Many new nurses are facing a conundrum: a rapidly growing healthcare market with a shortage of professionals, but few—if any—jobs accepting new grads. Especially for those seeking work in hospitals, it seems as if everyone requires experience but don’t necessarily have the resources they need to offer opportunities for those who need to earn it. However, there are a number of different areas in which new nursing grads can acquire work. At The Execu|Search Group, our Health Services recruiters are seeing the most success with placing new grads in home care and community health centers, as well as temporary assignments in a variety of settings.

Home Care & Community Health Centers

Though they are the preferred setting of many nursing professionals, hospitals are no longer the first stop for new grads. Hospitals are reporting an increased need for experienced professionals and, as a result, are rarely hiring new nurses.

Instead, many new grads are now successfully finding work in home care facilities and community health centers. Both offer much more manageable case loads, less severe complications with patients, and more opportunities to gain experience working independently. In addition, many such facilities are now becoming more willing to provide training to new grads, something many hospitals and sub-acute facilities don’t always have the time or resources for.

Community Health Centers  are popping up in many areas as a result of the ACA and, therefore, are experiencing a high demand for nursing professionals at all levels. Though they occasionally do need more experienced nurses, they are open to taking new grads.  Working in such a setting gives new grads experience with a wide patient base. Conversely, Home Care opportunities are great for gaining more detailed, one-on-one  experience with patients and learning to implement the full scope of care, from assessment to care planning to follow-ups.

Temporary Assignments

Finding temporary work through a recruitment firm can also help many new grads get their foot in the door. While a permanent position may be the ultimate goal for some, temporary roles offer a number of benefits including greater flexibility with scheduling, as well as the coveted experience necessary for nursing professionals to begin their careers.

“Through our temporary contracts, we have successfully placed new grads with a number of  facilities,” says Amanda Bleakney, Senior Managing Director of The Execu|Search Group’s Health Services division.  “The important thing to remember is that, to get experience in this market, you must be flexible with settings—for example, working within an outpatient clinic or rehabilitation facility rather than a hospital.”

According to Amanda, opportunities for new grads are inversely proportional to the level of acuity of care. Hospitals, in which patients may need urgent and immediate care, are acute care facilities and therefore need more experienced professionals on hand at all times; facilities such as rehabilitation centers, in which nurses are usually responsible for less urgent duties such as drug screening and taking vitals, are more likely to take on new talent and provide training.

Despite the difficulties of finding work with little to no experience, new grads do have one major advantage: they have grown up with technology and are generally more technologically savvy than more seasoned healthcare professionals. With the number of technological changes taking place as a result of the ACA, many facilities are now seeking candidates who are adaptable, flexible, and able to advance along with the industry.  To better your chances of obtaining your first position, work with a recruiter and use this technological proclivity as a selling point on your interviews. Through patience, flexibility, and the right pitch, you too can find your first nursing opportunity to kick off your career.