only taking applicants with over a 3.0 gpa to interview. And then up from there went the requirements. I had:

graduated top of my class

3 years of LVN experience

2 great letters of recommendation (they weren't required, but I wanted to have them in case, one from a job, one from a clinical instructor/nursing theory instructor)

plan to continue my BSN right away

joined a nursing magazine pertaining to critical care

read up on extra certifications they like in ICU, mentioned I did plan to get my CCRN

already had taken ACLS

If there is a specific department you are interested in, I would do the little "extras" that may get you considered above someone else. If you show you have researched the position, they are more likely to believe you will stay in that facility in that department for years, which is what they want.

I would recommend ensuring only A's and B's in your nursing program, whatever you have to do and getting some sort of work experience. Both are only going to help you.

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Specializes in TSICU, Renal Transplant, IR, Cath Lab.
what state are you in?

I couldn't really tell who you were asking, so apologies if it wasn't me. Having said that, I'm also in Texas.

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I am interested in anything perioperative.

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