RN considering advanced nursing certifications - gray background

RNs and New Grads Increase Value with Advanced Certifications

Look for a first job in your target specialty, and get as many advanced nursing certifications as feasible.

If a hospital has an abundance of candidates to choose from, they may be less willing to hire a newly graduated nurse who requires more training than a seasoned candidate. And travel nursing jobs, because they don't allow for preceptorships or extensive training of new nurses, also require 12 months in a full-time hospital nursing position.

First, Get Experienced

Your first mission is to get the experience you need to qualify for a travel nurse job, or for that matter, any hospital nursing job. If you’re not getting hired right away:

Consider starting out in a nursing specialty that wasn't your first choice. If the hospital is hiring in a given specialty and you're qualified, many employment experts would advise you to jump on it. Give it six months to a year and you'll find many more employers willing to give you a second look, this time maybe in your preferred field.
It's an old saying, but it's true: sometimes it's not what you know, but who you know. Network. Maybe you have a distant acquaintance who works in the field. Ask if you can buy him or her coffee while you brainstorm about getting your career off the ground. Volunteer. Join a community organization. Apply to facilities where you did clinicals.
Under-served areas, rural or urban, may be another possible source of employment. Some under-served areas have special state and federal hiring programs in place to ensure that these populations receive the care they need. If you're just considering nursing school, several of these programs offer tuition assistance in exchange for a period of service.
It may not be your long-term career goal, but working outside of a hospital for a while in an extended care facility or a clinic can build your resume with real-life experience until that hospital job opens up.
In support of the community, some local hospitals have a preferred candidate arrangement with nearby nursing schools. If your local employment market isn't working for you, however, consider relocating to areas where demand is higher. Do some research with placement firms and job boards.

Then, Get Credentialed!

Nursing Credentials prove that you have knowledge and dedication and can set you apart from other new graduate candidates. Get your BCLS, ACLS, and PALS through the American Heart Association while you're still in school. Volunteer whenever you can, and take an internship, if available. Some hospitals start interns off in clerical positions and then move them into a more clinical environment. In time, interns may be exposed to some of the most dynamic departments like CC and ICU.

"Hospitals are looking for candidates with the most up-to-date and advanced certifications. Although it is likely that a new graduate nurse will find a nursing position, because there are always hiring needs, we always encourage recent grads to get a permanent position right out of nursing school. During that first to second year, it helps to get as many certifications as possible. Best of all is that, usually as permanent staff, most facilities will pay for the courses. Once RNs have completed those first couple of years, with the hospital experience and additional certifications, they can look for travel nursing jobs anywhere.” notes Mary Kay Hull, VP Recruiting at American Traveler.

By pursuing advanced nursing training and earning additional credentials and certifications, you are proving yourself as a motivated individual who cares about keeping on top of the latest trends and education – and therefore, a top candidate for travel nursing jobs.

Also, view these credentials as prerequisites for top RN jobs. The more certifications the better – and the more advanced, the better.

Here are suggestions for nursing certifications, in their specialty, that RNs should pursue:

Emergency Room: PALS, NRP, ENPC, TNCC, CATN, CEN
Critical Care (ICU): PALS, NRP, TNCC, CCRN
Telemetry: PALS, TNCC
Pediatrics: NRP, PALS, ACLS
Medical Surgical: ACLS, PALS, TNCC

For those looking to change nursing-job specialties or increase their skills:

Med-Surg to Tele, ED or ICU: Go for the trauma certifications (TNCC, CATN); plus advanced-life support certs such as ACLS or PALS
L&D or Mother-Baby: Go for AWHHON, NRP or S.T.A.B.L.E.