New Grads, A Few Words of Encouragement

[Brian]

My feelings go out to all of you who are having a hard time finding jobs. I feel your pain and know what you are going through.

I graduated in '95, we all had similar issues with new grads having a hard time finding a job. The market was saturated, hospitals only wanted 1-2 years of experience. I found it very frustrating and scary. Months and months of applying, sending out my resumes and applications, and continually getting rejected. Eventually, I came to the realization that my dream of working in a hospital as a new grad was not going to happen.

I began applying at Long Term Care (LTC) facilities, something that did not interest me at the time, but I was wanting so bad to begin my nursing career that I was willing to take any job that I could find to begin getting some experience, etc...

While my goal was to work in a level one trauma center and ICU, or ER, I found myself in long term care, and once I accepted it, I really enjoyed long term care. I found myself learning a ton of nursing assessment knowledge and personal skills. It really forces you to become independent and autonomous, working on time management and so many skills that are essential to all nurses. I learned a ton from so many LVN's and RN's in LTC, they were amazing sources of experience and mentoring. I really felt that my experience in LTC was a wonderful asset to my future working in Critical Care. I eventually ended up working in CCU (Coronary Care Unit), and the vast majority of our patients were elderly, and I felt I had already been accustomed and educated on that clientele, and my experience with that population from LTC, it was a great source of confidence.

After a few years, I began re-applying to the hospitals and with my experience, and the nursing saturation cycle changing, I eventually moved into a long term acute care facility, got hospital experience, all while continuing to apply and follow up with multiple hospitals, eventually was hired by a hospital in telemetry, then CCU and I finally moved into a job that I was wanting from a new grad. Also, during this time, I took every opportunity to get certificates in ACLS, EKG classes and other certificate classes to help make me more marketable and attractive to hospital managers. But it was a long hard journey, but well worth it.

As you all know, the market and nursing shortage (or not so shortage) varies dramatically based on different geographic regions, cities, states, etc... I have no idea about the long term care employment marketplace where you live. But I would recommend you explore ALL employment opportunities, whether or not it's in your overall dream of how you thought you would start your career.

The average age of nurses (upper 40's), the baby boomers creating more demand for health care, etc... all indicate that nursing will be a strong employment arena. I feel that the projected nursing shortage we've all been hearing about for years was and is a legitimate concern. However, the changes in the economy other industry job losses has brought many existing nurses back into the workforce, kept nurses working later in their career than planned before retirement, etc... All of these issues have skewed the projections and the nursing marketplace is not really hot for the time being.

My gut feeling and my hope is that in the next year or so, as our economy improves, more nurses will be retiring, more baby boomers putting more and more demand on the health system, the hiring freezes will lessen and that the nursing marketplace will eventually open up more and all you newer nurses will have many more opportunities.

No one has a crystal ball on when things will turn around, but by historical records, they eventually will. There are so many positive indicators that nursing is still a strong profession and a wonderful career choice.

So my words of advice to all of you is try to remain as positive, do your best to get employment, open your boundaries to acceptable driving distances, possible relocation if that is an option for you. Take jobs that may not be your ideal job, gain any experience that you can, even if it's not what you want. Continue to educate yourselves, certificates and classes (ie. ACLS, PALS, EKG) that are related to the type of nursing you want to do. So when the time comes and the employment opportunities do open up, you are prepared and ready.

Best of Luck!

[Rianna1]

Hey New Grads,

I am right there with you...I recently received my RN license and have been on the job hunt for about 3 weeks. I am in the Bay Area, CA. Man, it IS tough, but we really have to use our resources. Ask around, have your husbands, friends and family members ask around, network. I made about 75 or so phone calls to LTC facilities b/c I KNEW it was going to be very difficult to get into a hospital right now and I just want to get my feet wet with my new title of RN. Out of the 75 or so calls (yes, it was discouraging at first) 3 said they were hiring so I went to 2 of the 3 and persistently called the directors and left messages. I got an interview for one of them and a potential job offer (pending background). Even if this one doesn't work out, at least I know that persistence does wonders. I learned pretty quickly that sending out massive resumes through certain hospitals wouldn't do much and you really have to get out there. I thought I would have to commute at least an hour away to find something, but it IS possible to find something close to home and I am hopeful that if nothing else, I get to use some skills that we learned in nursing school.

[hope3456, ASN, RN]

bad new grad experience....

i graduated in december with a bsn. when i started applying for jobs i had several offers. unfortunately i went with the wrong one....i got my license in march and was hired at at one of the major teaching hospitals in south carolina to work on a progressive care unit that was soon to be opened. i felt great about the position and knew it would be a great fit with my 3 background as a tech on a stepdown/telemetry unit. my second day at i was surprised to learn that my unit still had not opened and that i would be orienting in the icu. i looked forward to the challenges and learning but found out quickly that i needed a better foundation in my basic nursing skills to be in the critical care environment.

after 6 weeks orienting in the icu, the progressive care unit i was hired for still had not opened. i had been through 11 different preceptors and had been switched back and forth from days and nights. i was beginning to think the expectations were too much and never felt like i could keep up. i contacted our educator about my concerns and asked if i could be transferred to a less critical unit. the next day my manager told me that she didn't think i was going to succeed because i was falling behind the expectation guidelines for orientation in the icu. she also had a list of issues that had apparently been presented during my time there but were never brought to my attention. most of the accusations were entirely were untrue (for example, i was accused of being told to take out an arterial line and then taking out an iv line instead, which never happened). i tried to defend myself and explained to my manager i didn't agree with most of the statements but she remained silent. i was also honest about how i agreed that i needed more experience in my med/surg skilss, but she refused to transfer me to another unit. she said that i would probably be terminated and that she "doesn't accept resignation from orientees and would give me a bad recommendation when contacted as a reference". at the end of the meeting she told me not to come in for my next shift so i could think about what i wanted to do (what choice did i have??) . i insisted on meeting with her a few days later and told her i wanted another chance. i had no other option that wouldn't ruin my career. she gave me another chance but said i would be "under the gun" and if i had a single infraction i would be terminated immediately. when i arrived for my next shift i got to the building and had to go back to my car for my badge (thinking i would get fired for forgetting it) and clocked in at 7:04 and was terminated that day for being tardy.

i have worked so hard for the past four years to become a nurse. i worked for two months and i'm afraid that being terminated has ruined my career as a nurse. i'm at even more of a disadvantage since there are no new grad positions in the carolinas, even in long term care. i'm going to continue to pray for the right job but in the meantime does anyone have a similar experience or advice to share? thank you

you are not the only one this has happened too......i was also 'hazed' by my nm as a new grad working in a ltc. i got on her crappy list after a miscommunication (long story).

it also happened to a coworker who worked in a icu as new grad - the simply told her she is 'not where she should be.' i think her problem is she has a very outspoken personality and is somewhat hard to get along with - so i don't know if interpersonal issues could have been a factor?

[wonderwomanchels]

I was hired as an RN at a LTC facility, then "fired" after 4 months for a ridiculous communication error that caused no patient harm and was my first and final complaint - simply put, i should have seen it coming because the facility was in financial straits and had been very clear about wanting to cut costs....i guess it was cheaper to replace me with an LPN or even a med tech. as a new grad, i was left alone on the unit at night with 50 patients after 2 weeks of side by side "training" with an LPN on the day shift. (you think i'm exaggerating? i couldn't even make this up.) i was usually the only RN in the building and therefore was a new grad (1 month "experience") before i pronounced my first resident dead. it was horrifying, scary, uncomfortable and i was happy to leave, but am still looking for a job to this day.

kinda at the end of my rope here, so any encouragement is nice.

[wonderwomanchels]

i just want to share my story with you, because i feel your pain.

i graduated in may of 2008, and spent the summer working at a camp (a personal dream of mine that i chose to fulfill). unfortunately, when i got home in the fall the job market had gotten horrid, and i was lucky to grab a job at a private nursing home. when hired, i was told i would be able to orient as long as i felt i needed it, and that i would be working 3-11 on the rehab unit. then, i got the phone call...would i be ok working nights? i was like...sure, whatever. i'm accomodating. thennn...would i be ok working on the dementia unit instead? because that's the only place they can put me.

now, i have nothing but pediatric experience while in school, and absolutely no experience in dementia care whatsoever, and i reminded them of this. they were like oh no problem, we'll train you until you feel comfortable. i started to train on the day shifts with an LPN, who showed me how to care for the TWENTY FIVE residents she dealt with each day. i was floored at how impersonal the care was, because it felt like pill-pushing to me.

i was even more freaked out when they told me that i was going to be going to nights in two weeks, after just ten shifts of training. "no worries - we're going to have someone with you on nights until you feel comfortable" ...ok, no problem. i had ONE NIGHT with another nurse, who admitted to me that she took a lot of anti-anxiety medications before coming to work because she was always nervous about messing up. she was a total space cadet and knew nothing about nursing beyond charting and crushing up medications.

i was then left ALONE ON THE UNIT WITH FIFTY PATIENTS each night, five nights a week. i lasted for four months, during which i managed to pronounce 15 people dead (as a new grad? terrifying) and generally was the only RN in the building (with maybe on a good night 3 other LPNs to help me out if i needed it, and a few LNAs for good measure). i had nothing but glowing reviews from my co-workers and immediate supervisor, who was lovely and very supportive.

shortly, the facility began to express to the employees that the budget was getting tight and started suggesting the people take "unpaid vacations" to help out. i continued to keep my head down and do my job, never called in sick or even showed up late. i picked up any shifts needed and helped out whenever possible.

i was fired after 4 1/2 months of employment for a minor infraction involving a resident stripping off her clothing (dementia, remember?) and another resident watching her (even though that resident has a short term memory recall of about 2 minutes) and being "very offended". this was my "final" warning and subsequent firing, although i was never afforded the "first" and "second" ones. i was told to write a statement, not allowed to clock in, and sent home with little explanation. after a meeting, i was forced to sign a paper terminating my relationship with the facility, was handed my final paycheck, and was told that my license was being reported. i was disgusted and horrified.

i found out a few weeks later that i was replaced by a med tech making 10 less per an hour than i was, who is completely unqualified to be caring for the residents on this unit (less so than i, which is saying a lot). it was a completely fiscally fueled decision, and i was victimized in the process. i had to defend my license to the board, which called the complaint "ridiculous" (small victories!) and apologized to me, but i am still out of job with a bad reference on my record. it's been months, i can barely pay my bills, and i'm completely freaked out that i have no future.

just to let you know there are others who have gone through these injustices. i have hope that one day we'll find our places in the world, because anyone who is called to this profession is meant to do great things in small batches. in the meantime, i'm going to swallow my bitterness and put on a smile. i hope you're able to do the same, and feel better knowing that you have a friend. :)

- chelsea

[UserG]

bad new grad experience....

i graduated in december with a bsn. when i started applying for jobs i had several offers. unfortunately i went with the wrong one....i got my license in march and was hired at at one of the major teaching hospitals in south carolina to work on a progressive care unit that was soon to be opened. i felt great about the position and knew it would be a great fit with my 3 background as a tech on a stepdown/telemetry unit. my second day at i was surprised to learn that my unit still had not opened and that i would be orienting in the icu. i looked forward to the challenges and learning but found out quickly that i needed a better foundation in my basic nursing skills to be in the critical care environment.

after 6 weeks orienting in the icu, the progressive care unit i was hired for still had not opened. i had been through 11 different preceptors and had been switched back and forth from days and nights. i was beginning to think the expectations were too much and never felt like i could keep up. i contacted our educator about my concerns and asked if i could be transferred to a less critical unit. the next day my manager told me that she didn't think i was going to succeed because i was falling behind the expectation guidelines for orientation in the icu. she also had a list of issues that had apparently been presented during my time there but were never brought to my attention. most of the accusations were entirely were untrue (for example, i was accused of being told to take out an arterial line and then taking out an iv line instead, which never happened). i tried to defend myself and explained to my manager i didn't agree with most of the statements but she remained silent. i was also honest about how i agreed that i needed more experience in my med/surg skilss, but she refused to transfer me to another unit. she said that i would probably be terminated and that she "doesn't accept resignation from orientees and would give me a bad recommendation when contacted as a reference". at the end of the meeting she told me not to come in for my next shift so i could think about what i wanted to do (what choice did i have??) . i insisted on meeting with her a few days later and told her i wanted another chance. i had no other option that wouldn't ruin my career. she gave me another chance but said i would be "under the gun" and if i had a single infraction i would be terminated immediately. when i arrived for my next shift i got to the building and had to go back to my car for my badge (thinking i would get fired for forgetting it) and clocked in at 7:04 and was terminated that day for being tardy.

i have worked so hard for the past four years to become a nurse. i worked for two months and i'm afraid that being terminated has ruined my career as a nurse. i'm at even more of a disadvantage since there are no new grad positions in the carolinas, even in long term care. i'm going to continue to pray for the right job but in the meantime does anyone have a similar experience or advice to share? thank you

that story is going to give me nightmares. i'm in the same boat (just a few months, inconsistent support from preceptors, chucked for something ultra-small). i feel for you. i really do.

i'm at two months with applying for every job i'm remotely qualified for and/or new grad program west of the mississippi (and a few east...) and think i'm screwed.

i've been in the health care field for over a decade now and i'm starting to think this is the end.

the worst are the people who have jobs who say unhelpful and smug things like "oh, you'll find something" or "you have to be willing to accept something less than ideal." like i haven't applied at ltc, snf, or rehab. i would've enjoyed those jobs, anyway!

let me know how things turn out for you.

i hope there's always law school for me...

[Future TX RN]

I feel for all of you. I truly do. I start the nursing program in August. Luckily, the location I'm from, we have a HUGE nurse shortage. We have 6+ hospitals in a 40 mile radius; 2 schools offering BSN progs and 2 offering ADN programs. There's also over 500K people in this area. We are also an area that hasn't been hit hard by the recession. In fact, businesses, restaurants, hospitals are being built left and right here, with a brand new UC center being opened in Sept.

Keep your heads up, it's always the darkest before the dawn. :)

[EmilyLucille523]

I feel for all of you. I truly do. I start the nursing program in August. Luckily, the location I'm from, we have a HUGE nurse shortage. We have 6+ hospitals in a 40 mile radius; 2 schools offering BSN progs and 2 offering ADN programs. There's also over 500K people in this area. We are also an area that hasn't been hit hard by the recession. In fact, businesses, restaurants, hospitals are being built left and right here, with a brand new UC center being opened in Sept.

Keep your heads up, it's always the darkest before the dawn. :)

Well, if you don't mind me asking...WHERE DO YOU LIVE??!!?? Are you sure the shortages are not just in experienced nurses? Have these facilities posted that they hire new grads?

[UserG]

Well, if you don't mind me asking...WHERE DO YOU LIVE??!!?? Are you sure the shortages are not just in experienced nurses? Have these facilities posted that they hire new grads?

Yes, please tell everyone where you are? Because last time I heard something like that, it was Casper, WY and they are now flooded with applicants and there isn't much left there.

[wonderwomanchels]

Yes, please tell everyone where you are? Because last time I heard something like that, it was Casper, WY and they are now flooded with applicants and there isn't much left there.

i've got my bags packed...ready to go wherever.

[jeanyis]

How long has this crunch been going on? I started hearing things at school in March or so, but in reading older posts it looks like it started sometime in 2008?

This may be a dumb question... but does getting a job become easier once you have a license? Are places reluctant to hire GNs or RNs with no experience yet, or both?

I graduated in May with an ADN-RN and I've had one interview which I will hear back on next week. I'm hoping that the lack of response to my resume is because I'm not licensed yet (Don't get me started on how long it takes to get an Authorization to Test. What do they use to process them, anyway? Punchcards? Hammer and chisel? *sigh*)

Adding to the woes in my neck of the woods is nearby bigger city's hospitals have cut their positions so their university BSN grads are coming here to medium sized city for jobs.

Sorry for the rambly disjointed post. I need to go work outside to burn off some nervous energy.

[EmilyLucille523]

How long has this crunch been going on? I started hearing things at school in March or so, but in reading older posts it looks like it started sometime in 2008?

This may be a dumb question... but does getting a job become easier once you have a license? Are places reluctant to hire GNs or RNs with no experience yet, or both?

I graduated in May with an ADN-RN and I've had one interview which I will hear back on next week. I'm hoping that the lack of response to my resume is because I'm not licensed yet (Don't get me started on how long it takes to get an Authorization to Test. What do they use to process them, anyway? Punchcards? Hammer and chisel? *sigh*)

Adding to the woes in my neck of the woods is nearby bigger city's hospitals have cut their positions so their university BSN grads are coming here to medium sized city for jobs.

Sorry for the rambly disjointed post. I need to go work outside to burn off some nervous energy.

I completely understand. I graduated in May with my ADN-RN and tried at 5 hospitals in NC (1st choice) and they wouldn't give me the time of day. So I tried here back at home, applied at several different places, and had 2 interviews. First one didn't call me back and I'm still waiting on the second one. It's been over a week and no call. I've called them several times and left messages and NO call back. I wish if they were not interested, they would at least call and tell me no. Instead I'm here pulling my hair out wondering where else I should apply and wondering if all my hard work in school was for no use.

I am completely regretting getting into nursing. I honestly feel like it was a huge mistake.

[jeanyis]

I am completely regretting getting into nursing. I honestly feel like it was a huge mistake.

I hear you. I gave up a job with the government that I'd have made over 80K with during the time it took to get my ADN. Short term sacrifices for long term gains and all that... but I haven't seen my gain yet. I don't have time to wait for the job market to turn around because the mortgage company isn't going to accept that in lieu of a payment. It's very likely that I'll be losing my house. I've been here seven years. My retirement account is drained, also.

Anyway. Enough whining. Gotta do what I gotta do. Not my fault the economy sucks. Things may turn around for those still in school, but start planning ahead for not having a job right after graduation for those of you still in school. Things ain't what they used to be.

I was talking to my parents today about this situation. My dad put it in perspective when he said "Getting upset about not getting hired for an RN position because you aren't licensed yet is like you applying for a teaching job then getting upset because they won't hire you."

Time is moving so very slowly these last few weeks....