LPN needing advice on work

Nurses New Nurse

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Hi, I'm sort of new to allnurses. I've been lurking in the background for months now. A little history on me...I graduated 2/2006, passed boards 5/2006. I had to wait until this month (August) to begin looking for a nursing job because I had my children who live in Texas visiting me here in Florida. I only see them once or twice a year and figured it would be best to wait until after their visit this summer to begin my search for a nursing job. Simply because with kids who like to argue and occasionally fight it would be best to wait to transition into a new career. Anyway, I've begun my search. With the nursing shortage I figured it would be easier than what it is to find a job. No one wants to hire me because I don't have any nursing experience. I've been working my current job doing data entry for over 6 yrs now. I thought that at the very least this would show that I don't hop from job to job and that I have some stable job history. My only experience is from nursing school. I want to start out with a skilled nursing facility, I would love to get into home health. Anyone have any ideas of what I may be doing wrong or what I could be doing to get a job? I feel like I'm at a dead end road here. How can I get experience if no one will give me the chance? I'm scared I'm going to forget everything I learned in school if I don't use the information I learned. Help!

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post moved to the 1st year in nursing forum for more responses. there may be some useful posts, too!

suebird :)

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I don't really have advice per se: but when I became a nurse, I went straight to work in a LTCF. Little did I know that I would learn and earn a great deal of eperience there.

After being a LPN for a measly 2 months, I found myself alone in the building being the ONLY nurse for almost 2 years there after.

Yea, it was a bad choice to stay on my part, but I sure did learn alot.

I wouldn't suggest going about it the way I did, but mayb you ould try LTC until you get a bit of experience behind you?

Good Luck!

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Thanks for moving my post suebird! And Julielpn, it seems you went about the same path I am thinking of going. I've never been a CNA, or done any kind of hospital work other than clinicals in school. So in my mind, LTC or SNF would be my best route to go. A classmate of mine first got into a hospital on the med/surg floor and she told me they threw her out there "sink or swim" fashion. That scares me to death! After all, this is people's lives we are talking about. Even something like passing meds seems so simple to the average person, but in reality you have to know the side effects, nursing actions and adverse reactions. I'm just so frustrated that everyone gives me that "no experience? too bad" look when I apply for jobs!

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Specializes in Case mgmt., rehab, (CRRN), LTC & psych.

Perhaps your noted lack of success at finding an LPN job is related to the lack of demand in your local geographic area for LPNs. I am a newer LVN who completed nursing school less than one year ago, and have had many job offers from nurse managers who were unconcerned with the fact that I had no nursing experience. Then again, I live and work in a metro area that is home to nearly 6 million people and many healthcare facilities.

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I'm not sure. I open the paper and see tons of listings for job openings. Mostly for agencies or per diem agencies. I am a single mom and have to have a steady paycheck, so these types of work schedules are not for me. I live in a huge metro area myself. What's odd is some of the places I went to even advertise on our school bulletin board that they hire new grads, but frown on me.

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How is your resume looking? You might ask one of your old instructors to help you come up with one that puts your best foot forward.

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Well, today a lady called me from a per diem company. She said normally she doesn't hire new grads. She asked me if I would be able to pass meds to 30 patients. I told her I wasn't sure. She said she has plenty of work for LTC and SNF's. She is doing some recruiting tomorrow and told me to come by so I could "chat" with her for a little while. She said she may put me to work. Anyone with any advice on this? Should I am be as scared as I am? I'm terrified! I have my IV therapy certification, but never put an IV in anyone. She asked about the IV certification. Ericenfermero, it may be my resume....I have no experience. Just data entry work. Any input on the meeting?

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.

Ooh, I would think twice about working per diem as a new grad. Actually, then I'd think about it yet again! My first job out of nursing school was a per diem job; I had graduated in June, wrote my exams in August and received my license in September... but there were just no Nursing Jobs available at the time. It was the only job I could get and I was desperate since my husband was not working either and we had three kids to support. We had been without a regular income for three months when the agency called me in January. I lasted until August. The manager made it sound like a very pleasant job, all the hours I wanted, only the hours I wanted, blahblahblah. Well, some days they called me four times AFTER I'd already told them I wasn't available. The first hospital relief shift they sent me to I was supposed to be the nurse in charge. Hold the phone!!! I've never worked as a nurse, never mind in this hospital, and you want me to be in charge? Are you NUTZ?!! Another time they sent me to a LTC facility to work a night shift; when I got there only then was I told that I was the nursing supervisor for the shift. Then there was the time that I was sent to care in thier home for two teenagers who had juvenile Huntington's and were total care. They had been abandoned by their family and were wards of the agency. No one told me that this was not an RN shift, but an LPN shift, which paid quite a bit less. AND I was expected to wash the floors and do the laundry while I was there. Later, when I was finally hired onto a hospital job, the agency held me hostage; they wanted a "finder's fee" of several thousand dollars, because they sent staff relief to that hospital (as well as all the others in town). The hospital of course refused to pay it, and I was looking at having to be unemployed again for three months before I could take a job at any of the hospitals in the city. Fortunately the unit manager found a loophole (the nursery where I was hired did not ever employ agency nurses) and I quit the agency the first chance I got.

So before you agree to anything, ask as many questions as you can. You have to find out all the dirty details of working for them before they reel you in and you find yourself totally stuck. And don't sign anything at this initial meeting. Ask if you can speak to some of the other employees, so you can get a feel for what the work really is like. Take your time. If she wants you today, then she'll want you in a few days, afer you've had a chance to think it all over.

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Ok, I think I am scared!!! Thanks for the advice on that one. I think I may be in over my head!

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PCVICU and peds oncology.
Ok, I think I am scared!!! Thanks for the advice on that one. I think I may be in over my head!

You're only in over your head if you jump in without looking.

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Janfrn..I didn't go to the meeting. I called her up the morning I was supposed to meet with the lady and told her that I felt uncomfortable and that I would definately keep her in mind for the future but at the present time I thought I would just try to get some experience under my belt first. Thanks for the advice on that one.

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