Not in new grad - what options now?

LetItBe_12 · Aug 5, 2012

You should check at all hospitals. Pretty much every one has some sort of help and it's own program for new grads it just may not be as fancy as other hospitals that advertise a big new grad program and you will never be given a full patient load straight away. there will aways be an orientation period for a few weeks at all hospitals that you would be hired at.

canned_bread · Aug 5, 2012

Thank you for your reply. I might apply to various private hospital that were not part of the NSW Health new grad program.

itsnowornever, BSN, RN · Aug 5, 2012

Why would they penalize you for graduating early, unless you didn't take all of your classes? A new grad is a new grad. And yes, sometimes you have to "pay your dues" and work LTC and gain experience. In the beginning of school I feared old people (they made me face my mortality and I didn't like it one bit!)....but after working in the ER with a lot of older patients, I really do like them and actually am looking forward to working LTC...Older people are interesting and have a GREAT outlook on life (some) and some really insightful bits of wisdom!

LetItBe_12 · Aug 5, 2012

Will they not accept you into the new grad program because it's too early before they will accept applications or are you able to apply whenever at any time of the year? Some programs are only accepting apps a certain time of year and are run at specific months. If this is the case are you able to apply when it is closer to the program starting?

K+MgSO4, BSN · Aug 6, 2012

GBfan12 in NSW the new grad program is run by the NSW health rather than each hospital individually.

What about some of the base hospitals that are not seen as desirable as the city hospitals. It is a great exposure to everything before it is packed off to the specialist centers in Liverpool or Sydney. Is moving out of Sydney an option?

What about RDNS?

Some of the bigger private hospitals run new grad programs as well.

Also check out the dates of the applications. I know VIC has closed as I am involved in interviews in the next few weeks. Is there a mid year entry that you can apply for in a few months if you have missed out?

canned_bread · Aug 6, 2012

I took all my classes. I am registered with APHRA. I am now officially a registered nurse.

They just haev their uptakes for special times, and you haev to have graduated in those specific times. It's understandable but doesn't fit with everyone. I course completed in May 2012, and i had to have course completed in june or beyond. I was informed I should have applied in june 2011, but I wasn't even back at univeristy till august 2011 as I deferred as was a caregiver for a family member.

I have worked in a nursing home for a long time, and I just find it dreary on my soul, despite the spiritual aspects that can leave me smiling. I love a bit more adrenalin and challenges!

Yes, the new graduate program only takes at certain times. I have found a private hospital that I am applying for now, but it is a really big bummer becuase i currently work at a children's hospital and was hoping to stay there! i love paediatrics with my heart and soul, and there isnt a private paediatric hospital or anywhere that really has a larger paediatric population except for the 2 hospitals here in sydney that are public.

I considered rural hospitals however i can't fully commit to being away from sydney due to some family issues that i dont know when they will stop. I also love sydney. also my partner has a wonderful job here and i would hate for them to have to move too!

I am right now focusing on private hosptials, and just continuing to send out emails from contacts i received at work.

Everything happens for a reason - im trusting in that now!

thank you to everyone that replied, I was so upset and frantic there for a while. ive overcome so many challenges to get where i am now and it was just heartbreaking to have another hurdle!

apologies for my spelling and grammatical errors, i just worked a 12 hour and it's beddy-byes for me!

smn2010, BSN, RN · Aug 6, 2012

I think you are doing yourself disservice by not applying for RN positions. :crying2: Orientation for new graduates is usually 12 weeks. This is enough time for you to get your feet week and be ready to get out on your own in your unit. Just make sure you are not placing yourself on a fast-paced unit (i.e. Progressive Care, "large" medical-surgical unit...) While a new grad program can be 6 months to a year in length----which is great, you need to get in there and practice the skills you've learned in school!!!

If you take the route of a Long Term Care (LTC) facility, I would suggest you try to be assigned to a skilled nursing unit (you will gain practice with trachs, NG-tubes, G-tubes, IV's, PICCs, colostomies/iliostomies, etc.) but better yet request to be placed on an acute care unit (some have ortho patients right after surgery who are there at LTC facility for rehab before going home and patients are of all age ranges because with ortho patients these are usually elective surgeries which are usually only done on patients who have been deemed "healthy"; patients are usually there for 3-10 days at most).

As an FYI....most new grads/nurses never feel fully prepared for their first assignment/job. It takes as much as 18+ months before a new grad really feels confident with their work. Each day is a new experience so you're always learning, learning, learning. Basically "putting all the pieces" together between what you've learned in school and what actually occurs at the workplace.

Shake off the bad nerves and look a job on a unit that you will feel comfortable in that may not have that high of a nurse:patient ratio (i.e. 24-hour/short-stay unit, cardiac cath lab, step-down unit--a particular unit where patients are placed before being discharged home, etc.). Once you've done this for about 6-9 months, I'm pretty sure you will want to branch off into another unit where you can advance your skills. :)

Best of luck to you!!!

ceridwyn · Aug 7, 2012

Orientation in Australia for a new grad at most 1 week - aged care, lucky to get 2 days, no aged care that has a lot of advanced skills.Apply to private they always start new nurses off at odd times but you will be lucky to get more than a week orientation there should be a clinical nurse educator around or a clinical nurse specialist around to help you with any procedures or time management problems.

K+MgSO4, BSN · Aug 7, 2012

Yes orientation in Oz is a lot different.

Specialist unit often require experience as you hit the ground running. Even our Graduate Nurse program is one week of classes and 2 -3 supernumary on the ward and then you have a patient load the same the other nurses. The extended orientation of the US does NOT happen in Australia.

LTC is not like the US as we do not send NGs Trachs or PICCs patients. We do not work on hte same model as the US at all. We have socialised medicine that means these types of patients are few and far between in a LTC setting.

Canned bread keep applying for private hospitals and I hope your home situation improves. I would even suggest applying for posts that are on general wards and giving it a bash.

Best of luck

smn2010, BSN, RN · Aug 7, 2012

So, so sorry everyone! :banghead:

I completely overlook Australia/New Zeland in the original post. :sleep: It's a shame your orientation is so minimal where you all are..if you can even call it "minimal" since it is next too nothing compared to what we in the U.S.A. receive from our hospitals in regards to training. For new grads, orientation is 12 weeks minimum for us here in the U.S.A. If you are accepted into an internship, the time frame changes to 6 - 18 months dependent upon the department/facility, etc. (example: 9-12+ months for RN in Intensive Care/NICU internship/orientation, 18 months for a Operating Room RN orientation).

Again, my apologies for not realizing where you all are living. :)

ceridwyn · Aug 7, 2012

Thanks for the encouragement given though and taking the time :)