Being out of school for almost 2 years, just passed NCLEX...HELP!

[EPTJR74]

Hi everyone,

Sorry to give you a sob story on my situation, but I have been out of school since spring 2012. I had JUST passed my NCLEX last month, after failing multiple times. For the past year and a couple of months, I have been working at a restaurant as a server, simply to make ends meet. Not that anyone needs to know, but it affected me, but my GF of over 3 years broke up with me within that time span. I was pretty sad and lightweight depressed while still trying to to keep motivated to push on and pass my exam. It took me awhile to get over, really it did..

Now that I finally (thank gawd) passed my exam, I find myself almost two years out of school, jobless (I quit my server job before the end of the new year), no type of healthcare experience within those past almost 2 years, and now i feel like a sitting duck. I dont even know if i am considered a "NEW GRAD" by these standards, and ultimately I feel scared to even apply for any position, New Grad or not and some of these new grad openings accept only those who graduated 2013 or later. I know what i am capable of as nurse and i am confident in my own abilities and whatever i have to offer, it just sucks that i have nothing to show for it...

Any help or advice at this time would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks fam.

[Yukinara]

I have interviewed at 3 different places and none of them asked me how many times I took the NCLEX or how long I have been out of school. Managers only care if you could do the job safely or not. Once you get that license, you're qualified to work just like anyone who graduated last year. So just apply anyway, because if you don't, all those years you spent in school will become a big waste.

[rnaria]

I had a similar situation. I graduated in September of 2011 and due to family emergency, I was unable to take my exam until February 2014. I took it and passed. I ended up getting hired at a sub-acute facility a few weeks ago! :) Don't give up! I actually ended up getting three jobs in the same week so it is most definitely possible!

[kemifair]

Same here been out of school for 5 years, just pass nclex last year and still no job yet. Its frustrating.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

My organization defines 'new grad' as someone with less than 12 months of full time nursing work experience. So, even though an applicant may not be a 'recent' grad, they could still be categorized in the same way - and be eligible for any new-grad-only programs.

Be persistent. Widen your search to include non-acute settings. Don't share any personal tales of woe with a prospective employer in a misguided attempt to gain sympathy. They don't need to know. If you need to explain the NCLEX delay, just say that you had to deal with 'family' issues or something like that.