No nursing experience how do I compete with the others???

Nurses New Nurse

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Hello there everyone, I hope someone can help me with a question I have. I am going to be graduating this spring and the only experience I have had in the medical world is my clinical rotations. Every application I look at asks for some kind of medical background or any hospital I talk to about a job they ask what other experiences I have had in the medical world. I am wondering what I can do to try and compete with the other graduating nurses out there that have been a CNA or LPN for the last few years and have more job experience than me?

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I'm like you-very little hospital experience except for clinical rotations. I would suggest volunteering at a hospital or if you could a part time job as unit tech or something that would be good.

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Look for internships in your area, hospitals do them several times a year.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Volunteer somewhere. Volunteering at a free/local clinic often lets you use more nursing skills than if you were to volunteer at a hospital (due to liability issues); however, volunteering at a hospital allows you the opportunity to get a foot in there. IMO, there's nothing wrong with volunteering to gain experience and make contacts...but remember that wherever you volunteer, you should actually be there to volunteer, that is, do whatever they need you to even if it's not nursing duties per se. Don't offer to volunteer with the expectation that you'll spend the entire time doing nothing but networking and scavenging for a job: if you're volunteering, you're there to HELP, not schmooze.

If you can, get hired NOW as a NA/tech. A lot of places won't hire RNs as techs because they know the minute a RN job opens up you'll be out of there (and I got that straight from several hospitals' mouths). Also, many places won't let you transfer from a NA/tech to a RN job for at least six months. So get hired now; by the time you've graduated and passed the NCLEX you'll have about 6 months' patient care experience under your belt as well as a foot in the hospital door. Granted, being a NA is no guarantee that they will hire you on as a RN...but it often helps.

Also, get whatever certifications you can afford. Yes, most facilities will pay for your ACLS, etc...and many more will be happy if they don't have to. Plus it shows initiative on your part.

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Specializes in Telemetry.

I have worked in the hospital for years as a CNA, nurse extern and Unisecretary and still cannot get a job. I wish you luck!

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Specializes in M/S Short Stay/TCU.
I have worked in the hospital for years as a CNA, nurse extern and Unisecretary and still cannot get a job. I wish you luck!

I was in the same boat as well.... I finally got something parttime in LTC... But i agree with the previous post about obtaining certifications.... Good Luck to Everyone....;)

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A lot will have to do with where you live because it sounds like some areas just aren't hiring new grads. I don't have any hospital experience either and will be graduating this summer as an ADN. On my resume I listed things from my last job (I did not work through the nursing program) that can be applied to a nursing job; customer service, handling confidential information, communicating well with management and team-members, etc. I sent a cover letter, two letters of recommendation from instructors and one professional letter of reference from my last boss. I have sent my resume to six places, had two interviews and two job offers. I can't say this will work for everyone but it did work for me. Good luck with your Job Search.

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Specializes in Rehab, Telemetry/Med-Surg.

Another thing you have to do is just keep applying. I didn't have any hospital experience besides clinicals too and I graduated in December and started looking for positions since January with absolutely no luck! I applied to a lot of positions, some of which didn't mention experience and some of which did. A few weeks ago I applied for a position in a city an hour away that said "Experience preferred but will hire new grads" and I jumped on it. I didn't think they would hire me since I figured they had enough new grads from their own nursing school to sort through and I didn't have the experience but a week later they called for an interview and today they offered me a position. You WILL find a job, it's just going to take time and patience. I've shed quite a few tears looking for work so it's not easy but it will happen! Definitely follow through with the advice already given and just be persistent.

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Specializes in Telemetry.
Another thing you have to do is just keep applying. I didn't have any hospital experience besides clinicals too and I graduated in December and started looking for positions since January with absolutely no luck! I applied to a lot of positions, some of which didn't mention experience and some of which did. A few weeks ago I applied for a position in a city an hour away that said "Experience preferred but will hire new grads" and I jumped on it. I didn't think they would hire me since I figured they had enough new grads from their own nursing school to sort through and I didn't have the experience but a week later they called for an interview and today they offered me a position. You WILL find a job, it's just going to take time and patience. I've shed quite a few tears looking for work so it's not easy but it will happen! Definitely follow through with the advice already given and just be persistent.

I agree, I apply everyday for jobs. I will continue to apply until I get something. Wish me luck!

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The ability to form positive personal relationships and contacts is the best way to compensate for a lack of experience. Like the saying goes, "It's not what you know, but who you know". I'm not discrediting the importance of nursing skill competence and the ability to practically apply your knowledge, but these are things that all new grads are expected to have. It is apparent to the nursing administrators and hiring staff that you lack sufficient experience in real world nursing. You must "sell" yourself by taking a proactive approach to making as many contacts as possible and getting to know the administrators, as well as the staff. Be outgoing and confident, but not arrogant. If you apply for a position on-line, go and introduce yourself to the unit manager so they can put a name with a face. My preceptorship was in SICU and I took full advantage of the opportunity by doing the very things I've just mentioned. Trust me, it works, and is the best way to stay ahead of the competition. Good luck and never stop fighting.

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