I am not going to be popular with this thread, but here goes...I have seen quite a few posts about the older workers that are new grads thinking they deserve a job more because they had a previous career. Many times, these former careers are NOT healthcare related, so it does not help with their nursing career at all. My question to the older workers who are new grads is why do you feel like you deserve jobs over the younger new grads?
I feel like if anything, the older workers seem more entitled than younger workers. When you get a second career, you are starting at ground zero. So, let the opinions fly.
Specializes in CCU, SICU, CVSICU, Precepting & Teaching.
Okay, so here's a scenario. Sue, age 48, worked as a financial advisor for 26 years and made $70, 000 a year. She decided she wanted a career that helped people and went back to nursing school and graduated. Jill, age 23, just graduated nursing school, as well. Her work history includes 5 years babysitting and volunteering. Then, she was able to land a CNA job at her local hospital, where she worked 2 years before graduating and becoming a nurse. Both are applying for the same job--a new grad position on a Med Surg floor (the pay is roughly $38,000 a year). Who do you give the job to and why?
No, it is not a school assignment (I am a nurse already and not in school.) I just made it up for discussion purposes.
For me-- Sue: Pros are that she has extensive work history; Cons are that she did not work healthcare and that she made a salary that was much more than what a new grad makes (assuming you are not in a city). Plus, she may retire in roughly 15 years.
Jill: Pros are that she had healthcare experience and she may feel like she is getting a huge pay raise from what she makes now (she would be okay with $38,000). Cons: she only has a max 7 years working, but only 2 years "real job" experience.
I would give the job to Jill, personally, because she has relevant work experience, I could possibly get 40 years out of her, and her salary expectations may be what I have to offer.
Now, what's your opinion?
My opinion is that Jill is more likely to decide she hates nursing, get burned out and quit in order to become a CRNA or nurse anesthesist. Sue, who has taken a huge pay cut and still has a family to support is more likely to still be working two years from now.
I still have yet to really understand why people look down on volunteering. It takes a special person to do "regular" work, meaning jobs that actually they could go get paid for, for nothing, especially for a cause they believe in and to help the community.
Just because I do not get paid for it, does not mean that I do not do good work. I found an area of public health (the mental health and suicide aspect) that really was lacking in services in my area.
Make no mistake about, I do believe an employer should pick the best person for the job, and if there's someone more qualified, pick them. But, is volunteer work useless? Not by a long shot. I have volunteered for a long time and many people look down on volunteers, yet if they were not there, a lot of stuff would not get done.
I feel like we are at the point in the thread where no one is really contributing anything meaningful, including myself and the whole point of the thread gets lost....
Specializes in orthopedic/trauma, Informatics, diabetes.
I am an older new grad. I was afraid of the opposite: that I would "lose" out to the younger new grads. I took a job that I was interested in and then a new grad opening posting appeared at a hospital and a field that I am interested in (related to first job). I worked in a LTC rehab unit and applied for a nurse residency on an ortho floor. I got the job. I was one of six hired. I am 48, one was 38 and the other 4 were in their 20s (early and late). I was surprised! I don't think I deserved the job more than anyone, but I fit the criteria.
As far as non-healthcare fields that relate, I was a teacher and that really helps me as a nurse. I also worked in veterinary medicine which isn't human healthcare, but there are similarities.
I have posted in many other threads that we have to be careful about generalizations. There are good older people and bad. Good younger people and bad. Everyone is an individual.
thanks, mmc. Yes, I see how teacher is relevant and vet medicine, for the most part, is very similar, if not the same, to people with exception of some drugs not okay for animals and such.
I think, for the most part, the consensus is that the older person (with former career) would get the job. I think that disproves the notion of age discrimination.
You have asked a new question about not having to start out at ground zero. I answered your first question several pages back....and now I will take a crack at this new one.
My background: BS in Psych from 1992...yep, 1992. Few years as a SW for state gov, took ten years off to raise kids and then on to RN school. Three part time jobs right after NCLEX.
I think that everybody has to start at ground zero....afterall it is an entirely new field for ALL new grads. However, the older andexperienced new grad may have an advantage in moving up faster. I will briefly tell my story....do not think I am tooting my own horn. This is just simply how it happened. BTW...I have "only" and ADN in addition to my BS.
First part time job as school RN....started in Feb quit at end of school year in June because I had been offered a different full time job. When telling my administrator I was quitting she really tried to talk me out of it. She even told me that she would be retiring after the following year and she was really hoping that I would agree to take on the administrative position of the entire region. Salary and schedule would have been amazing, but not my cup of tea and I declined.
Another part time job....post anesthesia at an ASC. Worked Fri and Sat only. After three months (that is a total of 24 shifts) I was promoted to RN supervisor (this is the position I gave up school RN for). Was I promoted because of my mad nursing skills? Highly unlikely. It was because I was a leader, an excellent communicator, had great relationships with staff and docs and could motivate others. These are skills I honed in my previous career. Started at ground zero....but didn't stay there for long.
After a year as supervisor at the ASC I have now moved on to a position in another facility I hope to stay at for a long time. FWIW I recently received a text from my old boss something along the lines of "just wanted you to know that Dr. Medical Director told me you were the best RN that has ever been here...and he has been here for 30 years and seen them all". Made my heart sing.
Again, not tooting my own horn....but you asked for stories of older second career grads who were successful despite having zero healthcare experience when starting out. I kind of think mine fits the bill.:)
Student, it is the same question. Maybe poorly articulated earlier, but it is the same question and what I meant. That's why I said, out of all these responses, maybe 6-7 people answered the question. Then, it was attack mode. Great story. Congrats on your success.
Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.
I have a friend who has worked at a fast food restaurant (will not disclose which one) since he was 16. Had the same job and worked his way to manager. Great customer service, phenomenal work ethic, and incredibly nice person. He just graduated nursing school and is a year or two younger than I am.
I usually like your posts music/song in my heart, but that was just insulting. Amazing how work ethic and people skills count for nothing and being older and having a "professional" job is everything.
I have great admiration for my friend.
I was thinking the same thing. There is too much elitism in this profession, sometimes. I worked in a first-aid/dispensary for a chicken processing plant, babysat, did all kinds of "non-professional" jobs when I was in school. I somehow managed to get through a really tough program and became certified in several specialties.
I have no idea why people look down on volunteer work.
For the EXACT SAME REASON they look down on previous careers. There's "nothing" transferrable. So apply all your reasons to someone's previous experience being non-transferrable to YOURSELF and there you go. If you think your experience IS transferrable, then you need to admit that someone's work experience is as well.
You want people to see why YOU are valuable, but don't see why SOMEONE ELSE is valuable. It's self-centered and hypocritical.
Of all the skills I learned in my old jobs as I posted already, the pr and customer service ones are the most useful amd transferable to nursing. As for team work and working with a variety of people I got that in kindergarten. Waiting tables also helped because I can cary more supplies and sodas at one time than most other nurses....... from
my office jobs I learned to not question much and smile and nod... though I do miss the 1 hr lunch... all these skills I had before I even started working as a young teen....
I work in med surg and we often have pts on q1 hr, 2hr, 3hr morphine, dilaudid etc
Student it is the same question. Maybe poorly articulated earlier, but it is the same question and what I meant. That's why I said, out of all these responses, maybe 6-7 people answered the question. Then, it was attack mode. Great story. Congrats on your success.[/quote']
^THIS!!!
Thanks SM2-3!!
Although you were at "ground zero", your previous experience was transferable after the learning process.
I hope that I get to see more answers to your question WML
Ruby Vee, BSN
17 Articles; 14,051 Posts
My opinion is that Jill is more likely to decide she hates nursing, get burned out and quit in order to become a CRNA or nurse anesthesist. Sue, who has taken a huge pay cut and still has a family to support is more likely to still be working two years from now.