kevkc

Apply for sure! You would get some excellent experience and knowledge. You would get to ask questions of the veteran nurses and the ED physicians. You would get the exposure to the focused assessments of a specific patient and head to toe assessments of a trauma patient. Also there would be experience with EKGs, splints, simple dressings, CPR, watching the nurses giving meds, and IV starts and drips. The overall patient contact experience would be invaluable and would build up your confidence even more.

I know...I know nursing is more than running a mega code and starting IVs, but I didn't want to leave a resume worth of response so I shortened it.

Get a job where you live now as a CNA and work when ever you can during school. If you can, work as a CNA on a floor where you want to work as an RN. get to know the manager and hopefully they will hire you when you are done with school.

I hear ya and It's not any better in California! Even the SNFs, con homes, Home health agencies, etc all want some kind of RN experience. I spend hours a day calling managers, recruiters, and applying; getting the same response from every facility imaginable. I even have several years experience as a ED tech, emt/paramedic experience and have ran mega codes on my own. I went and recerted my ACLS & PALS, but none of it matters. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude and trying not to feel like going to nursing school was a waste of time.

At what point do you know that you are calling or emailing a manager for a job to much? With so few jobs out there for new grads and tons of competition, how often should one contact a manager. I don't want to be a pest, but I still want to let them know that I am out there wanting to work. I realize all managers are different and busy so any help would be great.