I've been applying for different jobs and every time I interview I get the "my only reservation is that you don't have adult experience" line. Thanks, I'm aware that's a problem which is why I'm applying for different jobs.
I can't help that my only experience is with peds and neonates. Believe me mr/ms hiring manager, I'm trying to break into a new area otherwise I would not be applying for your open position.
Just because I don't have adult experience doesn't men I'm a bad nurse and can't handle the job.
So many threads about being forced to float, can you volunteer and gain some experience to add to your resume that way?
By the way, burned out miserable nurses are easy to read, they already know their units aren't cake walks either and you may be scary them off.
I actually spent a year and a half floating to PICU to get more experience in hopes it would help. We are not allowed to float to adult areas because we are a children's hospital.
Unfortunately, that is a problem that many Peds and NICU nurses have when they want to switch out...they are often boxed in by their very specialized experience. However, med/surg usually has a high turnover rate...have you applying to those kind of jobs or adult ICUs which are more competitive?
I'm actually looking to different areas with better hours such as PACU. If I'm going to work holidays and weekends, I'd almost rather stay where I'm at because I have a lot of seniority.
Specializes in Float Pool - A Little Bit of Everything.
I had a recruiter say something similar to me regarding nurse to Pt ratios. In the hospital setting I was ER and ICU, and this recruiter was under the assumption that during my time in SNF I did no patient care and just delegated tasks to LPNs and CNAs, so she said to me "I don't know if you will be able to handle 5-6 Tele patients". I explained to her what I did in the other settings and probably changed her perception of ER, ICU, and SNF nurses. I explained to her what it was like to have 2 patients on a vent and 2 tele holds, what it was like to have 30 SNF patients with 3 aides and a nursing sup fresh out of nursing school, and what it was like to have an ER so filled that you had patients on stretchers in the hallway and then a trauma rolls in. This RN had only ever worked in the Med/Surg setting. So though she had many years of experience, she had very little understanding of other nursing settings. I don't feel that is the best person for a recruiting position in a hospital, but I hope I was able to help her see the realities of other settings. I got the job and this recruiter is now a great nursing friend. I have never interviewed and not gotten a job offer, I like to think I am good at explaining how my experiences in other settings can be valuable for the one I am interviewing for. I had to do that big time when I graduated nursing school as a second career nurse.
What about floating to medsurg units? I work in a children's hospital, and we get up to 23 year olds on my unit. Do you not see 18-20some year olds in your picu?
I'm actually looking to different areas with better hours such as PACU. If I'm going to work holidays and weekends, I'd almost rather stay where I'm at because I have a lot of seniority.
PACU is a very coveted specialty and usually requires adult ICU experience.
I would approach this from a different angle and speak with nurse recruiter before coming in for an interview. Often than not, department managers would have a set of certain requirements in mind well before they begin interviewing candidates.
A nurse recruiter would be well informed about this and would tell you ahead of time if you'd be a good fit or not. That would save you time and frustration.
Specializes in Crit Care; EOL; Pain/Symptom; Gero.
Consider punching up your resume by demonstrating that you are up to date on adult nursing.
See if you can carve out time and resources to attend an adult-focused nursing conference. Are there local continuing education opportunities offered by your institution or other hospitals in your area?
If you are a chapter member of a professional nursing organization such as AACN, take advantage of their adult-focused educational opportunities.
Join Medscape Nursing, and do their online continuing ed programs, and keep a record of your CE hours that can be attached to your resume.
Demonstrate that you are committed to staying a couple steps ahead of the pack. This mindset will help lead you toward professional success.
Peds and neonates totally scare me. If I was interviewing you, I'd be impressed! I hope you have practiced some bullet points on how your previous experience is an asset with the adult population. Top of my head: teeny tiny veins, very close monitoring, experience with managing family members...I bet you can come up with a dozen more, and some awesome anecdotes to back them up.
Stay upbeat! Be proud of your accomplishments and be excited about how that will translate into your adult patient care. Have a positive and enthusiastic rationale for your desire to move into adult care.
Just curious...aside from not liking where you currently work, why do you want to work with adults? Can you speak to this when you interview? If you have true interest and can talk about that it may help. You need to have positive things to say about why you want to work somewhere and do not be negative in what you say about your current unit.
aerorunner80, ADN, BSN, MSN, APRN
585 Posts
I actually spent a year and a half floating to PICU to get more experience in hopes it would help. We are not allowed to float to adult areas because we are a children's hospital.