Sorry Nurse Recruiters/Nurse Managers!

[Isitpossible]

As I receive rejection after rejection for nursing jobs, I feel the need to apologize to nurse recruiters/managers who overlook my BSN because I lack patient care tech experience.

I am sorry I could not afford to take a job as a tech making 7 an hour. You see while attending school part-time, I needed to maintain a home, equipped with mortgage payments, children and all the other responsibilities of wife and mother.

I m sorry you cant see that I carried a gpa over 3.0 even with the all the responsibilities I have.

I'm sorry that you cant see that for past 2 ½ years of nursing school, I stayed up late each night studying or preparing care plans while working 40 hours a week.

I'm sorry that you can't see how I worked tirelessly in every aspect of my life to obtain a second degree.

I'm sorry that you can't see that despite a lack of patient care experience I am mature, driven, focused, ambitious and hard working.

I'm sorry that you can't see that I passed by NCLEX exam with 75 questions in under one hour. Not because of exceptional knowledge, because I studied tirelessly!

I'm sorry that you can't see how I was complimented time and time again by not only my clinical instructors but more importantly the patients who I cared for. I wish you could hear the amount of times a patient or the family said "you are going to be great nurse."

I'm really sorry you can't see past this lack of experience and have formed a judgment against me before knowing me.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

While I can fully appreciate that recent college grads have entered the job market at an extremely difficult time of recession (as have other college grads in fairly cyclical 20-year increments) I have to ask: is there this level of indignation among college grads who studied different fields? Are the sociology, history and English majors of the world placing blame for their lack of employment/underemployment on their school? Are marketing majors who are slinging coffee and scones at Starbucks theorizing that their current employment as baristas was all part of some evil master plan?

[netglow, ASN, RN]

I get where you are coming form Altra, but nursing is something that REQUIRES immediate work - eg residency. If you don't get that you've just gambled away a ton of money if you fell for getting a BSN, worse: accelerated BSN, even worse: direct entry MSN.

Other degrees can wait till something comes their way, and interview/get many other jobs while waiting. Finally getting into your area of choice, years later is not much of a big deal. However, nursing expires, and then you have nothing. Nobody in the business world wants a nurse eg handmaiden. The degree without substantial clinical experience is worthless.

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Horseshoe, You are not a newer nurse are you? The OP is a new nurse. These problems are really applicable for late 2007 grads to current grads.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

Okay, why would anyone care that an applicant passed their NCLEX in 75 questions in less than an hour? Is this something people are putting on resumes now? I've seen this referenced 3 times in this thread, that people hiring weren't impressed with the fact that an applicant passed NCLEX in x amount of questions. Of course they aren't!

I too am curious about the posts that list the # of NCLEX questions and amount of time used to answer them. Is this commonly referenced in resumes now?It certainly didn't used to have any bearing on anything and I'm wondering when/if that changed.

[Horseshoe, BSN, RN]

^^^^No. I can't say I know tons of new nurses, but I do know some, none of whom got their jobs by being related to anyone on the inside.

Of course, knowing someone who can be helpful in the hiring process is another story, and is a fact of life in every profession. I got a job in a plastic surgery OR because a scrub nurse I know told me about it. I got my current job partially because when I was interviewing, the DON gave me a tour where I ran into several physicians with whom I'd worked prior. They apparently gave me a good review-based on their input, the DON said she didn't even call any of my other references.

I had to get my first job without knowing anyone on the inside, or being related to anyone. But once you begin establishing a work history, the contacts you make can end up being very helpful down the road in other places, particularly if you have impressed the people with whom you have worked. It can also work against you. In my current workplace, a nurse came in to interview for a job. No less than 5 docs who saw her told the DON to absolutely NOT hire her, as she had made their lives miserable during their residencies. Taking on an adversarial position with new docs in a hospital didn't work out down the road when she wanted to work in a physician owned facility.

As for the OP, I sympathize as I know that the market is pretty tough in certain areas. I think new grads are faring better in my state, though in certain markets they are showing a strong preference for the BSN prepared nurses.

[MomRN0913]

Okay, why would anyone care that an applicant passed their NCLEX in 75 questions in less than an hour? Is this something people are putting on resumes now? I've seen this referenced 3 times in this thread, that people hiring weren't impressed with the fact that an applicant passed NCLEX in x amount of questions. Of course they aren't!

That totally threw me in the original post. No one ever asked me how many questions it took to pass and how long.

I passed the NCLEX with 75 questions in a half hour. I don't think that made me more accomplished than anyone else.

I just happen to be a fast test taker. I usually finished all my exams first or second. Sometimes I failed, sometimes I did great.

[Merlyn]

Okay, why would anyone care that an applicant passed their NCLEX in 75 questions in less than an hour? Is this something people are putting on resumes now? I've seen this referenced 3 times in this thread, that people hiring weren't impressed with the fact that an applicant passed NCLEX in x amount of questions. Of course they aren't!

Dear Horseshoe, I hate to disagree with some named horseshoe, because of my Quarter horse, but this is a big accomplishment to the OP. But just wait until her first job that's when old reality hits her in hind quarters and of course she now thinks she's a nurse just like us. I just wonder if she has ever kept pressure on someones face laceration with one hand while eating a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich with the other. I have. Happy Trails.

[Zookeeper44, RN]

Because if you understand how the NCLEX works, people who pass in 75 questions have a higher level of understanding of the content than those who required more questions. It's just one more measure of your level of understanding of at least the nursing theory. It's funny but I have not once heard anyone who passed in 75 say that it didn't mean anything.

[roser13, ASN, RN]

I passed with 75 questions. Can't remember how long it took.It never once occurred to me to use that info on a resume.

[DSkelton711]

Never give up. I have over 20 years experience. Considered too old. (I was 49). Finally was in right place at right time. This economy is hurting everyone. There is no real shortage yet either. Last year ANA had on their smartbrief site that 45% of graduated RNs could not find jobs within a year of graduating. So don't take it personal (I know its hard). Keep searching, keep trying. Continue learning. Good luck.

[Patti_RN]

@Zookeeper. I passed with 75 questions in about 45 minutes--maybe a bit less. My license has no such footnote on it. In fact, besides the name, my license is identical to the licenses of those who failed several times and finally passed with 200+ questions over a couple hours. I'm telling' ya... It doesn't matter!!!

[netglow, ASN, RN]

Me three. The NCLEX is a very easy test - it's not really about nursing competency. It's about how well you can play the game. But using that as a measure, if you can't seem to realize that its just a game by the 5th attempt, well... then... give me your wallet.