Nursing Students and New Graduates

New Graduate Registered Nurses Application Process

Children’s Hospital Central California encourages new graduated Registered Nursing students to apply to any open RN I position. All open positions are posted online and are updated frequently.

Children’s Hospital provides an individualized new graduate training program specific to the unit in which they were hired. The level of acuity for each unit will determine the length of the orientation. This can range from two to four months.  The orientation period can be adjust for each individual and may be extended or shortened depending on performance.

The optimal time for a student nurse to apply to an RN I position is no greater than two months prior to graduation.

Once an applicant applies online, a recruiter will review the application to ensure that the applicant meets the minimum qualifications. If the minimum requirements are met the recruiter will forward the application to the hiring manager or supervisor. If the applicant is selected for an interview they will be contacted by the appropriate manager or unit specific recruiter.

Although your application is reviewed usually within the first 24 hours, please allow a minimum of two weeks after submission of your application to be contacted for an interview. Some of the new graduate positions are very competitive and it can take up to two weeks for applicants to be selected for interviews.

New graduate RNs have been hired into the following units:  Rehab, Discovery, Apollo, Explorer, Voyager, Craycroft, Emergency, NICU, PICU and OR. 

New Graduate RN Benefits

Children’s Hospital provides competitive salaries, healthcare and retirement benefits, relocation allowances and sign on bonuses to those who qualify.

The sign on bonus for a new graduate is currently $1500 and is paid out in three installments. The first installment is issued the Friday following their start date and receiving a California Nursing License. The second and third installments are issued 6 and 18 months following the first installment.

New graduate RNs are eligible to receive relocation assistance which is based on mileage. In order to receive a relocation allowance, individuals must live further than 100 miles from the hospital. The greater the distance determines the amount of relocations you will be awarded. The range of relocation for new graduate RNs is $1500 - $4500.

Pediatric Nurse Extern Program

Children’s Hospital provides pediatric nurse extern opportunities for RN students who have completed a minimum of two semesters with one of the following RN programs: California State University-Fresno, Fresno City College, College of the Sequoias and Merced Junior College. The PNE program is a valuable learning experience that bridges classroom and clinical education with real life situations. As a PNE, you’ll receive one-on-one training with an experienced nursing preceptor and attend monthly PNE meetings to share common practices and discuss the unique challenges and obstacles involved with becoming a nurse.

PNE Study Details
PNE opportunities are available in several departments throughout the Hospital. Academic requirements for admission as a PNE are:

1. Completion of the first year of your school’s nursing school.
2. Be in good academic standing.
3. Meet the Hospital’s health requirements.
4. Achieve BLS certification.
5. Obtain a positive recommendation from your most recent clinical instructor.

There are two levels to Children’s Hospital’s PNE Program.

Level                                           RN Course Prerequisites
Pediatric Nurse Extern I        2 semesters
Pediatric Nurse Extern II       Pediatric course

PNE Duties
The Pediatric Nurse Extern will:

• Observe and/or administer oral, parental, rectal, I.V. medications and blood under the direct supervision and observation by the preceptor RN. (Must have completed the Pediatric Nursing Course in order to “administer” medications and blood.)
• Provide patient/family instruction so that learning needs are met.
• Identify patient response to treatment and progress towards accomplishment of desired outcomes.
• Assists with nursing intervention/procedures/activities of daily living appropriate to the developmental age and condition of the child.
• Collect and assesses patient data within the scope of practice for various age groups.
• Utilize acquired knowledge base in the provision of nursing care to patients/families.
• Maintain the rights of the patient and family.
• Adhere to the safety, confidentiality, security, ethical, legal and regulatory requirements identified within the organization.
• Document care provided in a precise, timely and efficient manner.

Benefits
Graduates who participate in the extern program are encouraged to enroll in an NCLEX review course and are sponsored up to the amount of $499 in a program of their choice. This includes but is not limited to both Kaplan and Hurst Reviews. Please contact Recruitment Services for more information on reimbursement.

Upon receiving their license, our participating PNEs receive additional credit towards their base rate of pay.

How to Apply:

• Submit an application online at www.childrenscentralcal.org. Job postings are located in the Careers at Children’s link (located on the home page) and then under Inpatient Nursing. Employment opportunities are posted by department. Choose a posted position based on your area of preference, i.e. general medical (Apollo, Discovery), general post surgical (Explorer), emergency (ED), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), pediatric intensive care unit (PICU), oncology (Craycroft), rehabilitation (Rehab) or peri-operative area.
• A letter of recommendation must be requested from your clinical instructor, who supervised you in your most recent clinical rotation and emailed directly to Chris Coakley in Recruitment Services.
• After you have been offered a position, you must register for the “Work Study” course offered by your nursing program before you can work as a PNE.

Please note: Submitting an application does not guarantee placement. Interviews and selections will be competitive.

Contact:
Chris Coakley
College Recruiter
(559) 353-7055
ccoakley@childrenscentralcal.org