I am a new RN in a bridge program to become an ACNP. I am a part-time student, and seeking part-time employment as an RN in a hospital setting- preferably in critical or emergency care. As you already know, finding part time employment as a new RN in a hospital setting is very challenging!
I really want to get my foot in the door, but my applications are being immediately rejected by the recruitment teams due to the combination of being a new nurse + needing part time employment around my school schedule.
I am thinking my best shot is to become a nurse extern to get oriented, and get some support from the nurses on the unit for becoming a part-time RN.
Does anyone have any experience or thoughts on this?
Thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to respond. You guys are the best.
OP, the beef with pushing inexperienced RNs through NP school isn't that you won't "respect" nurses, it's that you've never really been a nurse. An advanced practice nurse should not have to consult with ASN/BSN RNs to figure out how to do things.
You're only willing to work part-time for a maximum of two years because your degree is more important than actual nursing right now. I was JUST getting comfortable as a nurse after two years acute care experience - and that was after a year of LTC/SAR. You will find a very difficult time obtaining good part-time work as a new grad with your eyes on another prize. Part-time work mean fewer hours learning and growing and more hours with that knowledge fading into the background.
Yes I understand their concerns. I know it's a long thread, but I've reiterated repeatedly that I have nothing but respect for nurses, and a whole lot to learn from them, as well as other professionals within the healthcare team. Also, I will be switching to full time status as soon as I can in my RN job, in August. I didn't mean to imply that I will need to consult with RNs to provide care. I was saying that in the event another RN has a clinical concern it would be foolish to steamroll them because of my title, which doesn't make me smarter or better than nurses without advanced training. I am reminded of a time when I was working as a CNA and went to the nurses to tell them there was something wrong with a patient, but they responded "their vitals are fine" and didn't particularly take my concerns into consideration. I kept going back to the nurses station and being polite wasn't working. I remember the moment clearly when I finally burst out "I don't care what her vitals are, something's wrong!" And my nurses eyes widened. Poor woman was having TIAs and it took three days to convince somebody to hospitalize her. That's the situation I am referring to, I know that nurses have well tuned ears and eyes and some kind of sixth sense and I'd be foolish to ignore that.
I hear that you all have concerns. I will continue to do the best I can to be the best nurse I can be, I don't know what else to say. I started this thread because I want more nursing experience and am having trouble finding a position in high acuity care, which is most relevant to my career path. I'll probably work at a SNF for now (will keep you guys updated!) And go from there.
All I can do is work with what I've got. This is how I was able to become a nurse. I'm here, trying to get experience. Not sure what else I can say.
...What about the medical school students who never worked before becoming physicians?
RN experience is valuable to have, but it is not guarantee that a NP with RN experience is better than one without it.
Though, don't get me wrong -
If the OP has the time get experience, then she should. Though, she should be careful as to where she works, and not pick a place that could put her license at risk.
Is this a serious question as to who I would be most confident in as my provider? A new NP without solid RN experience (and by solid I mean someone who has assessed and participated in the treatment of hundreds of CC or thousands of ER/Med-Surg patients) or a new MD following 4 years of internship and residency? Which one would I want to treat my blood pressure or adjust my HRT?
They're both going to run me a $20 copay..
Now as an acute inpatient I'm potentially going to have whichever ACNP is assigned to me but I'm not going to be happy about someone like OP having any thing to with managing my care.
An ACNP that has already managed thousands of patients before obtaning his/her advanced degree, absolutely, but a ne'er worked as an RN or other licensed healthcare provider no way.
That should be a pretty clear answer leaving no room for, "but.. ?"
Yes I understand their concerns. I know it's a long thread, but I've reiterated repeatedly that I have nothing but respect for nurses, and a whole lot to learn from them, as well as other professionals within the healthcare team. Also, I will be switching to full time status as soon as I can in my RN job, in August. I didn't mean to imply that I will need to consult with RNs to provide care. I was saying that in the event another RN has a clinical concern it would be foolish to steamroll them because of my title, which doesn't make me smarter or better than nurses without advanced training. I am reminded of a time when I was working with a CNA and went to the nurses to tell them there was something wrong with a patient, but they responded "their vitals are fine" and didn't particularly take my concerns into consideration. I kept going back to the nurses station and being polite wasn't working. I remember the moment clearly when I finally burst out "I don't care what her vitals are, something's wrong!" And my nurses eyes widened. Poor woman was having TIAs and it took three days to convince somebody to hospitalize her. That's the situation I am referring to, I know that nurses have well tuned ears and eyes and some kind of sixth sense and I'd be foolish to ignore that.
I hear that you all have concerns. I will continue to do the best I can to be the best nurse I can be, I don't know what else to say. I started this thread because I want more nursing experience and am having trouble finding a position in high acuity care, which is most relevant to my career path. I'll probably work at a SNF for now (will keep you guys updated!) And go from there.
All I can do is work with what I've got. This is how I was able to become a nurse. I'm here, trying to get experience. Not sure what else I can say.
OP, you don't need to worry about the RNs, you need to worry about your informed articulate patients/families who will file grievances against your lack of experience.
Assuming I have grievances placed against me, sure that would be worrisome. I think in the event that I provide unsafe care of the issue would not be that I didn't work as an RN but that I provided unsafe care. If someone were to have a problem with my career path then I'd help them find a provider they feel more comfortable working with. If you mean that I might run into the issue of patients complaining about my preparation in the absence of unsafe care, then my employer will already be aware of my background, and help accommodate the patient's/families needs with me. I have not heard of this particular issue occurring yet, but I'm sure it could.
I'm not going into this on an island. I will choose a supportive training environment for my first NP position (if not an actual NP residency) to ease my transition and maximize chances of success. Again, I hear that you guys have concerns, I can't go back in time and am proactively trying to gain experience now. Some of the ACNPs I work with from clinical were also from my program, and they are brilliant, competent providers.
For those who are commenting on new nurses directly entering NP school-
I'm going to refrain from defending my educational path (not the purpose of this thread) other than stating that my institution produces safe and competent NPs.
(aside: And you would be in a position to evaluate that ... how?)
1) Look, it's just nonsensical to assume that because you're licensed and another extern isn't that one or the other of you is superior or lesser than the other. Neither has any NURSING EXPERIENCE (no, school does not count). So leave that out of the discussion.
2) If you're getting the idea that we think your career plan is unrealistic because you think you're going to be able to sail with NO NURSING EXPERIENCE, your perception is correct.
3) If you think that NURSING EXPERIENCE isn't important enough for you to commit to work a full year in an externship/new grad program (the minimum most experts say is needed for a new grad to meet the criteria for truly independent practice at the beginning level), then you're not going to find a lot of support for that from people who have been there/done that / worked with far more new INEXPERIENCED new grads than you have.
3a) You have so little nursing EXPERIENCE that you didn't know a part-time job is not in the cards, or that an externship is for CNAs, and that you would be held to RN standard of practice when you don't even know what that is. You have SO much to learn, grasshopper. I'd be surprised if you could even get a part-time SNF job, unless they're totally desperate for staff.. and there are lots of threads here where you an read what kind of EXPERIENCE that's going to afford you.
4) So where were we? Ah. NETY. Nope, nobody is wanting to eat you. You're too raw.
Guys I don't want to keep blowing up this thread repeating what I have already said. Ali I have specifically addressed all of your bullet points, except your aside: My institution tracks our NPs, and we get a lot of decent data on that. Also, many of them work in the local hospitals and I'd go under their care any day.
One last time y'all: the purpose of this thread was to help me explore alternative ways to get my foot in the door at the hospital I want to work at. It has turned into this, which is fine, but I don't need to keep repeating what I've already said.
A lot of you have a problem with my educational preparation. got it. I hope to increase my RN skills and experience. I hope to be a great provider. I'm doing the best I can, and will continue to do so.
...What about the medical school students who never worked before becoming physicians?
Thus speaks someone who has no idea about medical(physician) education. Surely you don't believe that even one year of internship results in a fully-competent physician.They practice for one year as what used to be called interns, now R1, and they aren't fully licensed to be physicians until after that. And almost all of them are required to take one to nine MORE years in training for specialties, even for family practice.
In nursing, as in medicine, getting the degree isn't the same as "working."
RN experience is valuable to have, but it is not guarantee that a NP with RN experience is better than one without it.
There are no guarantees of anything in this life, and maybe not in another one, but .... yeah, it will be a lot more certain that somebody with experience will be better at ANYTHING than somebody without any.
Assuming I have grievances placed against me, sure that would be worrisome. I think in the event that I provide unsafe care of the issue would not be that I didn't work as an RN but that I provided unsafe care. If someone were to have a problem with my career path then I'd help them find a provider they feel more comfortable working with. If you mean that I might run into the issue of patients complaining about my preparation in the absence of unsafe care, then my employer will already be aware of my background, and help accommodate the patient's/families needs with me. I have not heard of this particular issue occurring yet, but I'm sure it could.
I'm not going into this on an island. I will choose a supportive training environment for my first NP position (if not an actual NP residency) to ease my transition and maximize chances of success. Again, I hear that you guys have concerns, I can't go back in time and am proactively trying to gain experience now. Some of the ACNPs I work with from clinical were also from my program, and they are brilliant, competent providers.
The problem with your plan is that a short term part time experience in a SNF as your first nursing position will only get you to maybe mastering how to get through your day with a huge assignment, you're not going to gain relevant experience to function strongly as a ACNP.
Now if part time acute care positions for new grads were a realistic option that could work while you're finishing your NP.
Why didn't you take some time off between programs to gain that experience? Is it not allowed by the school?
Libby, taking time off is an option between the BSN and MSN portion, but I graduate in August and do not want to disrupt my current preceptorship. I plan to take some time working full time as an RN after graduation in August (more details about this in previous comments).
Libby, taking time off is an option between the BSN and MSN portion, but I graduate in August and do not want to disrupt my current preceptorship. I plan to take some time working full time as an RN after graduation in August (more details about this in previous comments).
Hi, with NP graduation coming up, I'm not sure it makes sense to find a full time RN position after you graduate NP school in August (perhaps the experienced RNs/NPs can comment on that)? If you were able to get a full time hospital position now it would make more sense, since it takes time to get credentialing, pass your NP boards, etc., so perhaps the timeline would work that way (I'm imagining that you'd complete a year of RN experience by the time you find an NP job, pass NP boards, get credentialed, etc), however I'm not so sure now that I understand that you graduate NP school in August.
Since you're basically at the end of your NP schooling, perhaps it would be more beneficial to look into an NP post-grad fellowship instead of looking for a full time RN job after you graduate.
It certainly doesn't make sense financially to work as an RN when I have my masters to pay off, but there are income-based payment plans and since money isn't my primary motivator I'm not too worried about that part.
I'm going to seek counsel with my mentors in regards to taking time "off" from the APRN role. I have heard of some students doing this before and it went well, and others go straight into practice and that goes well too. I'm hoping that whatever job I find now will take me on as full time in August, as you mentioned credentialing will take time. I am also considering either an RN or NP residency.
Being a full time RN post-graduation is more of a personal choice, because I do agree with many of the posters here that the experience is important. And I really just want it, all logic aside, I really really want it lol. I have a lot of thinking to do on this.
One thing I love about nursing is the sea of options
MarshaRabbit
71 Posts
Yes I understand their concerns. I know it's a long thread, but I've reiterated repeatedly that I have nothing but respect for nurses, and a whole lot to learn from them, as well as other professionals within the healthcare team. Also, I will be switching to full time status as soon as I can in my RN job, in August. I didn't mean to imply that I will need to consult with RNs to provide care. I was saying that in the event another RN has a clinical concern it would be foolish to steamroll them because of my title, which doesn't make me smarter or better than nurses without advanced training. I am reminded of a time when I was working as a CNA and went to the nurses to tell them there was something wrong with a patient, but they responded "their vitals are fine" and didn't particularly take my concerns into consideration. I kept going back to the nurses station and being polite wasn't working. I remember the moment clearly when I finally burst out "I don't care what her vitals are, something's wrong!" And my nurses eyes widened. Poor woman was having TIAs and it took three days to convince somebody to hospitalize her. That's the situation I am referring to, I know that nurses have well tuned ears and eyes and some kind of sixth sense and I'd be foolish to ignore that.
I hear that you all have concerns. I will continue to do the best I can to be the best nurse I can be, I don't know what else to say. I started this thread because I want more nursing experience and am having trouble finding a position in high acuity care, which is most relevant to my career path. I'll probably work at a SNF for now (will keep you guys updated!) And go from there.
All I can do is work with what I've got. This is how I was able to become a nurse. I'm here, trying to get experience. Not sure what else I can say.