Can't get a job as new RN

You didn't say what degree you had. Right this second, there are 3 RN clinical nurse 1 (entry level) posted in the ORH job listings. 2 require BSN and 1 just says RN or GN.

Thank you for the info.

This is scary. I live in the Jacksonville area and am applying to SJRCC Orange Park RN program that starts in January 2010. I am giving up a great paying job to go back to school (I already have a B.S. in Business Administration) because I really want to be a nurse. Now I am not as sure about being able to get a job when I get out.

Wow, this thread is starting to make me re-think starting the LPN program next month.
I thought we still had a "nursing shortage"??? Maybe I should think about medical
assistant, does anyone know if that field is in demand?

We still have a nursing shortage, just not a new nurse shortage. I talked to my aunt who is a nurse and census is down right now and hopefully, when the economy works out, people will be able to have all those surgeries they need, and new nurses will be worth training again.

Sorry to hear about your luck. I never gave a single thought about where I was going to work while going to nursing school. School was just too demanding plus I had a full time job to support my mortgage payment. On my third day of practicum I was questioned by my preceptor of where I wanted to work once I was done. I honestly didn't have an answer for her except to say I liked the unit we were both on. I found myself later that day talking with the Director. I was sent to orientation the next week for a Nurse Tech position. I am done with school now just waiting on my ATT. Once I recieve that I am being moved up to a GN. All I can say to you is good luck. All I can say to all current nursing students is try to impress the nurses you come into contact with during your clinicals. If you make a good impression on them, they will snatch you up and you won't have to worry about finding a job.

I'm still working on pre's and getting my CNA/PCT training. My estimated grad. is 2012. I really hope our situation gets better. My Dad keeps telling me the same........NETWORK and get to know your preceptors and do a great job during clinicals.

I wish everyone out there looking the best of luck and don't give up on such a rewarding and fascinating field!!!

I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope by the time you read this you'll have found a new grad position. When I was searching new nurse internships for FL, I found many in the Orlando area. I live in Jacksonville and I can't get an interview graduating with a BSN and honors because I have "no experience." I'm not 20 years old... I've been in the workforce for many years, some in management, yet I keep running into the brick wall of "you have no healthcare experience." I tried to get an entry level position at a plasma donation center, and they asked me why I was applying. The interviewer jokingly said I was overqualified for the job. You think???

I have a strong suspicion that if I do apply for patient care tech jobs to gain experience, I won't get any of those, either. It's a catch-22. I've spoken to several nurse recruiters at the hospitals, several of them on a recurring basis. (I call it "polite stalking" ~ LOL!) They're sympathetic, for the most part, but with several of them there's and unspoken attitude that nurses are a dime a dozen. For example, there was an OR nurse internship at Mayo that required an application fee (what the heck?), references, and had no pay, no stipend, or benefits associated with it. It was a 16 week program. I thought I must have mis-understood the posting, so I called their HR department to confirm. Yes, the posting was correct: four months of training, no pay.

I'm afraid I may just have to give up on finding any nursing jobs within two hours of Jacksonville and concentrate on getting back into the corporate world.

I wish you luck trying to re-enter the corp world right now. There is nothing in Jax right now. One position that I found for myself to open 'sometime this year' the guy said $35/hr in Feb and now says $28.50! 20% cut! When I mentioned that I hadn't been paid that little since '93, his reply was "good luck finding a job if you expect to be paid more than that!"

Be willing to take a significant cut from what you were earning.

It is difficult finding a job.

I'm an RN with a year & few months experience, in peds surgical unit-- where we take care of all these amazing surgical patients-- from face reconstruction, scoliosis surgery, bowel---anything you can think of.

I applied at the endoscopy suite at a different hospital--- mind you, the endoscopy suite is not a difficult place to work at--I did a whole day there during clinical rotation-- and of course, I did not get the job because they said I only have pediatric experience.

can you believe that?!

With pediatrics you have to be more patient & nurturing because these are someones babies & children-- 2 year olds have to be held down for procedures, newborns cry you have to figure out what they need....

Sometimes we have to figure out the meds-- I have to mix my own amp when I'm in NICU.

So they said that the job is "very competetive".

So now I am considering doing NICU only--- but i will always be labeled "pediatric nurse"