New Grad Afraid of Getting Stuck

[Alanna_Kayy]

I am a new grad (RN-BSN) from a school in Chicago as of December 2015, NCLEX passed in February, moved to Denver area of Colorado in March. Learned the hard way that the job market for new grads in hospitals in Colorado is much worse than back home in Chicago.

I feel like I have literally applied to every position for every hospital in the area and they all decline me because of my lack of experience. I was lucky enough to land an interview for a med-surg floor at a hospital (still waiting to hear back from them, fingers crossed though). I started to apply to LTACH because I still feel like I can learn a lot there, although not my first choice. Still haven't heard back from them.

I'm getting desperate because I am going to have to start paying back my loans soon and need some sort of income. So I think will have to start applying to nursing homes, which I don't mind entirely, since I worked as a CNA for 2 years in a nursing home. I'm just afraid of getting stuck in LTC. Most hospital positions I apply for want "at least 1 year experience in acute care" and LTC doesn't fit acute care. So I guess I'm just looking for reassurance that I won't get stuck in LTC, because I do truly want to work in the hospital setting, but am willing to work in LTC if it'll get me the "experience" I need to work in acute care.

Thanks guys!

[Toastedpeanut]

I went through the same anxieties & fears when I graduated in December 2012. I passed the NCLEX in March, and had been to 3 interviews. I must have submitted over 60 applications (in a medium-sized city)... the second interviewer hired me. I started orientation April 21st. You ought to keep bombarding the hospitals with your applications... somebody is going to call you. And hiring somebody can take weeks, sometimes months. I think you will have something before your loans come due. I wish you the best of luck, & congratulations!