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 Nephrology, Cardiology, ER, ICU.

I'm an APN in a large nephrology and round on chronic dialysis pts. From my perspective here are some things to look at:

1. After you have been in dialysis for a year, you can be a charge nurse, at least thru FMC.

2. Look to be the anemia manager, offer to do the protocols.

3. Become very proficient at calling the mid-levels and/or MDs. Always collect the info prior to the call, anticipate what will be needed.

4. Volunteer for a quality improvement project. This has the advantage of using both your nursing and business knowledge.

5. Take advantage of your company's tuition reimbursement: start taking master's courses.

All of these things too look good on a resume. So, in the future, when hopefully the economy improves, you will already have a ready-made resume.

Strange, I was in a BSN program, and never considered getting a job that did not consist of direct patient care. I went into nursing to do nursing, not jockey a desk, so that avenue never occurred to me as a substitute for caring for patients.

kcmylorn...well well well, looks like you had a nerve struck! i truly think your generalizations are ludacris. nonetheless, many of you are simply reading into this a bit too much. for instance, i am fully aware that outpatient is not a desk job. in fact, i worked at an outpatient clinic prior to pursuing nursing. i have no sense of entitlement, besides the one god gave me on earth. if anything, i see many of the nurses here place themselves on a ranking system which makes you believe you have some sense of entitlement and become irritated if someone skip you in line. and what does donald trump has to do with this, again i must ask. this is a primary example of emotions steming outside the context of this discussion. i have much respect for experienced nurses and if any of you knew me, you'd know that. lastly, i did not comment anywhere here stating "peace out". check your source. why is that referenced to a thug on the street selling crack is far beyond me.

for all of you who negated the possiblity of obtaining a desk job (which, i forgot to mention an example of a nurse i know who obtain a position in case management in a hospital straight out of nursing school). i never ever said i did not need experience to get an administrative nursing position. i know what it normally takes to get such positions. i also never protested a sense of self-entitlement to these positions. i simply stated my case and asked for methods of obtain the goal, without the possiblity of acute care experience in a hospital; and many of you jumped off a limb after that...please review my quotes carefully, without assumptions.

"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."...this idea proves i know that it normally takes getting your hands dirty to reach such positions.

"i understand the nursing is as much skills, as brains"...here it is evident that i respect experience/skills and do not devalue it below education. vice versa, both are necessary.

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.

Yes, I will always remember my own quote. I also keep this quote near and dear to heart..."be careful how you talk to strangers because you never know when you may be entertaining angels.":saint::lttang:

Specializes in Infectious Disease, Neuro, Research.

Wow. I'm a recent (if not "new") grad, and I have a cushy desk job. Some thoughts:

1) Effective managers are able to transition between doing the scut-work and attending the fund raiser, seamlessly. There are no, "too small jobs."

2) "Seeing the big picture", without understanding ("appreciating") how the base is applied ends ugly. Idealism without practical foundation ignores the Law of Unintended Consequences- one cannot anticipate what one does not fully understand.

Now, as noted, you'll have a roughly 2 year training period, regardless of your specialization, be it dialysis, infusion, case management, or (in my case)research. Any desk job is not going to be "fulfilling," in applying your nursing skills.

I would suspect that you might be able to work into triage, in your current position, after +/-12 months. If your clinic has a triage line ("If you need to speak with a nurse, press *1..."), there should be some clear requirements for being the one to answer that line. If not, crack the yellow pages, and call every other dialysis clinic/unit in town until you find one with triage, and see about hiring on.

Case management generally requires 2-5 years and/or knowing someone. If you continue with dialysis, and you are able to (on your own, or as part of official duties) begin working on assessing social/medication/transportation/etc., needs, and referring your patients, you're laying ground work. If your manager has mentoring skills, he/she would probably be open to hearing your proposal on how you could incorporate this service into your workday, and how you might possibly be able to bill for the service(always a good selling point). If you're able to do some referrals, but not many, try to make contacts with the county health office, Medicare/Medicade advisors, and the nurses working with your pts' PCPs. If they know you, and you're known to be agressively concerned for your pts' welfare, you'll get some advice, and/or an offer, eventually.

Even if you never meet anyone from AN, nursing is by nature a fairly closed community. You are known by the work you do. If you haven't had time-in to do much work, its not impossible, but you'd better be damn sharp, and clearly willing to do whatever needs doing.

Edit: If you're interested in research, shoot me a PM/email with your location (State only), and I'll send you a couple of links.

SoulSpirit Rn- Is that your purpose in life-to provoke people. Maybe nursing is not the place for you- in front of or behind the desk.! You struck no nerve with me. Trust me. Your attitude is a bit concerning.

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.

Actually, it's spelled "Peace out." You're correct, we are not thugs on the street corner selling crack, I apologize, I should have said "Good day to you." However, we're also not in grade two and so we should all learn how to properly spell words and formulate paragraphs--but that's another discussion in itself. :D

edit: Respect for your elders? Seriously? The older generations will always think that the newer generations are ungrateful swines; it's the cycle of life. Please don't think your generation was any better than the next one and the one after that generation. Cease with the hyperboles lol.

I don't understand why some posters are so worked up about this. It's like as if they'll continue to go around in circles and go off tangents just to prove you that they're right and you're wrong lol.

SoulSpirit_Rn, good luck to you. It doesn't hurt to apply to those "desk jobs" and god knows, go wherever your degree and RN lic. take you. Don't settle for less than your dreams and keep applying to wherever your heart desires.

Specializes in Emergency.

This thread has been dormant for over 4 years old.......

Specializes in Peds/Neo CCT,Flight, ER, Hem/Onc.

Holy Necro-Thread Batman!!!!

RNLouise, it's really not safe to post your email address on a forum like this especially if that's your real name.

Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.
Marisette, how can I find an affordable case management course? I hurt my knee on my job and can no longer do floor nursing😔. I'm currently on work comp but need to find something 50% sedentary. Please email me at *****redacted******I don't really enjoy coming to this board. People are too nasty and angry!

Good luck. Marissete hasn't been on the site in 6 months and this thread is 4 years old. You might want to ask the site staff to remove your email if it's a primary email.

If considering case management look for posts by GrnTea an experienced case manager. There is also a dedicated forum under nursing specialties for Case Management. Several leads for field case management, insurance case management and other jobs that may meet your needs. There are several threads regarding obtaining certified case manager credentials in that forum. I can't link to the forum from my phone. But if online click specialties on the main navigation bar and you will find case management in the list.

Specializes in public health.

Aren't there any case management jobs in dialysis too? Or chronic disease management from a community health center?

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