Students, do any of you not want a hospital job after graduation?

Published

Specializes in L&D.

I sort of don't understand the appeal of hospital nursing. The only reason I can think of is exposure to many different illnesses and manifestations of those illnesses...exposure to a variety of meds...exposure to procedures, etc. Other than that, not sure why I'd want to work in a hospital.

Anyone else want to do nursing outside of a hospital? I still have a year and a half until graduation (BSN), so I do have an opportunity to gain more experience with clinical before I graduate. I'm just wondering what everybody thinks. (:

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in ER.

I could give some other reasons that aren't necessarily personal reasons. I am undecided on what I'll do directly out of nursing school because most places want experienced nurses. Some hospital nursing experience will be to your benefit. There are many hospital programs for new grads... Some of the reasons I've heard of for wanting to be a hospital nurse are the schedule (3days on 4off) & the flexibility, better pay (night time differentials), a lot of hospitals have tuition reimbursement programs, and there is a greater amount of overtime available in hospitals. Also, traditional nursing is hospital based, I believe a lot of nurses like that they have the opportunity to move around thru different specialties when they work in hospitals. I have a BS in public health and have always wanted to be a nurse. I didn't go directly to nursing school because there were so many obstacles to getting in. Finally, I am enrolled and will start clinicals this spring in an ASN program. I plan to however, go into a nurse practitioner program after working for a year. For me, hospital nursing will likely be best straight out of school because of the flexibility and possible tuition reimbursement that will help me pursue and complete a NP program.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.
I could give some other reasons that aren't necessarily personal reasons. I am undecided on what I'll do directly out of nursing school because most places want experienced nurses. Some hospital nursing experience will be to your benefit. There are many hospital programs for new grads... Some of the reasons I've heard of for wanting to be a hospital nurse are the schedule (3days on 4off) & the flexibility, better pay (night time differentials), a lot of hospitals have tuition reimbursement programs, and there is a greater amount of overtime available in hospitals. Also, traditional nursing is hospital based, I believe a lot of nurses like that they have the opportunity to move around thru different specialties when they work in hospitals. I have a BS in public health and have always wanted to be a nurse. I didn't go directly to nursing school because there were so many obstacles to getting in. Finally, I am enrolled and will start clinicals this spring in an ASN program. I plan to however, go into a nurse practitioner program after working for a year. For me, hospital nursing will likely be best straight out of school because of the flexibility and possible tuition reimbursement that will help me pursue and complete a NP program.

Those are all good reasons! I am more interested in community health than actual hospital nursing. I know you probably need hospital experience, though. I am actually one of those sticklers that doesn't like the "weird hours" of hospital nursing. If I do get a hospital job, I will be thankful it, though! I think LTC would be a lot harder than hospital nursing, due to the higher nurse/patient ratios.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I will likely work in a hospital once I graduate for a year or so to gain some experience, but I will not work in a hospital long-term. I, too, am more interested in the area of community health than in hospital nursing.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, Oncology, Epic CT.

Hello Skips, hope you had a wonderful holiday.

I just wanted to give a small bit of input on your topic because I found it interesting and it's nice to see a new grad like myself have interests other than hospital nursing!

I too have been looking into prospects outside of hospital nursing. For instance, I want to work at a Hemophilia Treatment Center at my local hospital which deals with not only pediatrics, but adults as well. They are connected to a hospital, however, they are their own, independent clinic. There is also the option of working for non-profit organizations or even home health. Before I entered nursing school, I worked as a pharmacy tech in a home health setting and I worked closely with a lot of the nurses and the nursing manager, all of which, loved that area of nursing. However...there was one catch. Experience.

From what I have researched (yes, I have been doing job hunting while in school) and my own experience with other providers(including my work history with one), they prefer experience for their hires. This is where hospital nursing becomes a vital stepping stone for new nursing grads like you and I. It may have its flaws, but it also has great potential for opening new pathways for our future. It may take a few years to get there, but just like our education, it will help us just become a more well rounded nurse and prepare us for settings outside of the hospital. Like the community health area. ;)

As always, I truly wish you the best in your endeavor and will be rooting for you! Best of luck and happy holidays!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in School Nursing.

Bedside nursing is what the majority of nurses in the field actually do-- so I expect that most going into the field are expecting to go straight to the bedside. This is especially true for ADNs, as many of the jobs outside the bedside require higher degrees. Bedside nursing builds your skills, no doubt. This is why most jobs require bedside experience.

Personally, for me, if I had a choice I'd work outside the hospital as well. I did love NICU so I wouldn't cry if I were able to get a job doing that but my goal is to be a school nurse. I'm not opposed to occupational health nursing either. Many people will tell you to go straight to medsurg after school for the skills building and experience-- but I've had two instructors so far tell me that it's not necessary if you already have a goal in mind that doesn't involve medsurg or bedside, and being that I'm an older student, I've built my work ethic and done my 'growing up'.. which a lot of the skills outside of the bedside new grads need to hone.

The problem is that you are unlikely to find a job outside of the hospital without any experience.. so you may not have a choice in the matter. I'm prepared to put in my time as a medsurg nurse-- but I WILL be applying for other jobs first as first choice.However, I have no illusions of getting the perfect job right off the bat. I'm expecting 2 years at the bedside.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.
Hello Skips, hope you had a wonderful holiday.

I just wanted to give a small bit of input on your topic because I found it interesting and it's nice to see a new grad like myself have interests other than hospital nursing!

I too have been looking into prospects outside of hospital nursing. For instance, I want to work at a Hemophilia Treatment Center at my local hospital which deals with not only pediatrics, but adults as well. They are connected to a hospital, however, they are their own, independent clinic. There is also the option of working for non-profit organizations or even home health. Before I entered nursing school, I worked as a pharmacy tech in a home health setting and I worked closely with a lot of the nurses and the nursing manager, all of which, loved that area of nursing. However...there was one catch. Experience.

From what I have researched (yes, I have been doing job hunting while in school) and my own experience with other providers(including my work history with one), they prefer experience for their hires. This is where hospital nursing becomes a vital stepping stone for new nursing grads like you and I. It may have its flaws, but it also has great potential for opening new pathways for our future. It may take a few years to get there, but just like our education, it will help us just become a more well rounded nurse and prepare us for settings outside of the hospital. Like the community health area. ;)

As always, I truly wish you the best in your endeavor and will be rooting for you! Best of luck and happy holidays!

Very, very informative, kind post! Thank you.

The hemophilia center sounds like an amazing experience. That would be something interesting to me, too.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in CMSRN, hospice.

I have no idea what I want to get into after graduation, but to me, that's one of the great parts about this career. I'm not opposed to doing hospital nursing, and if that's what I fall in love with after getting some experience, then I'll probably stick to it. But there are so many other things that you *can* do in nursing that it makes sense to explore it. I know I'm keeping forensic nursing in the back of my mind in case there's an opportunity for me to do that someday. It just depends on what comes up, I guess!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Hospice and Palliative Care.

Hey Skips: Like others here, I have zero interest in hospital nursing. I'm finishing up my 3rd semester of a 5 semester program and I do expect to put in a couple years of med-surg but you never know. I worked as a hospice aid before school and that's where I'd like to end up as an RN. I'm past the spring/summer chicken stage of my life and have patient care experience so maybe I'll be able to score something other than hospital straight out of school. If I could get through the rest of my career without hospital work, I'd be just fine with that. From what I've seen at my time at the hospital, that kind of nursing is more about protocols, technology and passing meds than what I want to do. I really like autonomy and hospitals aren't set up for that. Community health, school nursing, home health/hospice all sound much more attractive. I can, however, see the need for med-surg experience to polish your assessment skills.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I, too, have no interest in hospital nursing. As an RN, I plan to pursue Pediatric Hospice Home Care. I think ultimately I may work PRN in the pediatric hospital that I am currently working in as a CNA....but hospital is not my goal or ideal job.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

With the market being the way it is now I will nurse under a bridge if I could count on steady hours and a paycheck. Picky I am not at the start of a second career.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I do not want to do bedside nursing, but I think it's a good experience to have and that really all nurses should probably do it, at least at first. Plus, I am only going for my ADN right now. So the plan is, get ADN, get hospital job, work and decide more on what I really want to do (right now I feel I'm interesting in public health nursing, education, research, ect) and then definitely get my BSN, if not my MSN, and make the transition!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion