Urgent care nurse for new graduate

[jamieeykim]

Hi, I am a new graduate nurse who recently got a license.

I am sending my resume so many places but nobody replies.

Yesterday, one of urgent care center that is preparing to open

sent me an email for interview.

What do I have to prepare?

What is the most reasons for urgent care visiting?

(fever, cold, sports accident, anything else?)

How much is the right amount for paycheck as a new graduate in

an urgent care?

I have so many things to know.

Please help me!!!!

[shoegalRN, RN]

Urgent care centers are for urgent things that are not serious enough for an ER, but can't wait for an appointment with the primary doctor either.

Example: cold, flu, med refill, dental pain, toe pain X 2 years, missed doctor's appointment but need to be seen by a doctor, things like that. If urgent care thinks it's serious enough, they will refer the pt to an ER to continue care.

Urgent care is sort of like a fast track in an ER, they see things that are not emergent.

I always go to my urgent care provider if I can't get into my primary care doctor and I need a script for something that day. I never use my ER unless I'm dying.

Things you will need to know is when something is urgent care appropriate and when the pt needs to go to an ER. You will need to know how to triage pts. You will need to know your normals vs abnormals vital signs and maybe labs.

As far as pay is concerned, I would not bring that up in the interview with the urgent care manager or whoever you will be interviewing with. You are a new grad without any RN experience, so whatever they offer, you may not have room to negotiate. You can expect average new grad pay for you area.

Good luck to you!

[Gently.me]

First of all, Congrats!!!!

I work at Urgent Care, and it is a wonderful place to start especially for a new grad. Here they will teach you to master blood draws, IV therapy, splints, laceration repair, UTIs, influenza, strep testing, stool testing, hCG testing, catheters, etc. Every once in awhile you will get the chest pain, severe abdominal pain and those who SHOULD have gone to the ER

Urgent Care is a glorified doctors office. When people can't get in to see their PCP for something that can't really wait, they go to Urgent Care. It is a first come/first serve basis, which is something patients love and hate. WONDERFUL experience if you want to pursue anything intensive like ICU or ER, or anything really.

In this situation, I would say experience trumps pay. If you have to start out getting paid a little lower, and you can afford to do so, then DO IT. You will find that a nurse without experience is a nurse that is having a heck of a time finding a job.

Sell yourself in your interview. Even if you are not a jedi master at everything, go into this interview with enthusiasm and confidence. You will not be expected to know everything, and there will be experienced nurses as your team leaders whom are a great source for learning and teaching!!!!

When I get my RN, I would love to work in ER, so Urgent Care is the place for me. You will love all the things you will learn here. Good Luck!!

[jamieeykim]

Thank you so~~ much the advise. I did the interview, today, and got offer of employment letter. As I expected, the pay is so low, but it is OK to me since I can get experience. But the letter doesn't mention about benefits, specially I need health insurance benefit. Is it normal not to show the benefit on the offering letter? Since it is my first job application that went to the interview, I have no idea about getting a job. TT

[mcdanforth]

Can I ask what the pay offer was? I too am having a horrible time getting any responses to my resumes (going on 70 resumes now) as a newly licensed nurse. I interviewed at an urgent care yesterday and I have a great feeling about the interview. I have a second interview Tuesday with one of the doctors. I am just excited to be able to get such a wide variety of experience at this office, but still curious on whether the $$ is in the range of doctor's office pay?

[karlexandra]

I would like to know too. I have an interview soon the sad part that the pay was really low.

[LadyFree28, BSN, LPN, RN]

Not to hijack the thread, but how "low" was the pay?? Close to minimum wage??? Just wondering....

I say if you are willing to get the experience NOW (if you can swing it for that 1-2 year experience), I would go for it...some money is better than no money. If you got loans to pay back, find out ways to repay, recalculate your payment, etc...once you get that 1 year, you can transition into a fast-track ER or ER...just saying...