Would you consider your time In LPN school as experience?

Nurses LPN/LVN

Published

I don't have any type of medical background besides for working at a McDonald's for a year and a few months. I graduated in December and I got my license in April and I'm in desperate need of a job but a lot of these places require multiple years of experience in which I do not have. ( I'm also completely terrified of even thinking about working. How did you get over your fear of getting your first job?) Would you consider the one year of LPN school as experience?

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Experience refers to time spent working as a licensed nurse. School clinicals do not count as experience. If all the jobs are requiring experience, you have 2 options: apply anyway and see if anything happens, or broaden your search to other types of nursing or other areas beyond where you're looking now.

If the thought of working terrifies you, it may be beneficial to speak with someone about your fears.

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Nope. You weren't a LICENSED LPN. That's the experience they're looking for. Clinical time is expected of a new grad and doesn't count, unfortunately. Someone will give you chance!

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Specializes in Psychiatry.

Look for new grad positions. If you haven't already, make an Indeed profile and search there. Be open to working anywhere; it still counts as experience.

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Experience is experience in my opinion, if you were working to the capacity of a nurse then I would say it is relevant. When I graduated I applied for every job posting even if it required multiple years experience. My resume at the time consisted only of my clinical rotations which I would clearly state the hours completed and the tasks preformed, always listing that you were shadowed by a Registered Practical Nurse/ Registered Nurse.

As for fear of working, its always there in the back of your mind whether you are starting out, or 20 years deep. If you care about what you are doing in my opinion it will affect you one way or another. Simply do your best and always seek out educational opportunities whether that being obtaining new skills or learning further health teaching.

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No, I didnt learni anything in school from my opinion.i didnt learn until I actually got out and started working

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I would try Homecare agencies. They are more flexible with willing to hire new grads. I would also try ltc facilities. Also I've learned you just gotta jump into it. Remember the Medication rights. Also keep a notebook and a pen to write down important info about your patients

One more thing.... get your own Vital Sign equipment. It will help you to not waste time searching for equipment on your shift as well as not be able to assess your patient accurately.

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It's not the type of experience they're talking about... but it is definitely experience/exposure. I was terrified of responsibility and messing up at my first few jobs as well - I was working alone, but what helped was, sticking to the books, being safe, doing a thorough patient history and reporting that to the provider. Nothing calmed my nerves to the point I wouldn't worry when I was off shift until I started working with other nurses. At my current job I work closely with three other nurses and I am able to observe/bounce thoughts off of them. Having that team support has done wonders for me. It may feel overwhelming now, but with experience it will get better. Best wishes!

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Increase your options and keep up your skills by volunteering as an EMT-B. When I graduated LPN school, I started an EMT-B program two weeks later while studying for the NCLEX-PN (I was too nervous to take NCLEX-PN right away). Most if not all EMT-B programs are about 3 months and cost around $1300. I passed my NCLEX-PN on first try about 2 weeks before I passed the national EMT-B tests. My thinking was that while applying for an LPN job I could volunteer/work as an EMT-B to keep up my assessment, wound care, and CPR skills. It will also show that you can handle emergency situations. Fortunately for me I found a job about a month after my NCLEX-PN. I am still a licensed EMT-B and plan on keeping that certification - you never know.

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Your clinical experience is assumed, and common to all new grads. If that way of thinking were true, all new grads would be "experienced" right out of school.

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Specializes in Home Health, PDN, LTC, subacute.
On 2/12/2019 at 3:07 PM, LpntoRN2be said:

I would try Homecare agencies. They are more flexible with willing to hire new grads. I would also try ltc facilities. Also I've learned you just gotta jump into it. Remember the Medication rights. Also keep a notebook and a pen to write down important info about your patients

One more thing.... get your own Vital Sign equipment. It will help you to not waste time searching for equipment on your shift as well as not be able to assess your patient accurately.

Second that VS equipt. Well worth the $$$$

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On 12/22/2018 at 7:40 PM, jake the nurse said:

Experience is experience in my opinion, if you were working to the capacity of a nurse then I would say it is relevant.

But she wasn't. She was there in the capacity of a student.

2 Votes
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