Exploring Nursing Career Paths for Winter Grads

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Nursing has attracted people from all walks of life with various academic and experiential backgrounds. While some aspiring nurses pursue a traditional pathway throughout their 2 or 4-year program, not everyone finds themselves graduating in the spring with the majority of their nursing classmates.

Nurses are needed more now than ever, and in an effort to bolster the American nursing workforce many different nursing degree programs have emerged. Non-traditional part-time and full-time programs work year-round to prepare as many candidates as possible for professional practice, and some nurses enter that new chapter over the winter months. Does that mean they’re out of sync with the hiring cycle in the industry? Not at all! In fact, virtually all nursing career paths are open to these mid-semester grads, and there are even some unique opportunities they can take advantage of.

Taking the NCLEX

Of course, the first thing you’ll have to do after finishing school in January is prepare for the NCLEX, a national licensure exam in nursing that proves you have a solid understanding of foundational concepts in nursing for entry-level practice. Only after passing can you pursue licensure from your state board of nursing or multistate licensure where applicable.

The NCLEX is given all year, which means if you graduate around New Year’s Day you won’t have to wait to get a testing date and time. As a matter of fact, since fewer nurses are graduating in the winter compared to May or June you’ll be competing with fewer people for testing slots, so it should be easier to find a time that works best for you.

When it comes to selecting a date and time to test, it may be worth thinking about some wintertime nuances that can factor into your experience. If you’re not a fan of driving in the dark (or getting out of bed before sunrise), picking a test time in the middle of the day may be your best bet to avoid the twilight. A non-summer test can also mean dealing with school traffic and rush hour, so you’ll need to take that into consideration depending on where you live.

Finally, it’s always recommended to arrive at least 30 minutes ahead of time to complete the screening process, so factor in bad weather and traffic. Rescheduling your exam without forfeiting the testing fee is possible, but must be done more than 24 business hours prior to the scheduled exam time. If it’s -10°F and your car won’t start in the morning, you’re going to be stuck paying for a new NCLEX opportunity!

Entering the Job Market

Most hospitals are not in a position to let recruitment slow down in the winter, and hiring nurses is considered a year-round priority. While specialty pathways into practice like nurse residency programs may not be running at that time, there will certainly be plenty of jobs for the taking.

Lean staffing is further stretched by increases in admissions and hospital census, so it’s a time when hospitals and clinics are looking for some extra help. Pediatric and adult respiratory illnesses often have admission numbers on the rise, and with institutions filling to capacity they need nurses at the bedside. Plus, when you factor in all the fender benders from new grads rushing to their NCLEX tests in the snow, it can get pretty hectic!

Also, despite working in healthcare, hospital workers get sick just like everyone else. Having a large healthy pool of staff to pull from can ease the pain when nurses need to use their benefit time to stay home and recuperate. Winter is also a popular vacation time for many nurses, and hospitals expect some personnel gaps for family visits, holidays, and personal time.

Finding Nursing Jobs in The Winter

Because the number of patients being admitted to hospitals traditionally increases over the winter months as respiratory illnesses and exacerbations of chronic conditions impact both the very young and old, new nurses may find more opportunities in those areas. Hospitals need to ensure they are proactive in preparing for the surge that often leads right into early spring. But while nursing career paths that begin alongside Old Man Winter may offer different paths, they are equally valuable opportunities for transition into practice.

Nursing needs are also increased outside of hospitals and traditional acute care facilities. As the number of people visiting the hospital skyrockets, so does the number of patients seeking care at places like urgent care or primary care locations. Increased visits mean increased staffing needs at some of these specialized areas:

Flu clinics and COVID testing centers are critical during the winter months. While many places have mastered outpatient testing in light of the pandemic, maintaining the staff to administer and process them remains a moving target.

Seasonal nursing jobs can also be found in some pretty unique places. Winter tourist areas like ski resorts always need medical staff, so if you like snowshoeing and snowmobiling it might be a great option. There are also dips in staff during low seasons at resorts, so if you want to escape to warmer weather there are plenty of opportunities worth considering. And of course, if you have some specialization there are many additional options that may open up for you. Virtually anywhere that has a high and a low business season will be experiencing fluctuations depending on the time of year, so keep your ears and eyes open.

Travel nursing has attracted the attention of many new grads in recent years, and seasonal influences on contract rates can be leveraged to your advantage. For the parts of the country notorious for brutal winter climates, travel nursing salaries are often higher in an attempt to sweeten the deal. There are also ongoing opportunities in places like Hawaii that are constantly experiencing nursing shortages, so don’t narrow your focus on the cold! One of the best parts about nursing is that there are healthcare facilities everywhere, so if you think flexibly you’ll always have plenty of options.

Get Excited About Exploring Nursing Career Paths!

Finishing nursing school precipitates a unique sense of joy and relief as one of the most difficult chapters of your professional trajectory comes to a close. Exploring nursing career paths is the reward of all your hard work, and there are endless opportunities to grow professionally and refine your nursing craft at your fingertips no matter what time of year you graduate.

No matter when your career kicks off, Premiere is here to support you! With options like our Unlimited Nursing CE Subscription or educational packages uniquely designed to satisfy the CE requirements for any state in which you’re practicing, you’ll never have to worry about keeping current or finding the information you need to develop your career. The importance of continuing education can’t be overstated, and the benefits of online learning are hard to beat. All content created by Premiere is supported by evidence-based practices and is developed by experts at the top of their field.