Working at a Clinic/Private Dr Office

[lbookie]

i've been on this board for the last couple of days reading up on how people feel about nursing, and asking questions because i am considering nursing as a profession. i have read about how hard nurses work at a hospital and how they are mistreated and overworked. i think that working at a clinic or doctors office would be more my style because i really cannot hack the kind of hardcore stress a hospital job entails. should i be an rn to get a job at a private office, or an lpn? if an rn is preferred, is an asn or bsn preferred? how difficult is it to get these positions? i know that straight out of school i will probably have to work at a hospital but after a year or so can i make the jump to private office? how much do these nurses usually make?

[RNperdiem, RN]

Nurses are becoming rare in doctors offices now that medical assistants have become widely used.

[nyteshade, BSN]

I agree, it's rare now a days to work in a private MD office or clinic. I think much of what you are reading is floor nursing gripes. The hospital also has other areas that might have more of the feel you are talking about such as ambulatory surgery (for the most part, clinic type hours depending on where you are), urgent care, dialysis, GI lab. These do however generally require a med-surge background and ACLS for some. Maybe the hospital will train...

Once you start school, you'll discover med-surge is the basis for all your nursing.

If you don't even want to step foot in a hospital, consider home health. You may need 1 year med-surge to back you. Some places might train. Not every nurse is "doomed" to floor nursing. Research.

I started as a LPN, and now am a RN. Go for the RN more will open up for you.

[LeaRNed]

I worked in a clinic as a medical assistant, with an associate degree and made only $10.25 an hour. There were LPN's that worked there, no degree, did the same thing as me and made $16 an hour....go figure. This is why I'm in the process of getting my LPN, then bridging to RN.

[dragonflyRN]

I am a RN and I currently work for a group of cardiologists. Requirements for this position were 3 years of experience in cardiac nursing preferably in a hospital. My primary function in my practice is to manage the patients on anticoagulation therapy. I also assist with cardiac testing, triage and office visits. It is definitly a different world than the hospital...but still has it's stresses. I miss working 3 12 hour shifts....but I really enjoy being involved in the long term care of the patient. So while opportunities may be limited for an RN in the office enviroment....they are out there. We also have an RN who's primary role is triage.

[Aimee03, BSN, RN]

I work in a clinic (pediatric) which is a division of a local hospital. We have 5 full-time doctors and 2 part-time. We have 6 full-time nurses. All the nurses are RNs. right now it is divided 3 ADN and 3 BSN. However I'm pursuing my BSN and two others are getting their MSN. We work 9-5 M-F with half day on saturday. Pay varys between 18.50-20.50 per hour, I do live in the south. No hospital experience required.

I worked in a hospital for almost a year and HATED it! I love my job now.

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

I work in a clinic system and they hire NO new grads from the RN or LPN positions. It is also rare when they hire a fresh medical assistant.

I assist with new employee orientation and most new nursing staff has a minimum of 5 years in another setting before they are even considered for a clinic job.

otessa

[Otessa, BSN, RN]

Nurses are becoming rare in doctors offices now that medical assistants have become widely used.

How true!! The RNs at our clinic facility are really on the phone all day doing triage-very little patient care unless they work in cardiology. The MAs assist with procedures and do direct-patient care.

otessa

[PreggersRN, BSN, RN]

I work in a clinic as an RN with 2 LPN's. I worked in a hospital before going to a clinic setting.

My job involves triaging and general management of the clinic.

My clinic does not hire new grads nor does it hire nurses who do not have acute care or clinic experience.

I worked in acute care (hospital) for 5 years. My position also required a BSN.

It depends on where you are in the country. Some rural areas may allow a new grad because they may really need people. I live in an urban area and is not the case.

Work for a year in an acute care setting and then try to get a job at a clinic, doctors office, or city/county public health facility. This will make you more flexible as far as employment in nursing.

Also, most clinics or doctors offices do not pay as well as hospitals. I was fortunate enough to find a position that pays $2000/year than my hospital position, but that is rare.

The jobs in the community setting are out there, but you have to do what you gotta do to make yourself marketable.

I will tell you that it took me a little over a year to find my current position and I applied and inquired about numerous positions. So it will take you a while.

Best wishes in your future endeavors.