New Nurse now?

Published

Howdy all!

First and foremost I hope everyone is being safe and is in good health!

So I've been wrestling with this question in my mind for a minute now and I
would love input from anyone and everyone. I am a recently graduated RN with no experience. I just got back home to the US from a long trip in early March and had plans to start looking for employment and then COVID met me as I got back home.

I'm being torn between staying home if you don't have to leave & wanting to help fight. As a new nurse, I am worried about poor if any orientation/training on-site, and unsafe practices [lack of PPE, proper testing, etc.] but at the same time I see people out on the front doing what they can. How much help would I actually be during such a time?

On the flip side I am lucky enough to be able to survive some time without work, bu~t I feel a bit guilty. Isn't moments like this kinda what I went to school for?

Thanks for any responses
~Darnell F.

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I hear most units are not accepting new grads right now because they don't have the resources for orientation/training. Hang in there.

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Specializes in Cardiac Telemetry, ICU.

You're right in that you wouldn't receive the best orientation, for multiple reasons. One, your orientation could be cut short or two, your experience would be limited to mostly COVID patients.

I'll share my experience with you. I'm not a new graduate, but I was new to ER this year. Started orientation then the pandemic broke out here about a week later. The usual patient population was gone and replaced with positive COVIDs/rule outs. I can honestly say I ended up learning very little after my first week. I left because I would absolutely not be prepared after orientation which my preceptor agreed with. It was an unfortunate introduction to the specialty and I'm sure it would be for you too. You can either accept that or wait at home at least until nonessential businesses are opened up again.

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Specializes in Cardiac PCU, ER.

I'm in the same boat...it's slim pickings and I've been a tech for a year. At this point, I'm grateful to have a job. I'll stay where I'm at on a PCU as a new grad, even though it's not my desired area.

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I will say this gently because I don't want any nurses to get riled up by me saying this , but when the country opens back up.. ooops there I said it,?.. When the country opens back up make sure you secure your position. You will most likely train through the Summer and be prepared for the Fall/Winter Covid/flu season. Hopefully we will have made some progress by then...

Will you, won't you ,will you, won't you, join the dance....

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You may find your efforts to gain that first job come to nothing because of circumstances. If you submit applications, at least you can say you were seeking employment should you be asked about it during an interview.

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I am a new grad as well. You can still apply and secure a job with some hospitals. The hospitals are still interviewing, but they are not hiring because of the reasons mentioned above. I had several interviews for residency programs that put me on hold after the interview. As a matter of fact, I had an interview this morning for a residency program. When I asked when they are planning to start their next cohort, they replied that there is no definite answer to that.

The best things that I found I could do at this time is to continue studying and reviewing nursing related material and clinical skills, so when the time comes, I am ready to perform well.

In other words, you can still be in the hospital mentally by continuing to educate yourself and prepare for the time when it is all over. That is probably the best service you can do to yourself and your future patients.

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Thanks everyone for your input! It's good to have different perspectives

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