New grad RN pursuing masters AND a job!

Christen, ANP · Jul 8, 2009

Since you are pretty set on going straight for your masters, I'd choose a path that will give you the most experience seeing the most "stuff" in the shortest amount of time. As in, generalize! I'd hesitate to choose anything too specific such as dialysis because, while you'll see a lot of ESRD and medical problems, you won't see much else. In the end, you've got to do what you've got to do to make it through the day! Good luck!

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Jul 11, 2009

Wow Jersey Girl, I am faced with the SAME dilemma as you! I have been unable to find a new grad position in a hospital, therefore I will end up doing home health nursing for awhile. I am hoping by the end of the year something will come available in the hospital. In the meantime I am working on my RN-BSN, but some schools have a RN-MSN component and I have been considering that as well. We have graduated into an ugly economy so it's forcing us to be more creative and take untraditional routes. I am hoping I make the best decision, any thoughts on RN-MSN(adult nurse practitioner) for a New Grad with home health experience/very little hospital experience?

JerseyGir1 · Jul 17, 2009

It seems like a good time to be in school and bad time to be out in the workforce. Even if you have to get the hospital experience later, I think you should go for the higher degree if you can right now. That's like the only thing keeping me hopeful. I might not end up with the best job this year, but at least I'll be working on my Masters... working toward something, ya know?

FNPdude74 · Jul 18, 2009

It seems like a good time to be in school and bad time to be out in the workforce. Even if you have to get the hospital experience later, I think you should go for the higher degree if you can right now. That's like the only thing keeping me hopeful. I might not end up with the best job this year, but at least I'll be working on my Masters... working toward something, ya know?

I believe I am in the same situation. Well almost. I am a new grad from this may 2009 with my BSN and I got admitted to a Masters-FNP program this Fall 2009 and I start on August 24. I sort of "foreseen" the difficulty of getting a job in today's economy earlier this year so i applied to the masters FNP and got in amazingly. Difficult to find a job in an inpatient hospital, I decided to go with an agency. The only "RN" position I could get was doing community flu shots from August to December, making my own schedule to work around school. My classes are monday (around 4pm till 6:45pm), wednesday (online), thursday(around 4pm till 6:45pm).

I felt tho I could work as a call-in in another hospital as an nurse aide or critical care tech as a "foot-in-the-door", with the flexibility in hours/schedule/hiring process, the agency seemed more flexible and easier to work with for now.

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Jul 19, 2009

I believe I am in the same situation. Well almost. I am a new grad from this may 2009 with my BSN and I got admitted to a Masters-FNP program this Fall 2009 and I start on August 24. I sort of "foreseen" the difficulty of getting a job in today's economy earlier this year so i applied to the masters FNP and got in amazingly. Difficult to find a job in an inpatient hospital, I decided to go with an agency. The only "RN" position I could get was doing community flu shots from August to December, making my own schedule to work around school. My classes are monday (around 4pm till 6:45pm), wednesday (online), thursday(around 4pm till 6:45pm).
I felt tho I could work as a call-in in another hospital as an nurse aide or critical care tech as a "foot-in-the-door", with the flexibility in hours/schedule/hiring process, the agency seemed more flexible and easier to work with for now.

Wow, you are smart! What school are you attending? Are you working with Mollen Immunization by any chance? I was hired with them too, but also recently hired by a Home Health Agency. I am basically taking care of an ICU, total care patient in her home...that makes me a little nervous, but I have to gain experience some how. Also what did you school think of you applying directly to the program without any RN experience?

JerseyGir1 · Jul 20, 2009

I also thought of Mollen when you (Holla) said immunization clinic. I am in the process of applying with them, but I'm waiting for my darn license # to come in. NJ stinks at getting that together. I also have an interview with a private duty agency. All this part-time stuff screams no benefits at me, but at least I can get lower-cost health insurance from my school. Spoiled- how many hours can they give you at Mollen? Enough to be full time (I know it's temp.) Any other info about Mollen would be great as I wait for my license number and call them back..

celclt · Jul 20, 2009

same deal here in NC- I feel like time will be well spent applying now for Fall 10 entry bc the job mkt now is stagnant

FNPdude74 · Jul 20, 2009

Wow, you are smart! What school are you attending? Are you working with Mollen Immunization by any chance? I was hired with them too, but also recently hired by a Home Health Agency. I am basically taking care of an ICU, total care patient in her home...that makes me a little nervous, but I have to gain experience some how. Also what did you school think of you applying directly to the program without any RN experience?

I'm attending University of Hawaii at Manoa. I've lived here my whole life. I will be making my own hours hopefully to accomodate my full-time status in school. I would rather go full-time and take out stafford loans and finish school in 2 years rather than taking 3-4 years part-time to finish school in my own opinion. I'm a single man with no kids. I'm not saying anything bad about those who are trying to get their masters with a family! :nuke: Plus, i'm living at home with my family so its easier on the financial pocket. My mom offered to pay for my master's tuition but I said no because I'm a big boy now and I will try to pay for it on my own with loans and work to pay it off.

Yes it may be tempting to work more than 20 hours during school but I don't think I should do more than 20 hours a week of work. BTW, sorry it took me a while to respond. I saw the email but I was busy. I was in the process of buying a new laptop...a macbook pro 15"! I didn't need a new laptop but I've always kepted my eyes on it since I've never owned a mac before and my friends have it and they love it. So my mom said, "here is for you to start off on performing well in the master's program". I was like holy *BEEP*!. :bugeyes: I felt spoiled but since i'm the first in my generation to get a college degree especially in the health field, she thinks I deserve a good tool to work on for future degrees because I plan to get my DNP after getting experience in work.

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Jul 20, 2009

Jersey Girl---getting hired with Mollen was an easy process for me. After I spoke with them on the phone they verified my license number with me on the line. Then they emailed me a packet of info that I had to fax back. SS Card, DL, copy of nursing license (NC has a paperless license system). It also included direct deposit and tax info. 6-7 pages total. Once you fax the info back they get in 20 minutes or less and will send you an email verification. I called them once I sent everything to make sure it looked good. They told me to expect an email at the end of this month with the online orientation materials. Orientation will be online for 2 hours and it's paid.

They told me the pay here in NC is $22/hr. You can work as many hours as you want. I am planning to get as much cash as I can! I wonder if it will be a lot of nurses doing this because of the economy? Is your license number not online?

hollataplaya--Sounds like you have a good thing going in Hawaii good luck with graduate school.

Spoiled1, MSN, RN · Jul 20, 2009

same deal here in NC- I feel like time will be well spent applying now for Fall 10 entry bc the job mkt now is stagnant

Where in NC are you? What school?

FNPdude74 · Jul 20, 2009

Jersey Girl---getting hired with Mollen was an easy process for me. After I spoke with them on the phone they verified my license number with me on the line. Then they emailed me a packet of info that I had to fax back. SS Card, DL, copy of nursing license (NC has a paperless license system). It also included direct deposit and tax info. 6-7 pages total. Once you fax the info back they get in 20 minutes or less and will send you an email verification. I called them once I sent everything to make sure it looked good. They told me to expect an email at the end of this month with the online orientation materials. Orientation will be online for 2 hours and it's paid.
They told me the pay here in NC is $22/hr. You can work as many hours as you want. I am planning to get as much cash as I can! I wonder if it will be a lot of nurses doing this because of the economy? Is your license number not online?
hollataplaya--Sounds like you have a good thing going in Hawaii good luck with graduate school.

Thanks. I feel I will need the luck and faith to endure two more years of school. I am also waiting for my RN license to come in the mail. I paid Friday July 10 and I should receive it within 10-12 business days as my BON said. BTW I think someone asked but the company I will be working for is ALTRES medical staffing in Hawaii. I think they're a local Hawaii hiring agency, not only for medical but business, laborers...etc. I think ALTRES is a great company because they work with you and your life and they pay well, $30/hour+benefits if working at least 20hrs/week consistently, starting as a new grad doing the community flu shots this fall.

Good luck everyone with their agencies! Agencies are not bad at all if they pay you reasonably and offer benefits if you work 20hrs or more/week. In this economy as a new grad, an "RN" position is a JOB. :igtsyt: Just make sure you balance out work and school. I heard the master's programs in FNP aren't so much "multiple-choice test" intensive as they are on research and end-less papers.

For me, if the Air Force gives me a scholarship for my second year of FNP school, then they'll pay all my tuition, books, supplies, in addition to $1,970/month stipend. Thereafter, I would serve about 4-6 years as required by contract. So hopefully I won't have to work or worry too much about money in my second year when I'm doing FNP clinicals.