Tadams27

I have worked at a residential facility with special needs adolescents with severe behavioral disorders for 19 months. This is my first job out of nursing school, and it has been very interesting and different. However, I am now looking to get experience in acute care (I would LOVE to get into neurology.) I absolutely intend to further my education (I have a BSN) however I feel I need more "normal" nursing experience to figure out exactly where I want to specialize. I need to advance my career, but I'm finding it difficult considering my lack of clinical experience. In my current position, I have 36 kids, most of whom are non-verbal all of whom display challenging, frequently violent, behaviors. I manage all of their health care and coordinate with a huge team. I handle everything from medication planning and evaluating to minor injuries to major emergencies to doctor appointments to psychiatric breakdowns to illnesses. I have seizure clients and diabetic clients. I work 3-11, and am independent throughout my shift. I wear jeans and t-shirts to work and drive between buildings. I am willing to move literally anywhere in the country. In fact it was an interest in travel nursing and the discovery that there aren't travel nurse jobs out there for someone without acute care experience that started this mission! I'm unsure how to use my experience to my benefit, and I admit I'm a little scared of doing something entirely different (the idea of being inside a hospital with other medical personnel whirling around me for 12 hours is pretty creepy.) I really just don't know where to start! Advice PLEASE! Tiffany

I work in a residential treatment facility with kids as well, and I absolutely agree with everything diawc said. Usually I find, also, that the kids are nicer to the nurses than to other care workers because we are generally the one's providing care when they are sick/injured, and not the one's telling them to do their chores/homework/etc. I find it to be a very rewarding position!

I agree with skiptoomylulu, I graduated in May and am now licensed; I can't even seem to get an interview and I'm applying everywhere. I wish I had realized how benificial it would have been to begin working as a nursing assistant prior to graduation. Also, some hospitals offer programs for graduates, but you need to apply about 6 months before you graduate, also something I hadn't realized before. Good luck!