I’d love to find out how our graduates are finding things in their first year out.
Likewise, how are seasoned RN’s finding our new graduates?
One of the more common questions that seems to arise with nursing students, particularly in their last year, is whether it’s better to obtain a position in a grad year program or similar transition package, or whether it’s better to just try to find employment as an RN and worry about preferences later on.
Having been on a grad program myself & worked in many different clinical areas, I’m of the opinion that to start with I don’t think it’s particularly necessary to obtain a specialised grad year rotating program, as long as your clinical area has good support for new nurses. That’s not to say that it isn’t nice to land one of these jobs & try out some different areas, just that it doesn’t really matter so much if you don’t.
What’s more important is that you receive good support from your place of employment. Whether this is through debriefing sessions, supernumary time, buddying up with seniors or ongoing education, the important thing is that you feel like you are practising safely and know where to go for answers if you are not sure of something.
Additionally, remember that the transition period is always the hardest – it’s important that you stick things out & don’t take things too personally.
Even though it may not be to the same extent, I’m sure the difficulties in a graduate year are not exclusive to nursing. Similar professions such as physiotherapists, radiographers, students who are studying for medical coding certification, or any number of a whole host of allied health positions come across similar issues in their first year out.
So, what are your thoughts or experiences – if you’re a new nurse, how is your graduate year going so far?
If you have grad nurses in your clinical area, how do you think they are going??
What can be changed or improved, and do you feel like we are practising ‘safely’?
Reading the comments makes me very despondent about my chances of getting employed after my degree in nursing is finished. I have worked in hospitals in other capacities (wardsman and a cleaner) and there ALWAYS appeared to be a shortage of nurses around the place. Very often the same nurses would be doing overtime to cover for a sick collegue ect.
I think there needs to be a stronger push by nursing students and the unions to ensure that new graduates get SOME exposure to paid work and relevant clinical experience!!! What happens in 10-15 years when all the ‘experienced’ nurses have left the profession and there’s a huge void in clinical knowledge because no new grads could get work 10-15 years ago.
With this lack of jobs in mind, have the nursing grads on here considered studying for other allied health fields? I know MORE study is painful but your nursing degree can be leveraged into other avenues such as paramedicine, dietetics, physio ect.
Well NickBrisbane I am a grad in Victoria, almost completed grad year. The offers for being employed after your grad year are grim. As we enter the hospitals as grads, our prospective employers all state that they hope to employ all of us as they have spent a lot of time and money on shaping us for the position of “nurse”. Why is it then that in the hospital where I am I was only offered a .5 position that is temporary for 3 months only. Other grads had no offers at all. And the chosen few, were offered .8 in the acute ward areas where they constantly cannot maintain staff due to overwork. My future is bleak with a HECS debt of $12000 still remaining, a mortgage to pay, a car to pay without having to mention education for one child still living at home and as for food, well oats 3 times a day. Wish I never left my high paying secretarial job at least I may still be employed. I pity the patients, their health is compromised due to shortages and overwork of many employed nurses. Why cant they get it right – I want work and they have not offered it.