[Jeanne in CA]

I live in the greater Sacramento area and am waiting to hear whether I've placed into one of the lottery ADN programs for Spring. My concern is this: One of my acquaintenances graduated from a local ADN program in May (good grades) and was not able to find a position in any of the local hospitals as a new grad RN. She was told they aren't hiring new grads, and they all want at least one year of acute care experience. She's moving out of the area, so that she can work in a hospital elsewhere.

I've also been told that if you're working as a CNA in a hospital while attending nursing school, when you graduate your employing hospital *will* often hire you as an RN, because they see it as a sort of upgrade in status and not the same as hiring a new grad. Can anyone reading here confirm whether or not this is common practice (or possibly just nonsense)? --The reason I'm asking is that if I don't place into an ADN program this Spring, I am considering taking a 7-week course to become a CNA, so that I can begin working in a local hospital just to get my foot in the door. I have remote clinical experience working as a nursing assistant in a hospital but was not (and am not) certified.

Thanks so much!

[cassioo]

I don't know what they are doing in Scramento but in a large part of the country there is a nursing shortage and new grads are not only hired at hospitals they are hired into speciality areas. If that's what they do in that area and that's where you want to stay the CNA route could be a good idea... also a good idea to get into patient care. Hospitals I work at count your seniority from the day you start no matter what the position. There are nurses with less nursing experience then I have who have more senority (which is what you need for vacation choices/ shift choices) who started as secretaries, EMT's, housekeepers etc who then went to nursing school but maintained the hire date they got as the housekeeper.

[SilverBells]

I'm sure that some new grads are being hired in that area. Sometimes it's hard to get a job, and the person is not using all avenues- some people just fill out those on on line applications and then don't do anything when they don't get a call back. Or they are very picky about schedules, or units.

As far as working as a CNA, it's true, if you do a good job, are seen as a quick learner and a team player, you will probably be offerred a job on your unit where you work as a CNA. Thats how I got my first job offer, which I didn't take. It isn't necessary though, several of my friends were hired with no work experience.

Most places do not see it as an ungrade in job status though, (Too big a difference between CNA and RN position in my opinion) you are still seen as a new graduate, (it's just that they know your personality and so its a safe bet that you will be able to get along as a RN as you did when you were a CNA...)

Good Luck, hope you get picked from the lottery!

[mistyz23]

Have you considered every option?

I'm an Air Force medic who is applying to an accellerated LVN to RN program. I had 9 months of floor training and loved it. I was lucky and was an ICU tech for 4 months. I was a quick learner and was taught how to do things that would have never been covered in the civil. sector because of liability issues. It was a great experience for me in the training hospital environment, but it certainly isn't for everyone. I wish I had known we had surgical tech training too though.

Just an idea.

[cassioo]

Most places do not see it as an ungrade in job status though, (Too big a difference between CNA and RN position in my opinion)

you're still a new grad you but you keep your original hire date in terms of vaction and shift selection in the future. Keeping the hire date is incentive to keep employees after graduation and you do get to skip the hospital orientation part as to where things are located and you already have the lab work, shots, CPR etc that are required of all employees.

[Jeanne in CA]

Originally Posted by mistyz23

Have you considered every option?

I'm an Air Force medic who is applying to an accellerated LVN to RN program. I had 9 months of floor training and loved it. I was lucky and was an ICU tech for 4 months. I was a quick learner and was taught how to do things that would have never been covered in the civil. sector because of liability issues. It was a great experience for me in the training hospital environment, but it certainly isn't for everyone. I wish I had known we had surgical tech training too though.

Just an idea.

Knowing what I know now, if I was about 20 years younger and didn't have family responsibilities making the possibility/probability of military deployment an unbearable thought, I would *definitely* consider that option.

Good for you--way to go!!!

[trier]

Hi

I have just become a new grad at 56 and am finding this very daunting as I am the only one in a small hospital and can only work once a week. (Sick husband). Because of my home committment I can't apply for a post grad position. I just wish I could get my time management skills going. They were fine as a student when I did my block but now I seem to be lacking confidence. It's a lot of responsibility and we are always so rushed. I knew it would be hard but I didn't think impossible. We don't even get time to read the patients charts. Sound familiar?
trier

[smbrn]

Dear trier,
Good for you working as a new grad at 56! Nursing is very difficult and always has been although today's challenges are much greater than when I first started 24 years ago. Don't be too down on yourself, though, and your time management skills. Those things just take time and you'll develop your own ways of managing to the best of your ability. As far as your statement that you lack confidence I remember many years ago I was just getting started working in an ED. Having only med/surg experience and some classroom training in ED I felt absolutely overwhelmed and less than confident in my ability to function in that setting. I remember there was this one, older nurse whom I admired very much; so knowledgeable, confident, calm no matter what was going on. I felt so inadequate next to her until it dawned on me that she had been a nurse since the year I was born and at that time I was 26 years old! I realized I was being too hard on myself comparing myself to someone like that. I suspect you are looking around, assuming everyone but you knows exactly what they are doing at all times, etc. Also, at 56, I assume you have had some other career at which you were quite good and valued. It must be difficult to be in this new role, but good for you and hang in there! I hope someone takes you under his or her wing and helps you out.

[trier]

Thank you so much. Yesterday one of the nurses from the job I had just resigned from asked me where I had been hiding. I was in a very small hospital working one day a week due to my husband having mnd and only able to work when he was at day respite. I had been there for a period of six weeks two weeks of which were spent in induction at another bigger hospital.
The manager said after one and a half shifts. (ours are 8 hours) that she couldn't leave me alone in the ward. I said "I think not after 12 hours". Every shift was followed by a debrief where I just wasn't coming up to scratch. She then asked me how long it had taken to do my degree and I said I had taken a while. Due to the following reasons: I completed a successful prac of six weeks in Medical, but failed nursing theory assignment. second go in surgical made a med error where I was suspended from prac and had to redo it this year. I did well and finally finished in June and even got a couple of distinctions in the assignments.. To cap it off the manager then brought in a second nurse to discuss how I had performed and suggested I needed a refresher course to which I replied that this was an insult. They have lost 11 RNs in 10 months and is it any wonder. I am hoping once I get my life on track to do a post graduate at the ward where I really learnt a lot and loved it. Sorry to whinge but it seems some nurses do eat their young and smile whilst they are trying to destroy them. I left before they utterly destroyed my self confidence and on a professional note. Your post though, made my day so thanks again.

[nursinghumor]

I wouldn't worry too much. California is in the middle of an acute nursing shortage. With the nurse to patient ratios now being enforced, they're being forced to shut down wings and close beds because they can't find enough staff.

If you're flexible (and as a new grad you need to be) you should have no problem getting a job once you graduate and pass your boards.

Working as a CNA in general, will make you a much better nurse once you get to nursing school. It will help you organize your time, empathize with the patients, and realize the importance of nursing assistants in caring for patients. Nurses often take them for granted.

Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursingstudents.com