Tips for transitioning from one field to another

[shaunamarslan]

Hello there, as most new grads who had difficulty attaining their first job out of nursing school, I settled for a job and field that I was less then ecstatic about to receive that ominous "nursing experience". Now after a years worth of experience on an EXTREMELY busy sub acute (mostly ortho/rehab) facility I have been promoted from charge nurse to unit manager to nursing supervisor... all with out a raise. The majority of my patients are medicare and my facility has no sense whatsoever about patient acuity. That being said most of my patients still belong in acute... and in fact, i've had to send a couple new admissions out within 4-6 hours of them arriving to our facility. I had been hoping that once I had that experience under my belt it would be significantly easier to get a job in a "kaiser" or "sutter" but I find I'm still being over looked and possibly down on as employers not looking at SNF experience as "nursing experience". My medical director and the PAC's i work with LOVE me and my critical thinking/ logic skills that half of the staff I work with some how lack. I am an ADN Rn who will be going back to school next Fall for my RN-BSN. My DON is one of my references and the PAC's I work with are as well. I am interested in tele and med surge and am wondering if anyone knows of any programs or classes offered by AHA, AMR or any other outside educational facility that I can take to make me more noticeable. I live in Northern California and competition here is fierce. I am already ACLS, PALS certified. I have tried to network but unfortunately I have moved to Santa Rosa from the peninsula and don't have a whole lot of connections. Any advice, words of inspiration or criticism are greatly appreciated.

[xtxrn, ASN, RN]

Do you do online applications, or actually see people in person?

Ask those who are turning you down what they are looking for- can't hurt :)