Recently, Jessica inquired about advice for new nurses seeking jobs.
I’d recommend a few steps:
1. Take a personal inventory of your needs, wants, and desires to determine the kind of community that’s going to be a fit for you. Quality-of-life should play a role in your career search. There are lots of ‘best-places-to-live’ lists on the Internet that can help narrow the field. Here are some resources that might help you out in this area: www.whosyourcity.com
http://neighborhoods.realtor.com/
2. Once you’ve got your list of target cities/regions, you can begin the process of researching available jobs. Hospital web sites are a great place to find employment opportunities and discover something about the personality of the organization: its history, mission, orientation program, and continuing education opportunities.
3. If you find something you’re interested in, spend some additional time learning what you can about the organization’s employee/patient experience. A good indicator of a hospital’s commitment to the morale of its nursing staff would be its inclusion on the ANCC Magnet Recognition list (http://www.nursecredentialing.org/ancc/magnet/getall.cfm). You could also do a search through the government’s hospital comparison web site to see how patient’s rated their hospital experience (http://www.hospitalcompare.hhs.gov/Hospital/Search/SearchMethod.asp).
4. Get creative. At the very least, try asking members of the RealityRN community to share their experiences with a particular employer. Somebody out there may be willing to talk.
If you’d ever like to move to the State of Washington, my hospital (yakimamemorial.org) has over 60 openings for qualified RNs. And with the publicized nursing shortage, I’m sure there are many more hospitals across the nation looking for a committed professional like you!
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June 20th, 2008 at 12:48 pm
Wonderful advice that will help job seekers land the work environment they desire.
Onehealthpro
June 20th, 2008 at 1:14 pm
I have a feeling those 60 openings require experience…it’s tough getting that first job in areas where there is a glut of new grads, so make sure there are options in the area you choose if you’re a newb.
June 21st, 2008 at 4:51 pm
it’s pretty easy to find jobs IN hospitals via internet. I work in a hospital now, but i think my ideal job might not be in a hospital. Any suggestions on finding that Non-hospital job for You?
July 2nd, 2008 at 7:54 pm
A few years ago I returned as an RN working at flu clinics and employer sponsored well check screenings. I loved it. Now after a recent divorce I find myself in a situation where I need to support myself and get health insurance benifits. I no longer feel I can keep up in a hospital situation . I am 61yrs. of age. I have an associates degree in Nursing. What jobs can I look for in a non hospital, nursing home facility