Frustrated with Graduating in May

Nurses Job Hunt

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Specializes in Rehab, pediatrics.

I will be graduating in May with my BSN. I have been a tech for four years for two LTC facilities and one home health care company. I am beginning to get so frustrated with the Job Search/job market. I am from the Philadelphia area but go to school on the other side of the state. I have called over twenty hospitals back home (Philadelphia and the suburbs) and everyone is telling me to wait to apply until after graduation or after the NCLEX! I think this is ridiculous. I have my friends on this side of the state already telling me about the job offers they have, and I can't even put an application in until May. At this rate I feel like I'm not going to be working somewhere until September or October and I have bills and student loans to pay back. I just don't know what else to do. Also, I REALLLLLLY don't want to work at the place I'm at now. They have a bad name for themselves and I'm scared I would lose my license with them as a nurse. The other two places don't have anything full-time currently. I feel like all my hard work of working while going to school has gotten me no where since I won't be able to even find a job like others.

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Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.

I think, given that you have not even graduated yet, flipping out is quite premature. Where are your friends applying that they are already employed? Have you applied at those places?

The average new grad Job Search right now is 6 months to one year...AFTER graduation. Certainly keep looking, but if you don't calm down this is going to be a long, hard road of misery for you.

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It's the same way around here. Applications go in the garbage until after you have a license. It took me 5 months after graduate/4months after nclex to get a job.

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Specializes in Rehab, pediatrics.
I think given that you have not even graduated yet, flipping out is quite premature. Where are your friends applying that they are already employed? Have you applied at those places? The average new grad job search right now is 6 months to one year...AFTER graduation. Certainly keep looking, but if you don't calm down this is going to be a long, hard road of misery for you.[/quote'] I didn't know that was the average or else I wouldn't have been so frustrated. I just felt like I needed to rant. Most of these people getting jobs are in the Pittsburgh or Harrisburg area. I don't plan on relocating from my home area though unless it's really necessary. I know I should keep calm but I'm more so frustrated seeing people who slacked off the whole time in school just getting jobs handed to them. Makes me feel like I'm not doing something right if that makes sense.
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Same around here, can't apply until you are licensed.

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Specializes in ER.

The two major hospitals here are kind of the exception. They don't look at you till after you graduate unless you're internal. Then if you don't pass within a certain frame, they will fire you from the "nurse intern" spot.

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Specializes in Gerontology RN-BC and FNP MSN student.

Try to chill....dont get your buggy before the horse so to speak. It sounds like you need to go to the other places once you graduate and pass your boards.

Why is the place your at so terrible? What can you do to make a difference there?

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Specializes in Rehab, pediatrics.
Try to chill....dont get your buggy before the horse so to speak. It sounds like you need to go to the other places once you graduate and pass your boards. Why is the place your at so terrible? What can you do to make a difference there?

For starters they have almost been shut down by the state twice within the last year due to lawsuits but they can't be shut down because there is no where else for the patients. (It's a specialty facility) The employees are very catty and unprofessional so I keep to myself to stay out of the drama and mess. I was trained for only two days as an aide and it was my first aide job ever... And I had ventilator patients. (I had never seen a ventilator in my life and had no health knowledge whatsoever) They only train their nurses for three weeks. The list goes on. I don't feel safe there with a brand new license that I will be receiving after four years of hard work and money.

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For starters they have almost been shut down by the state twice within the last year due to lawsuits but they can't be shut down because there is no where else for the patients. (It's a specialty facility) The employees are very catty and unprofessional so I keep to myself to stay out of the drama and mess. I was trained for only two days as an aide and it was my first aide job ever... And I had ventilator patients. (I had never seen a ventilator in my life and had no health knowledge whatsoever) They only train their nurses for three weeks. The list goes on. I don't feel safe there with a brand new license that I will be receiving after four years of hard work and money.

An LTC that trains a nurse for three weeks is pretty good. Most places around here do 3 days to a week unfortunately!!!

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Sounds more like LTAC with vent patients...

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Specializes in Rehab, pediatrics.
Sounds more like LTAC with vent patients...

Yes that is exactly right. :) I still can't believe they only gave me two days of training for my first ever aide job. And I had to transport the vent patients to the shower rooms and everything.

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Specializes in ICU.

Most of the people in my graduating class had jobs well before graduation (myself included), so it really is regional. If there are plenty of people in your class who already have job offers in hand, I would definitely not wait until after graduation/boards to keep applying. I know it's stressful, but just hang in there.

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