Need Some Advice

[Ally09]

I graduated from nursing school in 2009 and applied at many facilities with zero result. They did not want to hire me because I did not have acute care experience.( in my head I'm thinking, "how am I suppose to get that experience if no one is willing to hire me)." My determination was a force to be reckoned with, so I continued applying to companies. There was this one home health agency who hired me from the start. The pay was lousy but at least I could work as a RN. The company was a pediatric home agency where I cared for chronically ill clients in the home environment. It took me a moment to realize that this job did not count towards my one year experience and I didn't use 90% of the skills learned in nursing school. But I used this time to go back for my BSN. After I received my BSN at the end of 2011, I resigned from this home agency. I was feeling that his company was not the right fit for me. Pesonally, I'm a little discouraged and insecure about getting a job and my technical skills, respectively. However I continued to apply to facilities. I applied to a LTC facility and was told that I didn't have any experience. I was devastated. All this work for nothing. So here I am with an AA, ADN, and a BSN with no real nursing experience and no one willing to hire me. So this week I decided to apply for the gn program at a local hospital since I'm being told that the experience I have is " no " real experience. I'm really hoping that something pan out because I have been out of work for over six months and out of school for about a year. I'm feeling really discourage and wondereing if someone can give me some advice as to what should be my next move.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

I wasn't referring to money. If you aren't working, that's going to count against you, in terms of potential employment. The longer you remain unemployed, the less attractive you look to employers, particularly because this is a competitve market. Employers can afford to pick and choose.

[Ally09]

Me working in a chronic area of nursing does not secure me entrance into an acute area of nursing. I'm often over looked because of the lack of acute experience. So my question to you is, Why work in a chronic area when Its not beneficial in helping me get into facilities who value acute experience. It's a difficult situation to be in, I think.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

My point is this: if you aren't employed in nursing for an extended period of time, it will be even more challenging to transition into the area you want. Some nursing experience is better than no nursing experience. The longer you stay out of nursing, the less employable you become in the eyes of hiring managers. Nurses are a dime a dozen these days. While you sit and wait for your dream job, someone is actively working towards that very same job. It's your decision, but taking a PRN position somewhere at least keeps you in the game.

[Ally09]

I definitely see your point Joanna, thanks so much for the advice :-)

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

Joanna is correct. A hiring manager when presented with someone who's been actively working as an RN with no gaps in employment for 3 years vs. someone who had a couple years of experience but has been out of the field for almost a year is going to choose person #1 the vast majority of the time. Every month that passes by without active nursing experience is going to hurt you and it's only going to become MORE difficult to secure employment.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

Me working in a chronic area of nursing does not secure me entrance into an acute area of nursing. I'm often over looked because of the lack of acute experience. So my question to you is, Why work in a chronic area when Its not beneficial in helping me get into facilities who value acute experience. It's a difficult situation to be in, I think.

In hind sight....it is much easier to get a job when you already have one.

Have you tried an LTAC.....Long Term Acute care?

Take a look there......Long Term Acute Care (LTAC/LTACH)