Traveling before first job, bad idea?

LessValuableNinja · Jan 19, 2017

Do not take your NCLEX late. This is the same advice you'll receive from anyone who prepares people to take the nclex.

On job hunting: keep in mind the growing trend towards nurse residencies, that most residencies won't take you too far out of school (6 months most around here), and that most areas require a year of experience to apply, unless you're applying to a residency.

Keep in mind that most peds hospitals are this way.

Also keep in mind that after a year or two of experience you can get travel nurse jobs, and travel.. permanently.

I encourage you to travel, but also encourage you to understand your potential employers and their hiring processes for new grads. The boat may sail after 6 months. I do also encourage you to NOT delay taking the NCLEX regardless of your decision on travel.

HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD · Jan 20, 2017

I know that some very large healthcare systems (including one that is continuously cited among "best of the best") will not hire any newly licensed nurses (they don't hire anyone who has not yet passed NCLEX) who graduated >6 months ago. This is based on analysis of data from their new nurse transition programs/residencies, etc. So, delaying NCLEX & taking a breather before launching your career may have consequences.

Most decisions in life do entail some degree of risk. The trick is to think about the 'worst case scenario' associated with the choice you want to make. If you can deal with that, go for it.

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jan 25, 2017

A former friend I had passed her NCLEX but then delayed job hunting. She was unable to land a job or even an interview due to the fact that she was an "old" new grad. She eventually got a job through a friend of a friend.

So take that as you will.

I don't know where you live but no matter what anyone says there is no nursing shortage. So employers get to pick & choose who they want to hire. Don't make it harder on yourself by delaying taking the NCLEX and/or looking for a job.

NurseLauraM · Jan 25, 2017

I did this after my NP program. I took my boards before traveling and then got my job shortly after getting back. Of course with the DEA, credentialing, etc. I could not start right away, so from when I graduated to when I started was about 7 months even though I was hired way before that. As an RN you can start right after being hired so your delay would likely not be as long as mine, but I will share my experience regardless.

After being away for 3 months, I had no issues getting interviews and subsequent offers. Most interviewers assumed I was studying for the boards during those months (you'd be surprised by the amount who didn't notice that the date my license was issued was right after graduation). Others asked me to explain the gap, and of course I told the truth. Most responded very positively. Nobody responded negatively, although there were some who didn't seem to care either way what I was doing... I think they were just glad to hear I wasn't on some other job I was fired from. For those who seemed more inquisitive, I explained my rationale: I had never travelled abroad before (true) and wanted the experience before making a long-term commitment. Sometimes I would also mention that I worked extra hours while in school to save up for the trip, as I had been planning it for a couple of years. I think mentioning this helped because it showed that I was able to pick a goal and plan towards it responsibly. You can also explain your motivation for going abroad - personally, I think it helped me understand how much a group's culture and collective history shape their health, attitude and beliefs. OP, what are you hoping to gain from traveling? Whatever your reason, it is likely something that will make you a more well-rounded employee (and can thus be portrayed positively during interviews). This is especially true if you learn/improve on any language skills, which I'm sure you would as an au pair!

There are risks involved of course: the residency issue another poster mentioned, employers responding negatively to your employment gap (although this didn't happen in my case), etc. I will say I felt a bit rusty upon starting work. Although, as a new NP it's hard to sort out what's rustiness and what is just inexperience. If you are willing to work extra hard (i.e. study your old notes that pertain to every case you see, research everything you don't understand), you will catch up quickly. New RNs generally have to study on their own time anyway, but you will have to push yourself even harder due to the time spent away. Personally, I think the benefit of traveling is worth the extra effort you'll have to make when you get back. If you are a motivated person, and you did well in your classes and rotations while in school, I believe you will do just fine.

The only thing I would caution you against is delaying the NCLEX. Take it before leaving if possible, because NCLEX-style test-taking is a skill you may lose rather quickly. Also, you don't want to have it in the back of your mind the whole time you're abroad. I understand you may not feel prepared, but the worst case scenario is that you just take it again when you get back, which you would have done anyway if you didn't make the first attempt. I am a firm believer that, if you went to a good program, the sooner you take it the better. You've been studying non-stop for four years, and taking NCLEX-style questions on your exams (I assume). How will another couple months of independent studying benefit you?

OrganizedChaos, LVN · Jan 27, 2017

I did this after my NP program. I took my boards before traveling and then got my job shortly after getting back. Of course with the DEA, credentialing, etc. I could not start right away, so from when I graduated to when I started was about 7 months even though I was hired way before that. As an RN you can start right after being hired so your delay would likely not be as long as mine, but I will share my experience regardless.
After being away for 3 months, I had no issues getting interviews and subsequent offers. Most interviewers assumed I was studying for the boards during those months (you'd be surprised by the amount who didn't notice that the date my license was issued was right after graduation). Others asked me to explain the gap, and of course I told the truth. Most responded very positively. Nobody responded negatively, although there were some who didn't seem to care either way what I was doing... I think they were just glad to hear I wasn't on some other job I was fired from. For those who seemed more inquisitive, I explained my rationale: I had never travelled abroad before (true) and wanted the experience before making a long-term commitment. Sometimes I would also mention that I worked extra hours while in school to save up for the trip, as I had been planning it for a couple of years. I think mentioning this helped because it showed that I was able to pick a goal and plan towards it responsibly. You can also explain your motivation for going abroad - personally, I think it helped me understand how much a group's culture and collective history shape their health, attitude and beliefs. OP, what are you hoping to gain from traveling? Whatever your reason, it is likely something that will make you a more well-rounded employee (and can thus be portrayed positively during interviews). This is especially true if you learn/improve on any language skills, which I'm sure you would as an au pair!
There are risks involved of course: the residency issue another poster mentioned, employers responding negatively to your employment gap (although this didn't happen in my case), etc. I will say I felt a bit rusty upon starting work. Although, as a new NP it's hard to sort out what's rustiness and what is just inexperience. If you are willing to work extra hard (i.e. study your old notes that pertain to every case you see, research everything you don't understand), you will catch up quickly. New RNs generally have to study on their own time anyway, but you will have to push yourself even harder due to the time spent away. Personally, I think the benefit of traveling is worth the extra effort you'll have to make when you get back. If you are a motivated person, and you did well in your classes and rotations while in school, I believe you will do just fine.
The only thing I would caution you against is delaying the NCLEX. Take it before leaving if possible, because NCLEX-style test-taking is a skill you may lose rather quickly. Also, you don't want to have it in the back of your mind the whole time you're abroad. I understand you may not feel prepared, but the worst case scenario is that you just take it again when you get back, which you would have done anyway if you didn't make the first attempt. I am a firm believer that, if you went to a good program, the sooner you take it the better. You've been studying non-stop for four years, and taking NCLEX-style questions on your exams (I assume). How will another couple months of independent studying benefit you?

I feel like this is the exception, not the norm. I know you were a brand new NP, but you had been a nurse prior. Not only that but your comments on the many interviews you went on makes me believe the NP market in your area isn't that saturated.

For most brand new nurses it is difficult to land an interview, let alone a job. There have been many a post on here about how long it took new grads to secure a job. Most areas are so inundated with new nurses that the employers get to pick & choose who they want to hire. I would not make it any more difficult on myself by putting off taking the NCLEX or looking for a job. Unless the OP is in a rural area or some place that is always hiring new nurses, I would put off traveling for now.

NurseLauraM · Jan 27, 2017

I feel like this is the exception, not the norm. I know you were a brand new NP, but you had been a nurse prior. Not only that but your comments on the many interviews you went on makes me believe the NP market in your area isn't that saturated.
For most brand new nurses it is difficult to land an interview, let alone a job. There have been many a post on here about how long it took new grads to secure a job. Most areas are so inundated with new nurses that the employers get to pick & choose who they want to hire. I would not make it any more difficult on myself by putting off taking the NCLEX or looking for a job. Unless the OP is in a rural area or some place that is always hiring new nurses, I would put off traveling for now.

This is an important perspective! I may have painted my situation too positively, as I had nursing experience already and was also job-searching in a rural area. Indeed, OP must remain realistic about the potential consequences of taking this time to travel. One cannot make these sort of decisions without accepting the potential sacrifices. As someone who has worked many 'less-than-desirable' jobs to pay the bills, I was ok with the consequences. OP may not be in the same position, which is important to address.

NurseLauraM · Jan 27, 2017

Another idea could be for OP to get some experience as a nurse here first and then do travel nursing or go abroad with Doctors Without Borders.