Should I work as a GN b4 u pass I pass my boards

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Specializes in heart failure and prison.

I have 5 more months before I am done nursing school. I was wondering if you would recommend I work as a GN 1st. I am currently working as a medical assistant, so I do have some patient care experience. I guess my question is, is it worth it? I am not sure if working as a GN will help me on the boards or will it hinder me. Sometimes, when you start working in the field you don't always follow the textbook and you start to loose what you have learned. I would love to here your comments.

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Specializes in Gen Peds, PICU/Stepdown, School Nursing.

I think working as a medical assistant is sufficient. You only have 5 months of nursing school left; you don't want to deal with the stressors of starting a new job. All of your focus will need to go to studying and passing boards. Good Luck!!!

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Always having the NCLEX-RN passed makes it easier to get a job, most facilities wish to hire someone that already has a license.

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Specializes in Pediatric/Adolescent, Med-Surg.

Perhaps start looking to see how easily GN's are hired in your area. Where I live, I had no problems getting hired as a GN, but I know in some other places that is not the case at all. I would have liked to have had my boards out of the way first, but financially, I don't want to wait. Something else to consider, is that if you start as a GN, many employers will send you to an NCLEX review class.

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I think working as a medical assistant is sufficient. You only have 5 months of nursing school left; you don't want to deal with the stressors of starting a new job. All of your focus will need to go to studying and passing boards. Good Luck!!!

I agree. Starting a job as a GN is stressful. I guess it would depend on how well you handle stress. Taking nclex stressed out from your job will only make it worse

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Specializes in Surgical Telemetry.

I plan on working as a GN prior to taking the NCLEX. I only am going to work a short period of time before I take it though. I just want to get working as soon as I can and had no trouble getting employed as a GN.

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I am currently working as a GN and will take my boards in the middle of the August. I won't lie, it is extremely stressful. The last thing I want to do is come home after a 12 hour shift and study for boards. I have forced myself to at least answer 100 questions after work, but I don't even know how effective it is because I am so tired. I will say that I am making connections constantly throughout the day about things I am seeing in practice questions, so the real-life experience has been beneficial in that respect. My place of employment also offers to pay for Kaplan for GNs.

It has its pluses and minuses, but is something only you would be able to decide if it is worth.

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I think it can help because it will give you experience. But on the other hand, you have to watch out how much you work as a GN intertwining study time. I work as a GN now and it can become difficult at times when you come home. I work 12 hr shifts & 1/2 the time Im exausted after work! It really depends on how much stress you can handle & how well you handle your time!

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Specializes in OB.

Look into it for your state...I was told that in IL there was no opportunity to work as a "nurse" until you had passed boards (new nurse practice act as of 1/1/08), so "graduate nurse" was not an option for me.

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Specializes in heart failure and prison.

In the state of Pa, we can work as a GN.

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