Non-LTC/Acute Care as a New Grad

[Jasmic]

Has anyone accepted a job as a new grad at a place that wasn't LTC or acute care?

2 months after receiving my license and 5 months after graduating with my BSN, I've accepted a job offer. I've only interviewed at a blood bank and for a step-down ICU position. Both interviews resulted in offers, but the hospital position would have required I spend a couple hundred dollars registering for a critical care course before I'd be considered officially hired. They also required I get my ACLS certification, which is also a pretty penny. After considering my financial situation and also comparing the training process for both, I decided to go with the blood bank.

I come from a line of nurses, and let's just say my mother tried to drill it into me that I wouldn't be able to go anywhere else if I chose the blood bank as my first RN job. Whenever someone has asked me what my "dream unit" is, I respond by saying I'm open to options and only know where I don't want to go (ED or L&D). I did speak with a current RN at the place I'll be working, and she said RNs either move up to management for the company or try dialysis nursing. I also know another RN who worked there as a new grad and hopes to go into research with the CDC.

Those testimonials are great, but I thought I'd return to the website that provided me some comfort back when I was waiting to get into nursing school. Is my mother right in thinking I've severely narrowed any doors that may have been open for me as an RN by not choosing the hospital position? For those who did not enter LTC or acute care as a new grad, what has your experience been like and what position are you striving to reach?

Bonus points for any blood bank RNs with advice and/or job outlook

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

I have never heard of a hospital requiring you to spend your own money on a critical care class and ACLS. I took ACLS on my own over spring break prior to graduating from nursing school, but that was my choice. When I graduated and accepted a job in the NICU, they provided the class for NRP and STABLE. When I renewed NRP, the hospital provided the class (free to employees). Are you sure they said that you need to pay for those classes or are they saying that you are hired contingent upon passing the classes? If so, they will schedule you for the classes (no cost and they pay you), if you pass both classes then you are officially hired. You need to call them to clarify.

You're in California, so they may do some strange things.

[NotReady4PrimeTime, RN]

I have never heard of a hospital requiring you to spend your own money on a critical care class and ACLS.

That's the norm here in some parts of Canada. Unless it's stated in the job posting that ACLS/ATLS/TNCC/ENPC/PALS/NRP etc is mandatory to the position, it's not paid for by the hospital. The unit where I work briefly made PALS mandatory a few years ago but faltered after only the first group of 8 were trained. In the end only 2 groups were put through for "mandatory" PALS, then it defaulted back to elective. This was in part due to the logistics of training all 100+ of us in a building with virtually NO conference rooms, the cost of it (oh, we were required to "rent" the textbook and do all the prep on our own time but the actual training was "free"), scheduling and coverage of the unit on class days, lining up trainers, the list goes on. And when it was time for me to recertify, I was on the second of three night shifts but our management wouldn't switch me to days so I could take part. So my PALS lapsed. Now, there's an email sent out saying PALS will be taught on these two days; if you want to participate, trade your shifts so you're off, pay us for the textbook and we'll put you in the class. Our facility doesn't value these kinds of certifications.

[Jasmic]

@Guy: Yes, I made sure before leaving my interview and even after that the manager wanted both ACLS and the critical care course out of pocket before hiring, not paid or reimbursed by the hospital. As has been said, it's pretty common here in Cali for hospitals to require certifications or courses completed oftentimes in order to even become eligible for an interview.

I ended up going with the blood bank job and convinced myself I've seen plenty of positions that work with RNs lacking acute care experience in the event that I'd like to pursue that kind of position in the future. I'm just curious at this point who else has gone this uncommon route and what their experience has been like.

[NICU Guy, BSN, RN]

As has been said, it's pretty common here in Cali for hospitals to require certifications or courses completed oftentimes in order to even become eligible for an interview.

Most of the rest of the country, that is not the case, it's part of your orientation. Cali. has way too many new grads, so they can afford to make you jump through hoops for a job.