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So, you’ve made it through your nursing program and now it’s time to start job searching… Cue all the emotions, right?  I don’t know about you, but whenever I realized that it was time for me to start looking for a job, I freaked out several times.    

It was an overwhelming feeling trying to decide what was next, where I wanted to start my nursing career, what area of nursing was going to make me feel fulfilled, and so on.   

Did I want to be at the bedside?  Do I want to work part-time or full-time?  Do I want to be in the hospital or in an office setting?   

The great thing about nursing is that there are SO many different job opportunities that can cater to every individual. As we start our nursing careers, it’s important to understand that we don’t have to follow the “typical” new grad journey.  However, I realize that there are some of us who thrive at the bedside which I think is amazing.  If you do choose to start at the bedside, then hold onto these next job ideas for later if you happen to want to switch things up a bit from the bedside. 

Create your own path. 

One idea that we can start to think about is not feeling like we have to put in our time at the bedside on a Med Surg floor while working night shift.  I know that I personally had several nursing professors/instructors tell my classmates and I that we should start our nursing careers on a Med Surg floor and I don’t know about you, but I knew that path wasn’t what I desired personally.  Instead, we could consider jobs, like: 

• in an office or clinic setting 
• working for private companies 
• occupational nursing 
• or hospice care.   

Throughout school, I’ve been able to work in a Pediatric Specialist office through my local hospital.  I think this is a great option because as a nurse, you’d be able to still be immersed in a specialty area that you’re interested in but not having to work those 12-hour shifts if you aren’t a fan of those long hours.  Other benefits that come to mind with working in an office setting is that you always know your schedule and you’d most likely not have to work weekends or holidays. 

Don’t limit yourself. 

Another idea that I think we should also begin to consider more is not feeling like we have to work full-time.  Something that I have considered is finding a job that is either part-time or PRN, that way I’m not confined to all the full-time job requirements and can have a little bit of freedom.  I’ve also thought about working part-time in an office setting and then PRN at the bedside so that I’m able to get the best of both worlds.   

You could even look into being part-time at the bedside on one unit, but then PRN at the bedside on another unit if you have a couple areas of bedside nursing that you’re passionate about.  For instance, I am really passionate about maternity as a whole.  So, I’ve considered trying to find a part-time position in Mother-Baby or L&D and then a PRN position in NICU.  I personally think this would be exciting for me to be able to potentially work in both areas that bring me joy and can allow me to learn things in one unit that I can carry over with me to the other.   

Discover what you are passionate about. 

The biggest takeaway that I hope you gain from this is that our journeys do not have to resemble one another.  It’s okay to mix things up a bit and create a new career path for new grad nurses!  It’s never too soon to chase after your “end goal” with nursing.  I knew from the start that I wanted to work in Maternity and I’m glad that I told myself it’s okay for me to start in the unit where I knew I wanted to be at all along rather than feel like I had to listen to those professors/instructors who advised me to do my time on a Med Surg floor. 

Do you learn a ton on Med Surg floors? 100%.  But I knew that wasn’t what I wanted deep down and if I’m going to dedicate a large portion of my time to working, I want it to be in a place that lights a fire in me and brings me pure joy.  As the famous quote from Confucius says, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life”.  Go after that job that will bring this quote to life for you, even if it does go against the typical new grad path!