Experienced RN Job Market.

Nurses General Nursing

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How are those with 1-2yrs of experience fairing when it comes to finding a new position?

I have been looking/applying for one and it seems to be the same situation as it is for new graduates.

Specializes in geriatrics.

I've read your statements and I was not impressed. Maybe you don't mean them to sound harsh, but you come across this way.

Specializes in Nephrology.

It's because Argo is inflicted with masculine insensitivity, no doubt. Anyway, it seems rather unprofessional on your part to make statements like these. No RN would want to be recruited by you with that attitude. I find other programs at hospitals that will certainly go all out for the new grad. I just recently landed a job at a hospital that puts a GN/RN through a rigorous 6 month internship in the OR. Working on retaining nurses is key, I believe.

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.

I too had to move to the other side of Aust to get acute care experience, but it took a while to find a good & decent employer. Now I've had so many phone calls re jobs, I decided to wait till next year (as I have holidays etc booked), before I decide to go full time etc.

I urge you to try the nursing agencies. I do agency work here, and they should take u with 2 years experience. Are your CPR competencies etc all up to date? Get that resume (CV) out & get a professional to look through it for some advice, or find a good job hunting website. Also go through some mock interviews with someone else, that helped me. Remember if u don't get the job, the interview is great experience. I used to write down everything they asked me straight after the interview.

Many people say agency work is only casual, shifts do get cancelled. But if u ask to work in many different areas, are flexible with what shifts u work, and get a good reputation, you will always be called up for work. I put myself down for shifts every day, and I always get work (some weeks are leaner than others, I must admit). But there are slow periods in any job.

Apply for EVERY job anywhere - Dr's surgeries, nursing homes, prisons, even some big, private companies hire their own private nurses for their staff. Cold canvas everybody. Even if the job is 1 day a week, or permanent nightshift, whatever to get your foot in the door. I know it's hard, I remember when I worked & studied fulltime, I was exhausted and felt like a zombie, AND I was busy applying for any job I could get. But take ANY job offered to you, even it it's not nursing cos it will keep u busy & stop u getting depressed.

Hope this helps, good luck with everything. And try not to get depressed, see if u can do some extra study or do any job u get - just keep busy!!

Specializes in Med/Surg, DSU, Ortho, Onc, Psych.
When I hit the 1-year mark at my first job, I applied all over the place. I got interviews at 4 nursing homes and 0 hospitals. I took a nursing home job, which turned out to be a huge mistake. After 6 weeks of hell, I landed back at my old employer, in a different building. Unfortunately, things didn't work out.

I'm now working home health, and I like it. I'm making less than any of my previous nursing jobs, but I'm very wary of leaving. Part of me wants to move back to Boston (Hubby hates it here), find a non-nursing job to pay the bills, do flu clinics on the side, and take a refresher course when (if?) the economy picks up.

I'm an overweight, severely nearsighted asthmatic, so the military isn't an option. I've also thought of relocating again, but Hubby refuses to learn to drive, and would never agree to move to Texas or the South. Between his father's health problems (he's in the hospital again) and my mother's cancer (she just decided against another round of chemo), we're basically suck in New England.

I thought being a nurse would open doors, but they seem to close every time I turn around. Sometimes I wonder why I bothered with nursing school.

Hi

Sorry 2 hear re your troubles. And I thought my life was hard lately!

Can't u convince your hubby to learn how to drive? It might make things a bit easier for you, maybe have a long talk to him.

The nursing field seems so up and down, one week I'm all busy as hell, then only 2 shifts in a fortnight (I was trying to fin study as well so partly my fault I couldn't work), then I get all these job offers and shifts out of nowhere. It's very unreal, this job...

BTW meant to tell you I like ur handle & your posts. Do u really not like hats?

Caz

I am an rn in Louisiana who has just over a years experience. I applied for two jobs, interviewed at both hospitals. Got a job offer from one of the jobs on the same day and accepted. It may make a difference that I work the night shift, but I didn't have too much trouble.

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