Nursing Homes: Will It Hurt My Chances Getting a Hospital Job as New-Grad Jobseeker?

[RN_JOE]

Hey All,

Long-time lurker, first time poster. I am a new grad RN recently graduated from a 4 year Associates/Bachelors program in New York City (got my license during associates program 1.5 years ago). I graduated mid December with a BSN and have been on the job hunt for almost two-months now.

I am firing resumes daily and had two interviews with no job-offers. I am feeling a bit antsy and was considering taking part-time work at a nursing home where my friend is a supervisor. My reason is purely for the fact that I am eager to get out there, work, learn, and get out of the house (get that angst out). I would still be actively seeking for hospital jobs as I work part time. Fortunately, I am financially stable and money is not an issue, at least for now.

My question: would working at nursing home hurt my chances at a hospital job in any way? I heard that some recruiters/managers view it unfavorably. On the other hand, there are others who say, "any experience is good experience" (but I'm confused if that's the general consensus among those who make hiring decisions). Would initial part-time work affect my "new grad" status (meaning, employers will not consider me for new-grad positions because of my work experience/length of time since I passed NCLEX).

I would love to read everyone's views on this, especially if you know the job market in the NYC area.