How likely is it for me to get a job that isn't bedside nursing, straight out of nursing school while having no prior experience other than CNA and clinical rotations?
It is possible, however it is easier to find beside. Right now nurses are needed in all spaces. There are so many types of bedside so don't automatically count those out. I did all sorts. Great thing about nursing are the options.
You could always try to apply to any position. You may get a great mentor to assist you. But, in the Management positions I have held in Performance Improvement, Risk and Service Excellence, i always wanted basic nursing experience. One of the best hires I ever made was a long time, experienced ED RN with no Pi or RM experience. She had all the skills to do the job only needed to be mentored in the new role. She grew in her new role and was excellent. My advice? Learn the basics and keep your eyes open for exactly what you want outside bedside nursing. Then go for it!
Outpatient clinics have training programs that will train you for your role. I started in an outpatient dialysis RN role and I was trained for 12 weeks. I applied June 2020 and and I was hired that same month. During my job hunt I also saw job posts for other clinics (aesthetic nursing, eye surgery centers) that said they will provide training. Non-bedside nursing roles exist!
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Also please remember and this is coming from somebody who worked in the hospital for 15+ years… when I left the hospital I was making over $33. I switched over to home healthcare and now I’m making barely 26 as a nurse. There are so many different facets of nursing and I must say yes the pay is lower but mentally I am so much happier because the hospitals can be very toxic. You just have to figure out what’s good for you. There’s so many different kinds of Nurse you can be. Just figure out what fits you best!!!
Finding a non-bedside job as a new grad is doable... but it depends on your area. I graduated at the start of the pandemic where all new grad programs in my area were canceled and hospitals weren't hiring and I was able to find a home hospice RN job 1 week after getting my license because lots of specialties are always short/looking for nurses.
Other possibilities could be pain management clinics, endoscopy, lithotripsy, allergy clinics, urgent care clinics. Of course, some may ask for some nursing experience. However, it's important to consider that not having at least a year of med/surg experience may affect you later. It can be very nerve-wracking, for sure, being a new grad at the bedside, but you will learn a lot.
