New Grad RN taking a Tech Position?

[NurseAVP]

Hey I have a question I am hoping some people will have feedback about.

Do you recommend a new graduate RN (BSN) to take a tech/nursing assistant as a way to "get a foot in the door"?

I recently graduated from nursing school (May '10) and have yet to get a job offer (and only one interview, after filling out >50 applications at about 20 facilities). I finally decided to apply for a tech position, which I have 3 years of experience doing during college. I got an interview and it went well, they implied I would be getting the job as long as my background check goes ok. I have heard that there might be some liability issues in terms of what an RN can/should do if working as a tech, but I don't really know the specifics (But I know some places won't even allow RNs to work as techs).

I was just wondering if anyone has done this or considered it, or has any feedback about this decision.

Thanks!

[Asystole RN]

NO

Never work below your highest achieved license, its very bad ju-ju.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I have learned here (on Allnurses.com) that some states disallow working below your license. You should check with your state's BON before putting your license in jeopardy by accepting a job as an NA.

[PedsAtHeart, LPN]

I don't get that.... I am an LPN, but if I wanted to go work in LTC part time as an "aide" why couldnt I? If you look at it, in reality as the LPN or RN you could get pulled to the floor at anytime to have to help cover staff shortages, so why not?? You would still be a nurse and act in accordance with your level of training, but if a patient or residence is in need of help that is normally an "aide" duty, you wouldnt turn them down because you are above that work?

We all comment all the time about how being a nurse does not put us above cleaning BM or anything else, so why would it matter if someone wanted to work as that until they found something else?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Asystole, you wanna know what bad ju-ju is? Bad ju-ju is no food on the table and no place to live.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I don't get that.... I am an LPN, but if I wanted to go work in LTC part time as an "aide" why couldnt I? If you look at it, in reality as the LPN or RN you could get pulled to the floor at anytime to have to help cover staff shortages, so why not?? You would still be a nurse and act in accordance with your level of training, but if a patient or residence is in need of help that is normally an "aide" duty, you wouldnt turn them down because you are above that work?

We all comment all the time about how being a nurse does not put us above cleaning BM or anything else, so why would it matter if someone wanted to work as that until they found something else?

You'll need to ask the Boards of Nursing for their rationale. I'm not stating that I don't believe in it, I'm stating that it is apparently in violation of the terms of your nursing license, at least in some states.

[TickyRN]

I'll say take it until something better comes along. Hopefully when you start working there you ll get a better chance at RN jobs when they open up.

[starbiter]

You are likely not going to be allowed to take it. If they are allowed to hire you as such, then you have to make a choice. They know that you aren't wanting that position and there's a good chance you will keep looking in the meantime, so why invest money in you? Plus it comes down to $$...you are qualified for more and yet you could not get paid for it. Health care is a business, like it or not

[coolpeach]

There was a tech working at my hospital who passed her NCLEX, and the internship was two weeks away from starting. According to the board she could not work as a tech during that two weeks, and was taken off the schedule until the internship started. They are very serious about that here.

[caliotter3]

I did this one time with the stipulation that I would be moving into the nurse position when one became available. It turned out to be a disaster, but only because it was a bad place to work to begin with and management set me up for failure by refusing to back me up as a supervisor, which I somewhat expected. It can work if you have good management, if you don't, you will have a difficult time supervising your former peers. But it still beats being unemployed, at least as long as the job lasts.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

"If a registered nurse (RN) or a licensed practical nurse (LPN) has a current, valid Illinois license and is in good standing, he or she can work as a CNA without being on the registry."

http://www.idph.state.il.us/nar/cnafacts.htm

[juliaann]

We all comment all the time about how being a nurse does not put us above cleaning BM or anything else, so why would it matter if someone wanted to work as that until they found something else?

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with a nurse being "overqualified" for the work aides do. Here's the rationale my facility gives:

As a licensed nurse, your scope of practice would exceede your job description if working as a nurse aide, which could cause a conflict of interest when it comes to patient care. You may be tempted or pressured by coworkers to work outside of your job description, which causes issues on the floors.

My facility will not hire someone for a position if they have liscensure for a position "above" it. They will hire new grad RNs and let them work as techs until they pass the NCLEX, then they transistion into the nursing position they were hired for.

For the OP: Just make sure it's allowed by the facility and your state. I'm assuming the facility knows and is okay with it, so congrats!