How to Get a Job as a Geriatric Nurse
Working as a geriatric nurse is a rewarding career for the right type of person. Caring for elderly patients is not easy, since they are often very fragile or in some cases terminally ill. A geriatric nurse can work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, nursing homes and assisted living facilities.
- Find out if a career as a geriatric nurse is right for you. Work as a volunteer while you are still in high school to see if you enjoy working with elderly patients. Once you are sure that you want to go into nursing, decide whether to get a two- or four-year college degree.
- Complete your college training and then take the required examinations to obtain your nursing license. Once you pass the exam you will be a registered nurse. Look for work in the nursing field after you have your license.
- Contact a local hospital to find out if they are hiring geriatric nurses. Arrange a time to interview for a position if the hospital is hiring. Remember to take a copy of your resume to the interview. If no geriatric nursing positions are available, apply for other types of nursing jobs at the hospital. You can then transfer to geriatrics once a position opens up.
- Look online to find geriatric nursing jobs. Use a search engine to find an employment website. Once you are on the website, use the search field to narrow down the cities where you want to work. Contact an employer to arrange a time for an interview if you find a nursing position at a geriatric facility that interests you.
- Go to a local employment agency or headhunter to find work as a geriatric nurse. Leave your resume on file if no jobs are currently available in geriatrics. You may want to consider working as a general nurse until something becomes available in your area that involves geriatrics.