PRN experience when I feel clinically unprepared?

Nurses Job Hunt

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Hi all,

I'm a May ADN Grad, licensed in July. Good at the books and tests, but have no prior healthcare experience. I feel like I didn't get much hands-on in student clinicals. I was also disappointed/surprised to find out that my school did not be offer a senior practicum/preceptorship. If I could go back and do some things differently as a student, I would, but I can only move forward with things as they are now.

No luck so far getting a residency or internship. I want to get any/all on-the-job experience at this point, but I'm nervous about PRN, agency or home health care because I'm afraid there won't be much or any training offered. There is so much equipment and care that I'm unfamiliar with - I sure don't want to end up by myself not knowing how/what to do for the majority of the job tasks.

Any advice as to how to prepare myself, what to look for or types of positions that might allow me to get a toe-hold and build some confidence would be greatly appreciated...TY!

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I wish working as a Nurse Tech or Extern while finishing my BSN was an option. Part of me wishes I hadn't sat for NCLEX so more job options would be available to me....

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​I know exactly how you feel about wishing you hadn't sat for NCLEX yet. I've found a couple of jobs online that I'm getting ready to apply for.......this is what the jobs say under job requirements:

Certification as a Medical Assistant or equivalent

Successful completion of secondary education in medical assisting or other nursing related field of study

Well, I feel like that would be me. I don't have my one year of med surg experience yet and I haven't completed my BSN, but I have completed the ADN program and received my nursing license. I hope I hear back from them.

What area do you live in? When I do job searches it seems like smaller more rural areas are wiling to accept nurses who have not completed their BSN, but the larger cities do not.

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I'm in the Atlanta suburbs. How about you?

I wish I'd listened to what my gut was telling me prior to my last semester. I had a sit down with some faculty regarding withdrawing for a semester or 2 in order to work as an extern or tech. (I'm a single mom, and I couldn't do both). Everyone said, "No, don't quit - you're so close!" In retrospect though, it wouldn't have been quitting - it would've been finishing smart, for me anyway. I passed the NCLEX in 75, and I would rescind it if I could, work and finish my BSN.

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I'm in the Hampton Roads/ Norfolk area. I also wish that I could have worked as a tech while in nursing school, but I have 3 kids and couldn't do it.

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