Getting Jobs and Passing the NCLEX: Advice for New Grad Nurses
By Autumn Aniello
First and foremost, I want to extend my congratulations to those who are in their final semester of nursing school. Despite the challenges and stress you’ve faced along the way, you’ve managed to finish strong. Making it this far is a remarkable achievement, and I’m truly proud of each and every one of you!
Struggling to meet your deadline?
Get your assignment on Getting Jobs and Passing the NCLEX: Advice for New Grad Nurses done by certified MDs and PhDs in the USA. ORDER NOW!
Now that you’ve overcome this hurdle, the next steps I’d like you to focus on are: (1) finding a job and (2) successfully passing the NCLEX exam.
Here are some practical tips to help you achieve these two important goals:
Applying for Jobs
Start by compiling a list of hospitals that interest you. Ideally, begin researching potential workplaces at least three (3) months before you graduate. Some of my friends secured job positions even before graduating, while others began their job search post-graduation. Both approaches are valid, but I suggest starting earlier because many hospitals offer residency programs for new graduates, which begin at specific times throughout the year.
Begin requesting letters of recommendation. Typically, you’ll need two letters. Consider asking your clinical instructor and a nurse from the unit where you’ve been working.
Prepare for your job interviews. Ensure you have a professional outfit ready. More importantly, practice answering interview questions! I conducted virtual interviews, so I recorded myself answering practice questions using my computer. This helped me get comfortable with speaking to a screen. If your school offers a mock interview program, consider participating.
Research the facilities you’re interested in. Prepare a list of questions to ask during your interviews. I always ask hospital-specific questions to demonstrate that I’ve done my research.
Believe in yourself. Don’t let discouragement set in. Instead, learn to boost your own confidence. You’re in this position for a reason. Remember your purpose and your passion.
Passing the NCLEX
Begin the process as early as possible. Registering for the exam involves several steps, so I advise you to start as soon as you can.
You need to apply for a nursing license with the appropriate Board of Nursing for the state you wish to work in. Additionally, you need to register with Pearson VUE.
Then, you’ll need to complete a background check and get your fingerprints done.
After you graduate, the Board of Nursing requires confirmation that you’ve completed a nursing program. Once you receive your Authorization to Test (ATT), you can schedule your NCLEX exam.
Choose your study resources wisely. This will help you create an effective study plan. Personally, I used the Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX Review book and UWorld. Here’s why:
I used the Saunders book along with Adaptive Quizzing throughout nursing school to prepare for exams. Practice questions were crucial in school. Having a physical textbook like Saunders allowed me to annotate while answering questions and reviewing content.
UWorld was immensely helpful. I purchased the package with two practice tests. I took one of the tests early on and completed all the questions in the bank. I saved the second test for a few days before the NCLEX. I aimed to answer about 100 questions daily – sometimes 100 in the morning and 100 in the evening. UWorld’s app allowed me to answer questions on the go instead of spending time on social media.
How to Get Ready for the NCLEX in One Month!
Applying for Jobs and Passing NCLEX
First off, I want to congratulate all who are in their last semester in nursing school. No matter how stressful and challenging the journey went, you finished it strong. You have made it this far, and I’m so proud of you all!
Now that you have conquered, the next step that I want you to do is BE CONFIDENT. After graduating from nursing school there are two big things that you all need to accomplish: (1) finding a job and (2) passing the NCLEX.
So, here are some helpful tips to reach these two (2) goals:
Applying for jobs
- Make a list of all of the hospitals you are interested in. Ideally, you will start researching programs at least three (3) months before graduation. Some of my friends had jobs secured three (3) months before graduation, and others waited until after graduation to start looking. While you can take either route, I recommend the earlier because most hospitals have residency programs for new grads, and these start at specified times throughout the year.
- Start to ask for letters of recommendation. I needed two letters and asked my clinical instructor and a nurse on the unit I worked on.
- Prepare yourself for the interview. Make sure you have a professional outfit on hand. Most importantly, practice interview questions! My interviews were virtual so I used my computer to record myself answering practice questions. That way, I became comfortable with speaking to a screen. If your school has a mock interview program, don’t hesitate to join as well!
- Research on the facility. Have a list of questions to ask them. I try to ask questions about specifics of the hospital so I can showcase that I actually researched.
Have faith in yourself. Don’t feel discouraged. Instead, learn to hype yourself up! You are placed in your position for a reason. Remember your purpose and your passion.
Dont wait until the last minute.
Provide your requirements and let our native nursing writers deliver your assignments ASAP.
Passing the NCLEX
- Start as soon as possible. Signing up for the test is quite a process in itself, so I recommend starting as soon as possible.
- You have to apply for a license with the Board of Nursing that you wish to work in and also register with Pearson VUE.
- Afterwards, you also have to sign up for the background check, and then get your fingerprint done.
- Upon graduation, a confirmation that you completed a nursing program needs to be sent to the Board of nursing so then you receive your ATT and can schedule a test date.
- Determine what resources you wish to use. This will help you develop a study plan. I personally used the Saunders Comprehensive NCLEX Review book and UWorld. Here’s why:
- I used the Saunders book throughout nursing school, along with Adaptive Quizzing, in order to prepare for exams in nursing school. Practice questions are key in school. It is nice to use a physical textbook with Saunders because I can annotate when answering questions and reviewing content.
- UWorld was very helpful. I used the package with two practice tests. I took one of the tests very early on, and completed all of the questions in the bank. However, I completed the second test a couple of days before the NCLEX. I did about 100 questions a day – sometimes 100 in the morning and 100 in the evening. UWorld has an app so I would answer questions on the go instead of scrolling through social media