Nursing Student Having Quarter Life Crisis

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hi all,

I'm hoping to find a little advice here....I'm a nursing student graduating with my BSN in December of this year. I currently work as a CNA on a med/surg unit and always thought I would end up in a hospital but have slowly but surely been realizing it isn't quite where my heart is. During clinical I've realized how incredibly stressful it can be, not to mention awful staffing issues and hours.

Lately, I've been becoming more interested in public/community health. I like to chat with my patients, follow them throughout their care, and help them find resources in the community. I don't like to see people when they are already down and out- I want to prevent them from getting to that point. With that said, I've been looking into RN positions at clinics(outpatient, Planned Parenthood, etc.), shelters in urban/underserved areas, or even a school nurse.

The issue is that I've been hearing a lot of negative things about getting one of these jobs right after graduation. How much growth can you have? Is the pay fair? Can new grads get these positions? I've been told I'd be painting myself into a corner if I didn't start out at a hospital to get some experience but it just doesn't seem like the place for me. Do I just have to suck it up and be miserable for a couple years in order to land a job I actually want?

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!

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From talking to people who have previously or are currently working in public health, I don't think it would put you at a disadvantage to begin in that setting. Not everyone dreams of working in a hospital after they graduate. I wouldn't let others dictate the path that you choose. Nursing is a very diverse profession and there are many areas that you can work in. I say if that is where you want to end up, then you should work towards it from the very beginning. It may not work out perfectly, but even if you have to take a job in a different area until something opens up, don't give up on it if you know that is what you want. Good luck!

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I would try finding someone who already works in the area you are interested in.

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