Pigeon-holed if you dont work at a hospital right away?

[ccrahan]

Is it true that you can get pigeon-holed if you dont work at a hospital right away after graduation? I heard from a nurse once who worked at a long term care facility after school that she was never able to get a job at a hospital because she got pigeon-holed.

If I decide to work at a clinic or something after school (perhaps part of a nurse corps loan repayment program) I'm worried that I wont be able to get a job at a hospital afterwards.

I'm interested in your feedback.

Thanks,

Christine

[Sour Lemon]

Yes, that's true. Acute care experience Is preferred for acute care jobs. That doesn't mean that you won't be able to transition from SNF (or an office job) to acute care, but it will usually be more difficult. The level of difficulty is largely dependent on the job market in your area.

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

Think about this rationally. So you run a nursing unit in a hospital and you need a nurse. 2 people apply. 1 just graduated college and officially got licensed yesterday, the other has been a nurse for the last 20 years in a long-term facility with working references as a nurse. Who would you rather hire?

You have to remember that there's a human element involved. It's easy to blame the fact that you work in a nursing home for the reason that you can't get hired at a hospital, but at some point, everyone needs to step back and realize that the problem is themselves. If you can't get a hospital job with ANY nursing experience over a new grad who hasn't worked a single day as a nurse, what's REALLY the reason you can't get that job?

Also, hospitals tend to pay less, so that can weigh into it too. You're not going to get nursing home pay at a hospital. They might match your pay for your experience, but odds are, you have to accept a pay cut.

[ccrahan]

Interesting, thank you. I didn't realize you get paid more at a nursing home facility that's good to know. I was kind of thinking the same thing you were that there were more factors involved then simply getting pigeon-holed.

[Sour Lemon]

If you have 20 years of SNF experience and are competing against one new graduate, you certainly have the advantage. It would be very rare for your only competitor to be a single new graduate, though. Don't count on that scenario.

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

It was just an example, to make the point that if any experienced nurse is never able to get a job at a hospital because he/she worked at SNF, that it's probably the nurse that's the problem not the experience being in a different type of facility. And that the fact that these places hire new graduates who have never worked in nursing before, should be a hint that any experienced nurse should be able to get a job. If you can't convince a hospital to hire you, you're the problem, not your current job.

[Sour Lemon]

It was just an example, to make the point that if any experienced nurse is never able to get a job at a hospital because he/she worked at SNF, that it's probably the nurse that's the problem not the experience being in a different type of facility. And that the fact that these places hire new graduates who have never worked in nursing before, should be a hint that any experienced nurse should be able to get a job. If you can't convince a hospital to hire you, you're the problem, not your current job.

I can agree with that to a point. Managers tend to want it all, though ...nurses with experience, but nurses they can mold into exactly what they want. A nurse with a few years of acute care experience might be preferred over a nurse with 20 years of SNF experience who may be perceived to be set in SNF ways ...but as you say, personality and individuality counts for a lot where that's concerned.

[TheDudeWithTheBigDog, ADN, RN]

I can agree with that to a point. Managers tend to want it all, though ...nurses with experience, but nurses they can mold into exactly what they want. A nurse with a few years of acute care experience might be preferred over a nurse with 20 years of SNF experience who may be perceived to be set in SNF ways ...but as you say, personality and individuality counts for a lot where that's concerned.

That's where examples of your ability to change and adapt matters a ton on your resume.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

NOT true; obtained my position while working at a nursing home; my unit also hired a co-worker I worked with at the same nursing home and has also hired a "new nurse" that worked in a nursing home.

And the hospital pays MORE-agoing not necessary true as far as a pay cut.

[OliveOyl91, BSN, RN]

Many of the nurses I work with at the hospital have prior experience in SNFs. They all say it was definitely a different experience and it took time to adjust, but they're all amazing nurses. Experience and wonderful interview skills. :)