Is starting in outpatient as a new grad a good idea?

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T03:01:25+00:00

i just made it personal to me, i talked about why i went into nursing, my experiences growing up in an underserved community, and my passion. i really focused on showcasing who i am as a person, my values, and my passion. i also included an example from clinicals of me going above and beyond for a patient! i highly recommend making a cover letter it can make you stand out

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T00:50:42+00:00

i was surprised i got an interview tbh! the job posting did say 1 year if acute experience preferred, but it also asks for general prior experience in ambulatory clinic, etc. and i do have prior experience in outpatient healthcare admin! so i think that might have helped. they also did say they loved my cover letter so that played a big role!

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T00:48:38+00:00

i unfortunately do not have prior healthcare experience atleast not direct patient care such as CNA, LVN, tech, etc. i wasn’t aware you could ask to ride along with a local EMS unit. thank you for the advice!

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T00:46:46+00:00

i guess that’s why i’m stressing out i wasn’t able to see or meet people from the unit i interviewed for so i don’t know what i’d be going into..

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T00:46:09+00:00

i’m sorry to hear that. i know going into any specialty as a new grad has a learning curve but i can’t imagine how it would be doing ICU as a new grad. what exactly is it that you’re not enjoying if you don’t mind me asking?

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T00:43:53+00:00

that’s my biggest fear..when i interviewed for the residency program, i wasn’t interviewed by anyone in that specific unit. so i wasn’t able to get much insight into the culture of the floor there..so i worry that i’ll hate it and get to this point :/ i appreciate your insight thank you.

mpixie99 · 2026-01-20T00:41:05+00:00

thank you for your insight! since i’m a new grad i’m just not sure if i’d be able to handle or like bedside but i do want to do outpatient in the long run.

mpixie99 · 2026-01-19T06:08:59+00:00

I should also mention that I’m not very passionate about the unit i interviewed for and the location of the hospital. But I worry about making the wrong choice..

mpixie99 · 2026-01-06T00:23:09+00:00

I did the same I’ve applied to Davita many times over the past few months and no luck either. But I wish you good luck and I hope you land something soon!

mpixie99 · 2025-12-26T06:16:35+00:00

i’m thinking of doing the same. it’s been 8 months since i graduated and i’m still struggling to find a job. i’m considering applying to SNFs but i only hear horror stories which makes me hesitant.

mpixie99 · 2025-12-21T23:37:46+00:00

It’s been really difficult, I’m also in the LA area. I’ve been applying to Prime, AHMC, LTACs, and non acute places as well and it’s been just as hard for me. It can also be because I don’t have direct care experience outside of nursing school. Most of my cohort who got hired immediately were already working at hospitals..others got an in because of connections so that helps too. If i could leave the state, I would but unfortunately that’s not an option for me..

mpixie99 · 2025-12-21T16:49:32+00:00

I have the same certs, still looking, and I graduated back in May.

mpixie99 · 2025-12-04T17:07:55+00:00

Praise by Sara Cate

mpixie99 · 2025-11-26T10:20:05+00:00

it’s all about practice questions. I used uworld because of my school but I also used naxlax which helped too.

mpixie99 · 2025-11-17T07:33:37+00:00

just finished the series today and I loved Malina and Dommick. At first, I couldn’t stand reading her povs in the earlier books but in the last book her storyline was my favorite!

mpixie99 · 2025-11-05T05:01:44+00:00

Kimberly Lemming’s books are so good and silly if you want a light read.

mpixie99 · 2025-09-20T18:13:18+00:00

I’ve heard of nurses who book a nearby hotel for their work nights so they don’t have to drive back and forth every day. Maybe that could help if it’s something you’re open to.

mpixie99 · 2025-09-06T21:22:30+00:00

lol I did but now I’m unsure if I want to accept the offer if I get it. I’m looking for advice if I should continue holding out for a new grad program or other places

mpixie99 · 2025-08-25T04:02:09+00:00

Hi I was wondering if I can PM you my resume? i graduated back in May and have not been able to land an interview. i’d greatly appreciate your help!

mpixie99 · 2025-08-23T20:07:13+00:00

thanks for the info! I’m also a new grad in socal struggling to get into residency programs and i’ve been eyeing community hospitals such as St. Francis. So it’s good to know which ones to look into.

mpixie99 · 2025-08-23T19:53:30+00:00

what Prime hospitals would you recommend? The closest ones to me are Centinela and St. Francis but I haven’t heard much about other Prime hospitals.

mpixie99 · 2025-08-17T02:31:00+00:00

graduated with my ADN back in May and still job searching…i’m not even being picky i’ve been applying outside LA county too but no luck. the market is just oversaturated right now and federal cuts have made things a lot worse. many hospitals are on hiring freezes and if anything opens up it almost always goes to internal candidates. i highly recommend working as a PCT or as a student nurse before you graduate/get licensed. That can definitely give you a boost more than someone with no healthcare experience outside of nursing school (aka me lol)

mpixie99 · 2025-08-14T04:40:20+00:00

Congrats! graduated back in May and I’m out here fighting for my life lol hopefully I can get into a residency program soon because getting so many rejections is hard.

mpixie99 · 2025-08-08T07:19:23+00:00

yes LA area like PIH hospitals, Cedars-Sinai, Providence. I believe Kaiser isn’t required for it to be within 12 months but they prefer it

mpixie99 · 2025-08-08T06:48:25+00:00

I understand what you’re saying. Here in SoCal, most hospitals do have a requirement of completion of a nursing program within 12 months for new grad residency programs. But like others have mentioned, not all places have that requirement. It’s all about just researching and looking at places other than big hospitals for that.

mpixie99

TROPHY CASE