[gerry79]

Originally Posted by LIZH18

True, but it's not always easy to pick up and leave. Especially when you are married, own a home here, and are pregnant with 1st child...
I think that if you get a degree in this state and pay outrageous tuition, you should have the opportunity to be hired here.
People were so surprised when I told them I couldn't get a job in a hospital...everyone thinks there is a shortage. I think there still is, but only for experienced nurses. Hospitals that wouldn't even call me before, now call and I have only had 3 months experience as a nurse.

Although I did not have a problem getting a job after graduation (graduated in 07), experience is the key for nurses in the present job market. I have recently turned down offers from other hospitals (Brigham and others), and have been besieged by phone calls from travel agencies with tempting offers. The manager on my floor has 4 positions open but is looking for nurses with a least a year experience. I do believe there is a nursing shortage, but a shortage of experienced nurses.

A few of us asked the manager why she wont hire a pct who just who just graduated and was told that it is not in the budget to hire a new graduate. She did not have it in the budget to pay 2 nurses to do the job of one for close to 6 months. An experienced nurse gets 4 weeks of orientation where as a new nurse gets up to 20 weeks of orientation.

I know its a rough landscape right now for new grads, but hang in there and be persistent. Look for open houses and try to network. I am sure there are some on this forum than can help! Good luck!

PS Beth Israel is opening up a new floor and needs new and experienced nurses. If anyone is interested please feel free to contact me!

[cityhawk]

Excellent advice from the OP. Like someone else mentioned here, relocation is not an option for me (nor do I want to leave Boston). However, I got a job as an aide a a major Boston teaching hospital and, with a little aggressive networking, got an interview on a unit that had positions opening for new grads and on Friday was offered a job.

I'll add that it may be in your interest to get a job on a specific unit rather than work as an aide in a float pool where you won't be able to make a solid connection with one unit or be able to make a great, lasting impression there. Even if that's not the unit you end up working as a nurse, the people you develop a relationship with on your one unit can be great allies.

[dtrmnd2sccd]

Originally Posted by cityhawk

Excellent advice from the OP. Like someone else mentioned here, relocation is not an option for me (nor do I want to leave Boston). However, I got a job as an aide a a major Boston teaching hospital and, with a little aggressive networking, got an interview on a unit that had positions opening for new grads and on Friday was offered a job.

I'll add that it may be in your interest to get a job on a specific unit rather than work as an aide in a float pool where you won't be able to make a solid connection with one unit or be able to make a great, lasting impression there. Even if that's not the unit you end up working as a nurse, the people you develop a relationship with on your one unit can be great allies.

Congrats on the job offer, Cityhawk! Thanks to everyone for the great advice. I'll be starting an accelerated BSN program in Jan '09, and am hoping that things improve before I graduate in May '10 (ever the optimist!). Like some others, relocating out of state is not an option (husband, house, kids, etc.) so I will be networking like crazy and getting an aide job before graduating.

[Alexk49]

Mount Auburn Hospital has been advertising positions for new graduates. Good Luck job hunting.

[kitten0509]

Promin, though you make a good point about there being jobs elsewhere and flexibility is key, part of the reason there are less jobs here is because hospitals are hiring from within... which means that they are benefitting their aides. Why would a unit want to hire a new grad from outside when they have an experienced aide (and believe me, aide work counts for something in a nurses' experience, imo) that they know gets along well with staff, knows the layout and systems, shows up on time and works hard? (provided all things are true..)

[Angie O'Plasty]

Originally Posted by Promin

Because you waited this long you lost:

a. about 60K
b. a year of experience
c. you did not meet new interesting people and places

I really encourage all new grads not to be afraid to move somewhere else for a year or so. There are a lot of places in this country where nurses are in demand and the pay rate is better too.

Well, that doesn't work for all of us. Some people have famlies to consider, others, like me, are in direct-entry MSN programs in MA and therefore do not have the option to go somewhere else. It's frustrating. I also don't appreciate your condescending tone--you certainly have a valid suggestion for those in a position to consider it, but it could have been given without implying that those who have not are lazy or stupid.

[Promin]

Angie O'Plasty, I did not address my post to you but let me tell you something. Moving was "not an option" for me either. But I reconsidered and re-adjusted my "options" of sitting and waiting for nothing to moving to a different place. Moving to a new place may have a lot of challenges. But I decided to try it rather then just to sit and wait. But some people are just afraid of changes and they can't admit to it or they don't want to change anything in their lives because it's more comfortable enough to keep it the way it is. They justify the inability or unwillingness to make decisions by having "circumstances" and therefore prefer to wait for a miracle.

[cityhawk]

It is still condescending to assume that the only reason people won't move is because they are afraid of change. People have all kinds of reasons for the things that they do or choose not to do.

If I were not afraid of change, I would not have moved to Boston in the first place, nor would I have given up a 20-year software engineering degree to pursue nursing.

Reading other posts, Angie O'Plasty is attending a direct entry master's program which, in itself means that she is changing from one career to another. Also, as a result, she is still in school, so it's not like she can just quit and get an RN job somewhere else while she continues to attend school in Boston.

I am not afraid of change, but I know what I need in my life. No one can judge me for that.

[Silverdragon102]

Pease remember we all have choices in life and that doesn't always mean we can up root and move. An opinion was made on one choice may not work and the reasons why. I too have known nurses stay in a job they didn't particularly like because their family commitments did not give them chance to get up and move.

[cityhawk]

Originally Posted by cityhawk

If I were not afraid of change,....

I meant to say, "If I were afraid of change".