| Topic Name: |
Employment for nurses |
| Message Name: |
New RN's |
| Date Posted: |
02/21/2000 |
| In Reply To: |
I'm an undergrad. nursing major. I'm wondering what the hospitals (or other nurse employers) think are the most important when they employ nurses? School? GPA? or what? |
| Message: |
Job opportunities are really quite good overall for RN's. In a survey done in North Carolina in 1997, the average length of a job search was 4.2 weeks, and 25% of new RN's secured a job with no job search at all. I would think that since then, the labor market has gotten tighter, and you would have no trouble finding a job. The interviewing process, therefore, is as much about you interviewing them as employers interviewing you.
For employers, they want nurses with skills and the ability to do the job. Some of can be seen through grades and a school, but it is most likely to come out in an interview. They want a RN that can come in and hit the ground running. If this is overwhelming to you, let them know.
Things that you should ask about include: orientation-- how long is it, and what does it entail. You want to make sure that you do not job into something that you are not prepared for. Also, you want to ask about issues of mandatory overtime. We are hearing about many nurses who are forced into a salary position so that they have to work overtime without pay.
Overall, you are proabably going to have your choice of job positions. Nursing is hurting for nurses. Just make sure to protect yourself and receive the skills that you need to go from a student to an expert clinician.
For more information, please take a look at http://www.ga.unc.edu/NCCN
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