Can I find a "desk" RN job without experience

Nurses Career Support

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Hi fellow community,

I've held my RN liscense (with a BSN) for a year now. I only have experience in outpatient dialysis clinic. No hospital/acute care once so ever. I have not found a job in the hospital yet. I can barely stand my job now. It's not challenging, it doesn't build any nursing skills, and seems like a dead end job. Oh, and the hours are crazy (usually waking up a 3am and home by 8pm. I have known since the begining of RN school, that I do not like direct patient care. I always had plans of getting a few years of hospital floor nursing experience then moving on to case management, triage, outpatient surgery, insurance nurse, or educator. But again, the hospital barely hire new grads, without experience. Catch 22! How come in other careers it is okay for a entry level grad to desire a 9-5 job, behind a desk/management, but in nursing, the experienced RN's think the new grads are being too picky, or arrogant because we value our degree versus experience. I understand the nursing is as much skills, as brains, but I value my happiness, to take just anything to eventually reach the top. Is it too soon to be searching for that desk RN job?

Specializes in Nursing Professional Development.

Perhaps someday, the OP will learn that she shouldn't think in terms of "formal education" vs. "practical experience." What we call "experience" IS a necessary part of the education of ANY practice discipline. Experience provides education -- education that is not available in the classroom or in books.

It's the combination of "booklearning" plus "experiential learning" that is necessary for expert performance. Both types of experience (classroom and experiential) are needed to give the nurse the ability to make judgments in complex situations. Either one by themselves provides inadequate preparation.

Specializes in Registered Nurse.

Dialysis nursing can be very stressful and there are numerous skills you can learn there. You have to give it a little more time so you can put this on your resume. Then use it to your advantage. Look at your employers job description and make your resume look good.

If you look, you will find some "desk" jobs in dialysis. I worked them. After years of doing this, sometimes, I feel like I would rather give a bath, change a diaper and clean the floors than the follow up involved in the so called desk jobs. Some of the "desk" jobs can be very stressful. I actually worked in a job that invoved combinatin of both and the "desk" part was the hardest.

"Think out of the Box". I suggest you stay a little longer in dialysis, look within the company to get a little experience elsewhere, acutes, home dialysis,staff education, management. Grin and Bear it a couple more months. Polish that resume and make your move.

I have worked dialysis and although I do regret not getting some medical surgical experience, I have been successful in getting offers for desk jobs.

I think the reason you may be experiencing difficulty now is because of the job market in the state that you are in, perhaps a short employment history. Be careful when you interview for so called "desk jobs". It sounds like someone trying to sit at a desk, perhaps avoiding work. Also, "bored with dialysis nursing" will not impress potential employers if you don't explain how challenging your experiences are and how you utilize critical thinking skills to master them. Good Luck.

Okay this forum is getting way out of hand. There's nothing constructive about SOME posters criticisms here. I find that a lot of people are making this out to be a BSN vs. RN thing and I don't think this forum was intended to bring out that type of discussion. Yes, I agree that the OP doesn't want to do bedside forever but s/he at least ACKNOWLEDGES that s/he needs to do bedside in order to get to where s/he wants to be. Lastly, I think the OP has proved that SOME "seasoned nurses" can be grumpy, bitter, etc. simply by looking at SOME of the comments on this forum. I wish you all good luck. Peace out.

Many of the posters here need to read the OP's post carefully. I don't think s/he is saying that she doesn't WANT to do beside nursing. In fact the OP acknowledges the fact that in order to get those "cushiony desk jobs", one has to do "their time" on the floor. His/her frustration is the difficulty in obtaining even the first step to his/her goal--a bedside nursing job. Everyone is entitled to dream and make goals. STOP with personal attacks and snarky comments. It's very childish and inappropriate when the OP is just trying to make a point. We're all adult here.

I really could not justify myself any better than 27400 just did for me. Exactly, I have no problem with getting my hands dirty. However, since I have been out of school, and applying to hundreds of hospital positions, no one has hired me yet. In fact, I have postponed pursuing my master's degree in nursing administration or education, because it appears in vain without the experience. Yet, some of you are missing my point!!! I'm just worried about the fact that I went into nursing to rise up into these adminstrative positions, but without getting the experience, it is difficult. So I was asking for advise on bypassing the "dirty work" since I can't get the "dirty work" rather than my dreams of administrative nursing blowing up in flames or me ultimately having to switch majors. Now what did Donald Trump have to do with this? I dont know! I appreciate CONSTRUCTIVE critisim and advice, but SOME (and I do mean SOME, NOT ALL), nurses here, does remind me of jealous expert nurses who have a chip on their should against new RN's wanting to rise to the top. Yes, the new generation do think BIG! And may not follow the age-old rituals and traditions of the nursing profession. But times are changing, and I hope many of you stay open minded to that notion.

Old saying: "Careful how you address people on your way up, because that may be the same person you are waving to on your way back down."

Not exactly! Let me make myself clear. On this website and so many others, the question has already been posed numerous times, "why can't new grads find a job". The issue still remains and its out of the hands of anyones advice here. So I skipped asking the question why can't I find a hospital job. No need of crying over spilled milk. (not that I am still not trying to apply to hospital jobs up til this very moment). But if all fails in getting that job, I was looking for advice for my future, with hopes of still reaching my nursing goals in admistrative position. Rather than having to change careers. No I do not want to do bedside nursing all my life or direct patient care all my career. That's clear. But I never said I have a problem with going through the neccessary steps (acute care) to reach this goal. I am simply losing hope in finding that acute care position and considering other methods.

Thanks, I agree with you. If you have a chance, please read my other replys here and offer suggestions/advice to the situation. I think I made a few clarifications.

Thank you, this post was very helpful and constructive!:yeah::up:

Old saying: "Careful how you address people on your way up, because that may be the same person you are waving to on your way back down."

You'd be wise to remember your own quote on your way "up".

After 20 years as a nurse I get to choose who I do or don't work for.

Specializes in Registered Nurse.

My definition of desk job. Coordination of patient's care,triaging calls, case management. It's hard work and you have nothing to be ashamed of for wanting to do this. You already have six months experience and you may be doing some of this and not realize this. You have a BSN so it appears that you like studying and learning.

Why not take case management education courses or get some certifications to add to you resume.

Have you read your job descriptions? Dialysis nurses supervise numerous staff, have good iv skills, coordinate the amubatory care center staffing or asignments, asess patients who have many comorbid conditions because this may affect their treatment, handle emergencies (codes). Some are educators. Did you get the opportunity to precept a tech. or other RN. Some dialysis nurses follow up patients in their homes (hemo and pd training).Do you provide preventative care? Do you facilitate patients access to other health care providers,or coordinate their appointment for other health care services. Many outpatient centers provide administration of numerous vaccine, asses for diabetic complications (preventative care). Do you change medications per MD protocols or algortihms. Surely, you do patient education. List them in your resume.

Get as many interviews for the type of job you want as you can. Some may go bad, but eventually you will get your "desk job". You may be physically relaxed but mentally challenged or stressed. It all depends on what you like to do.

"I've held my RN liscense (with a BSN) for a year now. I only have experience in outpatient dialysis clinic. No hospital/acute care once so ever.

I have known since the begining of RN school, that I do not like direct patient care. I always had plans of getting a few years of hospital floor nursing experience then moving on to case management, triage, outpatient surgery, insurance nurse, or educator.

How come in other careers it is okay for a entry level grad to desire a 9-5 job, behind a desk/management, but in nursing, the experienced RN's think the new grads are being too picky, or arrogant because we value our degree versus experience. I understand the nursing is as much skills, as brains, but I value my happiness, to take just anything to eventually reach the top. Is it too soon to be searching for that desk RN job?

My point was, new graduates from other majors like buisness, social work...etc have the opportunity to supervise and obtain desk jobs right out of school so why doesn't nursing offer the same opportunity. It is likely because this female dominated field of nursing, with arrogant, bitter, self-righteous, aged-old RNs sabotage each other, rather than promoting the future of the field by training, hiring and encouraging novice RNs."

I think a time out is in order. Those statement above are yours- You imply you want to be treated like a professional adult but yet you present like a lementing youn g one not getting what they want. I don't know who promised you a "RN desk job" right out of school just because you have a BSN. They lied to you. I doesn't work like that and for all the reasons the others Flying Scott and Viva and other have posted. graduation from a nursing program does not make you an 'expert' nurse. Experience does- the encountering of many, many different situations and patients successes and failures(and mostly these). In nursing school you did not learn the critial thinking of the ages you merely learned the steps on how to do it and hopefully to apply it to each and every patient situation. Like the other poster said- the positions you seek/mentioned- are NOT entry level positions-they require a certain number of years with the grunt. dirty hands work to develope a knowledge bank to pull from. FYI- Outpatient surgery is Not a desk job- it is fast paced, on your feet from the time you get in the door to the time you leave. 9-5 lol you stagger shifts, some time you will come in at 6AM some times at 7,7:30, 0800 and will leave when the last patient is gone some times 8PM at night or later waiting for a bed upstairs.That's when they have issues with nauseas, vomiting, uncontolled HTN or other things- chest pain- sorry to burst the bubble.( sit down? eat lunch, pee breaks who told you that)You better be prepared to be able to chart faster than lightening and make accurate decisions on a dime. post op hemorrage and hypovolemic shock happens quick. I worked out patient surgery and endoscopy for 2.5 years. It is nonstop (those stretchers roll like Easter parade floats). Triage- there an interesting choice- triage takes manay many years of knowing/sorting who is first and who is second etc- that too cones from knowing all the different senarios that the sx can possible be and making the correct decision as to which one it is.

As for Donald Trump- he is a businessman- you did mention business majors(as noted above) getting desk jobs, well that where business majors work- behind a desk. The Donald is not going to let some new grad send his business empire down the tubes in the interest of philantropy. So if the Donald is not going to gamble with his business, I don't think it's a good choice to gamble with a patient's life- they don't come back to life when the show is over.

As for being nursing management- they have 24/7: 365 accountability and responsibility. If an event happens on their unit- the nursing manager rolls for it, especially when nothing was done about it. You are responsible to the limit of your license(RN, BSN or no BSN)

As for the "arrogant,bitter,self righteous,aged old RN, jealous and sabatoging you-I am on concurranse with ViVA and the others- loose the sence of entitlement and don't hate me because I'm beautiful crap. As I have stated befor and I will state again- There were many older seasoned nurses we all didn't like when we were baby nurses but back then we had something called respect for our elders, and we respected them for their experience they brought to each and every shift we worked with them. We learned the majority of our decisionmaking, 'knowledge bank' and skills from talking to them, LISTENING to them and asking them for their help. We were able to learn what we know now because we had HUMILITY. Save the 'peice out' we are not thugs on the street corner selling crack- I'm not impressed.

Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.
Yes, the new generation do think BIG! And may not follow the age-old rituals and traditions of the nursing profession. But times are changing, and I hope many of you stay open minded to that notion.

Having to gain experience and skill prior to supervising, educating and/or managing others is not a nursing "tradition" it is a fundamental requirement in all jobs and this is unlikely to change no matter how much we evolve. There is a difference between thinking big and being unrealistic. Most of us here have tried to tell you kindly that although your dream is not far-fetched your desire to fulfill it without the necessary experience, for whatever reason, is. I'm sorry you haven't been able to find a hospital job. I certainly hope you do in the near future. But that doesn't mitigate the fact that without experience your chances of getting the type of job you want now (as described in your first post) is minimal and it has nothing to do with older nurses wanting to hold you back or make you pay your dues. I pretty clearly described what you need to do as you asked in a subsequent post. It's a fair and honest assessment of the track you need to take. For some reason you have not acknowledged it which is unfortunate.

Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

Yes, it's a much-ballyhooed fact that the current crop of young people "think big", but they need to learn how to wait---and work---for the things they want, just like every previous generation before them throughout recorded history. And while I'm all for treating everyone decently and giving them a chance in life, it never ceases to amaze me how many members of this generation seem to think they deserve respect they haven't yet earned through decades of living and learning.

Like it or not, the truth is, the average 25-year-old does not, and indeed cannot, know as much as the average 45-year-old. It's not possible. A LOT happens in those two decades. And, the 45-year-old has a clear advantage because s/he has been 25, while the 25-year-old has never been 45. There is no getting around that, and anyone who thinks s/he is the exception to this rule is being unrealistic.

It's wonderful to 'think big' and dream great big dreams---but as most people (hopefully) learned in kindergarten, taking "cuts" is not OK. And no generation is so exceptional that it shouldn't have to stand in line and wait its turn, just like my generation and all the generations before it had to do.

Enough said. :)

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