Nursing Grad without Experience Looking for a job... HELP!

[Bchow410]

Hello everyone, so I just graduated from nursing school in May 2016 with my BSN, took my NCLEX in October and passed (I took it so late due to personal family problems occurring during the months between graduation and the NCLEX). I thought that would be the end of my stress but little did I know finding a job would be the next worst thing!

I have no prior CNA experience (which I regret), but I have had jobs in the past. Since I passed, I have been working full-time as a store manager at a clothing store I used to work at when i was in high school. I've been trying to hard to apply since then, but no luck. I must be doing something wrong because it shouldn't be this hard for a grad with no experience to find a job!

However, I recently got a call and interview from a family planning clinic. It is a part-time job, but would pay more than my current full-time job. I was excited at first because I really want to do maternal/child health and OB which is my passion, but then I realized that it's not quite OB. As many of you know, they deal with STD testing, pregnancy testing, birth control, OB services, and abortions (please leave your religious thoughts to yourself, i don't want this to turn into a religious argument) which i'm not against it, but it scares me and makes me think that I should be a nurse helping pregnancies progress and grow, not helping them end.

So my question is, should I take this job in the hopes of someday pursuing my dream as an OB nurse? Will this job help me pursue my path at all? Do any of you have any experience at a family planning clinic or starting off at one? Any insight would be great, as I am lost right now. Thank you everyone!!

[FutureNurseInfo]

I must be doing something wrong because it shouldn't be this hard for a grad with no experience to find a job!

Well, in reality, it is hard for new grads to find a job within few months of graduation. So, give it time. I would say go ahead and accept that job at the clinic. First, you will now have a relevant experience to put on your resume. Second, it is as much in pay as your full-time retail job. And lastly, yes, this job most likely will help you in finding the dream job you want. At least, the experience you will gain from working in that clinic will be more beneficial to your future job search than the retail experience.

[TheCommuter, BSN, RN]

So my question is, should I take this job in the hopes of someday pursuing my dream as an OB nurse?

Yes, you should accept the job you have been offered. You are not in an ideal position to turn down any job offer that would provide you with licensed nursing experience. Beggars cannot be choosy in a rough employment market.

Family planning clinic position = RN experience + RN pay

Waiting for an L&D/OB job = No experience + No pay

The harsh reality is this: the longer you go without working as an RN, the more likely it is that you will become an unattractive employment prospect. At this point, take any RN position that seems to offer a reasonable work environment.

Good luck to you!

[EllaBella1, BSN]

You gotta get over the whole "helping pregnancies grow not end" thing. It's not your role to make judgment calls or hold opinions like that when it comes to your patients making decisions on what to do with their bodies. You will 100% encounter women who wish to terminate pregnancies as an OB nurse too. And also, finding a job as a new grad nurse is usually fairly difficult and can be very hard depending on where you live. Many people search for months before getting an offer. Take the job.

[SaltySarcasticSally, LPN, RN]

I was offered a job (as an LPN) at a family planning clinic a few years ago. I am 100% pro choice but when I asked about my main duties in the role of abortions, it would have essentially been assisting (This is what the practice manager told me so not sure if this actually how it goes) the MD w/ injection the medicine into the fetal heart that would stop it. I couldn't do it. I am so glad and thankful there are brave nurses who can do those things to give women an option but at the end of the day I did have to consider my own mental health, job or no job.

I would ask what your role in abortions would be. The RN's in that clinic essentially did pre-op and post op care with a circulating nurse in the procedure room so you may have no role in the actual abortion at all if that is what you were concerned about. I think it would be great experience for you though.

Have you tried ambulatory care, same day surgery centers, etc? You may be able to find an ambulatory care job in a hospital system and eventually transfer to the hospital.

[AliNajaCat]

They do pregnancy terminations in day surgery units too.

[Calalilynurse]

Take it. Experience is experience and it'll possibly help you get your foot in the door elsewhere and hopefully lead to fulltime.

[yli08]

Any updates on what you decided?

[Crush]

I hope you took it. It is experience towards your end goal of working OB. Update us when you can.