I started out as a new grad in home health care now I’m having trouble getting into the hospital because I don’t have acute care settings experience (which is what I’m being told). How do I get into the hospital?

Stress the clinical skills you developed in home health. Especially wound care, patient education, comprehensive assessments, discharge planning, and treathing the entire patient including interactions between all their disease processes.

Try to find a hospital that is willing to hire and train “experienced nurses” that have been away from the bedside. Some will but you may have to work at a hospital and/or position that is not on your wish list. Then after 6months-1 year then apply to your dream hospital/position.

I was in a similar situation and I finally found a nurse residency program. This program was designed for new graduates and nurses who have been away from the bedside for a year or more. If you don’t know for sure if the residency is also for “experienced nurses” then call HR and do some research. Some residences strictly only hire new nurses. I’m currently in an ICU residency program and I love it! I have been away from the bedside for 6 years, mainly working in clinics. The residency program is helping me regain my confidence, critical thinking, and clinical nursing skills. Hope this information helps. Good luck on your journey! Don’t stop looking, you will find someone who is willing to give you a chance.

What are you looking/ applying for unit-wise and hospital-wise? I also agree with previous poster-- stress the skills you have! Education of patients, communication, assessment ( routine vs emergency), wound care, medication knowledge.

I went from 8 yrs SNF to hospital 4 ys ago. I stressed my background in rehab working with knee/ hip replacement, handing 6w ABT pt, tons of wound care and my skills from being the shift supervisor. Have some good stories. It could just be the hospitals you are looking at. ( Mine is pretty desperate-- they went from no bonuses when I was hired to $25k and mostly hires new-grads or nurses with no inpatient floor experience. However, it is a small community hospital that does not have a lot of resources).

You can go into dialysis where you will be extensively trained in a clinic setting, gain experience and then transfer to a hospital setting. There are several training programs that will prepare you for hospital nursing. Operating room RN training programs is an example.