Disappointment

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Hi!

It`s been a long time since my last post. Now, I am a newly grad RN.

When I got my license I was finally happy - I thought I would be able to work in a real medical setting (i.e. hospital), and say good-bye to my unsecured part time jobs.

But that was just a fantasy. I applied @ 5 hospitals, and after 5-6 days I got a phone call from a well known hospital. The lady there assured me that I have absolutely zero chances of working in that place, because I`m not yet specialized.

So..after 1 year and a half of studying, passing several exams, spending almost $2000 I ended up with what? I ended up with a worthless piece of pink paper!

It seems that on the job training is a thing of the past. I guess there is no shortage of nurses in Canada - there is only a shortage of brains!

The Unhappy RN (now I`m allowed to use this title...at least I have something) :roll

Originally posted by silentmonolith

I live in the Finch West area (Toronto) - I applied @ 5 major hospitals, and all I got was a lousy phone call from one of them.

Could anyone recommend me a good nursing agency which deals with newly grads?

The Unhappy RN

http://www.trilliumhr.com/

I had a classmate who liked them. Never used them my self.

You should look at workopolis to try finding a job in Canada.

Did you ever think about going up North?

Hi there,

Things are slow in Toronto right now. I have also been looking for work.

SRT is a great agency to work for. There is sprectrum, VHA, and NHI. Those are some good agencies. Carecor is another one.

York central, Humber river, are hiring.

Check the websites for the different hospitals.

Call the other four hospitals to follow up.

:)

Try hospitalsoup.com and apply everywhere (Canada) and US.

http://www.greatnurse.com

These sites may help. Keep your chin up and don't be discouraged. It'll work out.

I remember applying everywhere...keep it up.

I emailed a health recruiter here regarding positions for new grads, and here is the reply, with personal info edited:

"To answer your question, let me simply say that Yes,

we are hiring new grads. We feel that recent graduates have a lot to

offer to our health facilities. Some positions requrie a few years of

experience, but we have many opportunties for Nursing graduates.

I wish you well with you studies. We have a couple of programs that you

may be interested in for yourself....our Student Sponsorship Program

will sponsor 3rd and 4th year Nursing students of up to $2400 per year

with a return in service agreement, plus we have a Student Summer

Employment Program for students who have successfully completed their

second and third year of a BN program...you will receive 12 weeks of

work in a Health Authority on PEI."

I hope this is of some help to you. If you're interested in more info, point your browser at http://www.gov.pe.ca/jobs/listjobs.php3?jobstype=health

If you are interested in a specialty area, enroll in a course, ecg interpretation is always valuable. We have recently hired a few new grads and are providing a six week training program with an additional six weeks of preceptoring. It is always helpful to have experience before starting in critical care, but these days we have been hiring new grads more often than experienced nurses. Try applying at some east end hospitals in the Toronto area .....East General, Scarborough General and the Grace Division, when it reopens will all likely be hiring.

Don't give up. I have known others who have taken positions, that were not their choice, but got them into the hospital of their choice. This gave them a better chance of moving into their preferred area when they had an opening ie: start in a chronic area and wait for a posted opening in acute care. Once you are in the doors you have first chance at the other positions, keeping in mind that seniority decides when skills are equal.

people have given good suggestions for getting started in a slow market...

can someone pls. post more advice on a plan to get into acute care hospital? im in the exact same position as silent and now with the new sars break, likely my job placement will be pushed back even further.

what is the best track to enter acute care hospital??

a) go with agency and then apply to the hospital you agency with for as an agency? how long with agency before applying--3 months, a year? still wondering are there any good agencies out there that provide training.

b) go with chronic care--ie., extendicare, runnymede, rehab complex continuing care and then apply to acute? any specific LTC centres in GTA that give a good rotation without being overwhelmed with only FTT, or palliative patients?

i hope ive worded this okay, without trying to sound too fussy. i'm just worried that it's taking so long to get placed somewhere.

p.s. -- and with the new sars cases i'm also hoping that the job fair in june wont be cancelled

thanx

I was just wondering... Why would there be a hiring freeze because of the SARS, because if there is a nursing shortage, don't they need to get the positions filled quickly?

Also, when you were a student working toward your RN, don't you get a real good opportunity to get to know the other nurses, management, etc, at different hospitals, and on different floors while doing your clinicals? It would seem that if you worked it right as a student that you could get your foot in the door, therefore making it much easier to approach the hospital and specific area that you wished to work in. That is how a few of my friends who are RN's got their jobs and I would assume that I will do the same when I am in school.

SARS makes us need more nurses, but orientations were halted here because orientees were considered non-essential staff and they weren't allowed in to the hospital. Also interviews were stopped for the same reason.

any suggestions please for my situation?? sars has held me back for 2 1/2 months now.

Try applying at places that don't have any sars patients like Sick Kids or Mt Sinai?

Please don't send in your resume and then WAIT!

I know right now, with SARS it is tough....but call Human Resources, ask if they got your resume, ask if the job situation has changed.

Enroll in ECG, critical care, coronary care, venapunture, ACLS whatever..... and then try to hunt down the manager for the area you are interested in.... email them, write them, call them and let them know you are VERY INTERESTED.

If that fails..... well then you know you have tried everything. I know we are hiring in my neck of the woods, or at least we where a few months ago. I graduated two years ago, started part time and went full time in about 8 months after hire.

Can you move? IF you can, go to the states, Northern Ontario.... get the experience and then, make the CHOICE where you want to work.

I started critical care when I was in my last year of nursing school, took venapunture and coronary care all in my last semester.

YOU CAN DO IT! GOOD LUCK!

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