Not exactly another New Grad problem

[UserG]

There is a long list of new grads that are out there that are pretty frustrated, but as far as I can tell, this is a new twist and I would appreciate any advice/support.

During nursing school, I found the love of my dreams (now fiancee), but she lived in another state. I moved out to the Pacific Northwest immediately after graduation last fall. I even landed the job I really wanted after passing the NCLEX (got licensed in CO and where I'm living now) in an emergency department.

The problems started quickly with a preceptor that was more interested in sitting at the desk than orienting me. Fortunately, a great team stepped up and taught me more than I thought I would ever learn in my first 2 years after graduation. However, the last week of a four month orientation, I mistakenly put a label on one tube of blood that wasn't that patient's. I should say that I've worked in healthcare for years and I've never seen a facility that lived in so much fear of their lab. I should have caught it and admit it was my mistake. The patient was not harmed in any way. I was "separated" (fired, axed, whatever you want to call it) from this pretty nice job for failure to follow policies.

I had been receiving high reviews and raves from the other staff. Every nurse I talk to is befuzzled and usually admit to something similar in their career at one point.

But my problem here is that I can't get a job for anything! Two months of unemployment and not even an interview. From the few people I have contacted about jobs, I'm not experienced enough for a staff job, but too experienced for new grad or residency programs. Even the nursing homes and prisons in this area (don't get me wrong, great jobs!) want years of experience.

I've been trying to find something back home in Colorado (fiancee's job has only a few months left and then she is free to move wherever), but no luck.

Has anyone else experienced this? Or are the problems of the new grads in finding jobs working their way around everywhere? I wish I had a better pulse on Colorado hospitals.