So there is an obvious Catch-22 when it comes to starting your Nursing career. Most places seek a year of experience. Well how does one achieve this year of experience if they are never given a chance to gain it? My question is does anyone know if volunteering would be considered experience or do they specifically want paid only positions? I have heard that many places also do not take your Clinicals into consideration. Is that true as well? Would working as a CNA be considered experience for an LPN or working as an LPN for an RN position? I am speaking in general and from your personal experiences as I do realize that this will vary from place to place.
Hello Dawn,
Before you start looking for volunteer experience, my first question would be what jobs have you applied for?
Most people want hospital experience, as they know they'll learn the most in an acute care facility.
Right now, with fewer patients and filled beds, hospitals are shying away from new graduates because of the long orientations they need.
You can find work in nursing homes, doctors offices, clinics, all of which would count more when a hospital job became available than volunteer experience (and it would provide a paycheck as well).
Volunteer options would involve the Peace Corps, etc. You can find several organizations listed here:
http://www.nursefriendly.com/volunteer
Hope that is helpful.
Andrew Lopez, RN
http://www.4nursing.com