Okay, I'm a second career person. Employed and experienced in healthcare, just not in nursing. I'm wanting to make my leap into nursing but need some good advice. Like many on here I've got a decade worth of experience in another field, a few college degrees and an entry level ADN from Excelsior College.
Questions:
1. Do new ADN nurses get hired? I'm in the DFW Texas area and I see BSN on almost every job ad. Of course, I don't blame them for "wanting" that since there are a lot of schools around but do ADN's get hired...ever?
2. If I ever see an ad that looks promising most want the usual 1 year + experience. I've even seen 6 months experience which is odd to me. However, w/o getting that first beginner job what do novice nurses do? Volunteer? Find some preceptor somewhere? Does that count? I haven't practiced nursing but how can 10 years + experience with thousands of patient visits, exams, consults, education, therapy, etc. count for "nothing"? I mean...seriously...nothing?
Do the hiring managers really view this background as the equivalent of flipping burgers for 10 years? Last time I checked we both treat human beings so really there is some overlap don't you think?
3. Internships? Like Versant. Who gets those..is that usually just associated with the hospital and if you get hired there then they place you into a program like that? Or is it a separate application and more competitive. I've read accounts of new ADN's as well as recent grads getting hired right into it. Of course, for me, that would be the perfect scenerio but the actual nuts & bolts of it seem fuzzy. Lots of marketing info on it but very little straight forward process information.
4. Lastly, from what I read, most new nurses get on with long term care, hospice or home health. It would seem to me that would require more autonomy and more experience so that's a little confusing. Is this the case?
I am very sincere in my desire to progress into the nursing profession and while there seem to be multitudes of openings very little exists for novice new grads. I understand that reality but it's odd that I can be accepted/enrolled into an MSN-NP program and given advanced standing credit but can't with the same credentials and background get an entry level nursing job. I know of several colleagues who now are "advanced" practice nurses with NP's who never practiced nursing a day in their life, just preceptors and got hired as NP's. In fact, one wanted to take the ACLS with me and I see that everywhere as an entry level job pre-req. Sorry for whining...just want to get started and finally get into a profession through the front door for a change.
Background:
ADN, Excelsior
BS, Anatomy
Doctorate, Professional, Chiropractic
Practicing since 2002 in multidisciplinary clinic, seeing about 200-300 patient visits a week.
Workers Comp doc for 2 years same level as M.D.'s
So any advice is appreciated. If you hate chiropractors...that's nice but not useful to me. I'm just wanting to know a good approach to structuring my resume/background to get that 1 spot.
I am in an ADN program in the DFW area, and I was worried about finding a job, but as I am in my last semester I am more hopeful. Also, it helps that I am not limited to staying in the DFW area. Also, there are just a few hospitals here that will not hire ADNs (their loss, in my opinion). However, I think you are looking at the wrong postings. You need to look for job listings that say Nurse Intern (or something similar). Most of the hospitals will be posting them soon: Sept or October. Also, I have heard that Parkland might be offering sign on bonuses, they are so desperate for nurses. If you are up to that challenge. At my clinical orientation for my last semester (this one!!) a couple of people from HR talked to us about how to apply and what to put on our resumes. They also, told us if we make a good impression on our unit, we might just get hired straight away. My instructor had 4 students get hired that way last semester. So make an impression in your last clinical!
For your resume, they want to see what kind of units you have worked on. If all of your experience is as a chiropractor, I am not sure what to tell you. Perhaps you should try for one of the outlying, suburban hospitals, or large rehab nursing homes, LTACs. Another avenue, would be to volunteer at a hospital, to start making contacts. Methodist, Parkland, and Medical City all use volunteers. In Dallas, finding a job is often about who you know.
Oh yea, RN - BSN programs are easily online only because they expect you to be working as a nurse, and thus do not need clinical. From what I have seen of the classes I will have to take to get my BSN they are mostly "BS." I am only doing because hospitals want to see those letters even if you have an MSN. Sad but true.
I will take MUCH more pride in my ADN and my BFA than my BSN when I get it, although BSN will go on my name tag, and the other two will not.
Some of my classmates have already declared that they will NOT be working nights (which suprised me as I thought it was a lucky new grad who managed to get a day shift job while many new grads "pay their dues" working nights until they have enough seniority to have a shot at day jobs).
Are you a "nights-no-way" new grad? One that only wants to work in one or two specific departments? (I realize that a lot of new nurses don't restrict themselves in their job search, but since some of my classmates have already stated their intention to do so, I thought it would be helpful to know just how wide your search has been.)
Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Cardiac/Renal, Ortho,FNP.
Thank you for your comments. I will follow your advice also. Yes, unfortunately, my day job as a D.C. is my clinical experience which is directed towards outpatient, clinical care and not bedside nursing. That's just a reality I have to face. However, I will look into the things you've mentioned and looking outside the metro. Time to phone for favors I suppose--have never been the type to call people asking for things but I guess in this economy, etc., you have got to do whatever it takes.
Specializes in ICU, Telemetry, Cardiac/Renal, Ortho,FNP.
Some of my classmates have already declared that they will NOT be working nights (which suprised me as I thought it was a lucky new grad who managed to get a day shift job while many new grads "pay their dues" working nights until they have enough seniority to have a shot at day jobs).
Are you a "nights-no-way" new grad? One that only wants to work in one or two specific departments? (I realize that a lot of new nurses don't restrict themselves in their job search, but since some of my classmates have already stated their intention to do so, I thought it would be helpful to know just how wide your search has been.)
I'm the guy that wants the experience bad enough to accept the lowest pay, lousiest shift and empty all the bedpans and do all the enemas and lift the biggest patients. Seriously. I'm not picky, I'm not lazy. I will work-I don't play and I will pay to play. My income as a D.C. has never made me a wealthy man and that was never my goal in the first place. My wife on the other hand is paid very well and that's made my life a little easier than it would/could have been.
reagansm
39 Posts
I am in an ADN program in the DFW area, and I was worried about finding a job, but as I am in my last semester I am more hopeful. Also, it helps that I am not limited to staying in the DFW area. Also, there are just a few hospitals here that will not hire ADNs (their loss, in my opinion). However, I think you are looking at the wrong postings. You need to look for job listings that say Nurse Intern (or something similar). Most of the hospitals will be posting them soon: Sept or October. Also, I have heard that Parkland might be offering sign on bonuses, they are so desperate for nurses. If you are up to that challenge. At my clinical orientation for my last semester (this one!!) a couple of people from HR talked to us about how to apply and what to put on our resumes. They also, told us if we make a good impression on our unit, we might just get hired straight away. My instructor had 4 students get hired that way last semester. So make an impression in your last clinical!
For your resume, they want to see what kind of units you have worked on. If all of your experience is as a chiropractor, I am not sure what to tell you. Perhaps you should try for one of the outlying, suburban hospitals, or large rehab nursing homes, LTACs. Another avenue, would be to volunteer at a hospital, to start making contacts. Methodist, Parkland, and Medical City all use volunteers. In Dallas, finding a job is often about who you know.