For reference, I am transitioning into my 4th semester in nursing school in Florida. My graduation date is December 2026. I am looking to start in specialty units (OB & Peds) but I know how competitive it can be. I don’t mind starting in women service units either like women’s PACU or gynecology. However, besides clinicals, I don’t have any hands on patient care experience. There was one exception of a PCT role that I tried out last summer, but I ended up quitting two months in due to shitty leadership and terrible nurse attitudes and drama on the unit.
The only experience I have is 5+ years in non-clinical/administrative healthcare like receptionist, clinical coordinator, and department assistant.
I did get a job offer for a HUC position on an OB unit for part-time but it was without benefits (only 12 hours a week). The nurse manager did say it was opportunity for overtime and possibly job securement depending on graduation.
It honestly was everything I wanted but because of the low pay (17.45 an hour) I decided to decline it since I don’t have financial support from family to help me with bills, gas money, and food.
Shortly after I got another job offer for an ER registrar part time position with benefits (16 hours a week) working Saturday nights and one half shift on Fridays. With differential pay I make 19.83 an hour. While I am able to pay my bills, Im worried that the choice I made may come back to bite me in the ass when applying for speciality positions as a new grad. The current hospital I am does have a popular nurse residency program that I was thinking of applying to that does not require any experience.
Will this affect my chances of being able to get into these specialty roles?? Any advice from new grads who still secured a specialty unit without patient care experience?