How do you stay encouraged?

Concerto_in_C, BSN, RN · Dec 9, 2013

There are RN job openings out there and there are hospitals don't mind hiring new grads. Nursing homes never stopped hiring grads, even during the worst years of the recession, but you want to think really hard if you want to work in a nursing home, unless you are genuinely interested in geriatrics. People who are genuinely interested in geriatrics are relatively few, I think I met less then 5 in my entire life. If you are willing to work in long term care/nursing home, they will hire you. If they don't respond you are doing something wrong, have somebody look at your resume or something like that.

If you want a good rule of thumb for canvassing your state/area/city think in terms of high desirability vs. low desirability cities. High desirability cities are swamped by nurses who are unemployed or employed but unhappy, but they are unwilling to move because they like living in that area. Nice shopping, nice night clubs, family, friends, etc.

I live in a troubled town (Rockford) that has a lot of problems with crime, it has a bad reputation and we have lots of openings for new grads, as long as you have a Bachelor's degree. Look at the Swedish American Hospital website, there is nothing in the job descriptions that says new grads not welcome. Our nurses are getting 1-2 years of experience and running away to live in high desirability areas. We have problems finding experienced nurses so we have to hire new grads.

Those are some of the decisions you have to make.

The nursing job market has definitely declined in the last few years due to being swamped by new grads, career changers, etc. Also, I think many hospitals have overestimated their growth projections, and then patient volumes dried up because the Great Recession eliminated 14,000,000 jobs so those unemployed folks lost their health insurance.

For a new grad the best places to work are teaching hospitals IMO. However, hospital job market is becoming increasingly competitive.

10 years ago all nurses were welcome in hospitals.

Then then said LPNs are no longer welcome.

Then they said Associate Degree nurses are no longer welcome.

Then they said new grads are no longer welcome, even if they have a Bachelor's degree.

Now high desirability cities like Chicago, NYC, LA, etc. are saying nobody is welcome unless:

1) You have a bachelor's degree

2) You have 2 years of experience on the floor you are applying for

3) Ideally you are a specialist from a high acuity setting: like critical care

4) You have a stellar resume without any disciplinary issues

5) Ideally you should be a nurse practitioner because the new trend is to get rid of doctors, and replace them with NPs, which are cheap in comparison

Please note how the requirements increased compared to 10 years ago.

In the future, the primary growth area will be nurse practitioners, because of the trend of replacing doctors with nurse practitioners. This increases profits for hospitals, so hospitals love NPs. However, for hospital bedside jobs like med-surg (the best job for a new grad) there will be little or no growth, unless you live in Rockford like me, and there are vacancies because local nurses are running away.

Hope this helps.

sourapril · Dec 10, 2013

I graduated in May, started job searching in March, and finally got a job in Nov. I planned out my day, always made sure I do something I like and something productive. I had a routine, I exercised, had an active social life. Also I kept telling myself I would find a job eventually :) If it helps, think the job application process as an one way street. You either keep going and land a job at the end, or you quit and do something else with your life. I also told myself that if I didn't find a job as a nurse, it's not the end of the world. Honest, it would not be the end of the world, but I was pretty determined to get a nursing job though.

Nonetheless · Dec 10, 2013

There are RN job openings out there and there are hospitals don't mind hiring new grads. Nursing homes never stopped hiring grads, even during the worst years of the recession, but you want to think really hard if you want to work in a nursing home, unless you are genuinely interested in geriatrics. People who are genuinely interested in geriatrics are relatively few, I think I met less then 5 in my entire life. If you are willing to work in long term care/nursing home, they will hire you. If they don't respond you are doing something wrong, have somebody look at your resume or something like that.

I honestly would not mind nursing homes if the patients were treated well, the pay was equal to a hospital, and the career prospects were good. But from what I have understood, once you're in one, you are stuck, and the pay is not really worth a college education and there is a lot of lateral violence and things like that.

If you want a good rule of thumb for canvassing your state/area/city think in terms of high desirability vs. low desirability cities. High desirability cities are swamped by nurses who are unemployed or employed but unhappy, but they are unwilling to move because they like living in that area. Nice shopping, nice night clubs, family, friends, etc.

I am lucky in that I am young, single, and am okay with leaving for a couple years. However, this is not my first choice. I am okay with going to another state, and would actually move in a heartbeat for an awesome job/ unit.

I live in a troubled town (Rockford) that has a lot of problems with crime, it has a bad reputation and we have lots of openings for new grads, as long as you have a Bachelor's degree. Look at the Swedish American Hospital website, there is nothing in the job descriptions that says new grads not welcome. Our nurses are getting 1-2 years of experience and running away to live in high desirability areas. We have problems finding experienced nurses so we have to hire new grads.

I will look into Rockford, thank you. The only problem is that is it safe to live there or are there safe areas near by to live?

The nursing job market has definitely declined in the last few years due to being swamped by new grads, career changers, etc. Also, I think many hospitals have overestimated their growth projections, and then patient volumes dried up because the Great Recession eliminated 14,000,000 jobs so those unemployed folks lost their health insurance.

Yeah, I think they did, too.

For a new grad the best places to work are teaching hospitals IMO. However, hospital job market is becoming increasingly competitive.

I am willing to relocate for a teaching hospital. This is very important form e.

10 years ago all nurses were welcome in hospitals.
Then then said LPNs are no longer welcome.
Then they said Associate Degree nurses are no longer welcome.
Then they said new grads are no longer welcome, even if they have a Bachelor's degree.
Now high desirability cities like Chicago, NYC, LA, etc. are saying nobody is welcome unless:
1) You have a bachelor's degree
2) You have 2 years of experience on the floor you are applying for
3) Ideally you are a specialist from a high acuity setting: like critical care
4) You have a stellar resume without any disciplinary issues
5) Ideally you should be a nurse practitioner because the new trend is to get rid of doctors, and replace them with NPs, which are cheap in comparison

Believe it or not, I hear that NP's have a very hard time finding their first job as well.

It's terrible what has happened to new grad nurses.

Please note how the requirements increased compared to 10 years ago.

In the future, the primary growth area will be nurse practitioners, because of the trend of replacing doctors with nurse practitioners. This increases profits for hospitals, so hospitals love NPs. However, for hospital bedside jobs like med-surg (the best job for a new grad) there will be little or no growth, unless you live in Rockford like me, and there are vacancies because local nurses are running away.
Hope this helps.

Thank you!

Yes, I want to be an NP at some point in my life. If I get a job I love and can live comfortably working in, I will work there for several years before going back to school. If I get a job where I feel that I cannot grow or pay all the bills (rent, food, water, shelter, gas-- believe it or not I know one new grad who cannot do this on her own and lives in a single room in someone's house), then I will stay a year and get out and maybe go straight to NP school or try for something else.

I think being willing to relocate puts me at an advantage but I am still very stressed about it.

Nonetheless · Dec 10, 2013

I graduated in May, started job searching in March, and finally got a job in Nov. I planned out my day, always made sure I do something I like and something productive. I had a routine, I exercised, had an active social life. Also I kept telling myself I would find a job eventually :) If it helps, think the job application process as an one way street. You either keep going and land a job at the end, or you quit and do something else with your life. I also told myself that if I didn't find a job as a nurse, it's not the end of the world. Honest, it would not be the end of the world, but I was pretty determined to get a nursing job though.

Aw

thank you for your words

yeah, it's true

Either I will get a job and be a nurse or I will not. If I NEED to do something else then I will, it's not the end of the world.

Concerto_in_C, BSN, RN · Dec 11, 2013

I will look into Rockford, thank you. The only problem is that is it safe to live there or are there safe areas near by to live?

Rockford is like Chicago on a smaller scale. If you read the Forbes Magazine "worst cities" ratings Rockford and Chicago have almost the same score. In terms of nastiness, Chicago and Rockford are very similar and have a similar criminal population, except Chicago gives you bonuses ("Sears Tower", "Field Museum", "Lakefront") that you don't get in Rockford so Chicago will always be more desirable. Rockford has fewer shootings that Chicago, but it has more property crimes (theft, robberies, etc.).

The good side of Rockford is the East. I'm on Bell School Road and State Street, by the I-90 expressway. There are plenty of very nice homes there, lots of new development, restaurants, shopping, etc., new corporate offices. The population is mostly middle class.

However, since criminals from the West side use State Street to travel to nice areas as well, I wouldn't go exploring after dark even in the nice areas of Rockford.

Stay away from the West side of Rockford. Anything West of the river is bad. Anything around Swedish American Hospital is bad. There are crime maps posted by law enforcement that will show you where the clusters of crime are. The clusters are excellent tools to identify bad areas.

Most of the well-paid professionals I work with only commute to Rockford, but they live in the surrounding towns like Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Polo, Sterling, Cherry Valley, etc. Those little towns are very nice, very nice housing, lots of middle class, little or no crime. Affordable housing. If you can live in one of those cute little towns, you really score.

We love new grads and hire them all the time, but the usual requirements still apply: you have to have a Bachelor's, be presentable, well spoken, no criminal issues, etc. but that applies to any job right now.

Swedish American is one of the top hospitals in the country, it will be Magnet Status in less than 2 years, but it's in the middle of a troubled area that has really declined in the last 30 years or so. If you don't like Swedish American, there are several others like St.Anthony and Rockford Memorial and many more. All of those hospitals are hiring new grads.

You can move to a crappy area like Rockford for 2 years, get the experience, several certifications, and after that you will be good to go anywhere you want to in the country. Our young RNs are doing this all the time, which is why we always hire new grad replacements because they run away as soon as we train them.

Be careful with the gigantic medical centers in the largest cities, competition for jobs is insane there, including competition from people who are not American citizens, but they can practice nursing in USA. Unit managers and HR recruiters there are behaving like goddesses, they expect you to get on your knees and kiss their feet. Screw them. One day the roles will be reversed and they will be calling you and inviting for an interview and you won't be giving two sh..its. Good luck and stay positive!!

Nonetheless · Dec 11, 2013

Rockford is like Chicago on a smaller scale. If you read the Forbes Magazine "worst cities" ratings Rockford and Chicago have almost the same score. In terms of nastiness, Chicago and Rockford are very similar and have a similar criminal population, except Chicago gives you bonuses ("Sears Tower", "Field Museum", "Lakefront") that you don't get in Rockford so Chicago will always be more desirable. Rockford has fewer shootings that Chicago, but it has more property crimes (theft, robberies, etc.).
The good side of Rockford is the East. I'm on Bell School Road and State Street, by the I-90 expressway. There are plenty of very nice homes there, lots of new development, restaurants, shopping, etc., new corporate offices. The population is mostly middle class.
However, since criminals from the West side use State Street to travel to nice areas as well, I wouldn't go exploring after dark even in the nice areas of Rockford.
Stay away from the West side of Rockford. Anything West of the river is bad. Anything around Swedish American Hospital is bad. There are crime maps posted by law enforcement that will show you where the clusters of crime are. The clusters are excellent tools to identify bad areas.
Most of the well-paid professionals I work with only commute to Rockford, but they live in the surrounding towns like Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Polo, Sterling, Cherry Valley, etc. Those little towns are very nice, very nice housing, lots of middle class, little or no crime. Affordable housing. If you can live in one of those cute little towns, you really score.
We love new grads and hire them all the time, but the usual requirements still apply: you have to have a Bachelor's, be presentable, well spoken, no criminal issues, etc. but that applies to any job right now.
Swedish American is one of the top hospitals in the country, it will be Magnet Status in less than 2 years, but it's in the middle of a troubled area that has really declined in the last 30 years or so. If you don't like Swedish American, there are several others like St.Anthony and Rockford Memorial and many more. All of those hospitals are hiring new grads.
You can move to a crappy area like Rockford for 2 years, get the experience, several certifications, and after that you will be good to go anywhere you want to in the country. Our young RNs are doing this all the time, which is why we always hire new grad replacements because they run away as soon as we train them.
Be careful with the gigantic medical centers in the largest cities, competition for jobs is insane there, including competition from people who are not American citizens, but they can practice nursing in USA. Unit managers and HR recruiters there are behaving like goddesses, they expect you to get on your knees and kiss their feet. Screw them. One day the roles will be reversed and they will be calling you and inviting for an interview and you won't be giving two sh..its. Good luck and stay positive!!

Is it really expensive to live outside of rockford or do you live there out of necessity? I have worked in "shady" areas and was 100% fine, but I did not live in them and was able to go home at the end of the day to a safe neighborhood where I could go out at night.

I will be careful! I won't let myself get abused the way a few new grads do (crazy stories I have read online). However, I have met a couple nice nurse managers and I think most are overall good people but money is tight and there is a glut of new grads in my area.

Aww thanks for your answer!

Concerto_in_C, BSN, RN · Dec 12, 2013

Is it really expensive to live outside of rockford or do you live there out of necessity?

A majority of the small towns I mentioned have very attractive prices. Byron is more expensive, maybe because the nuclear plant is there, so you have some nice salaries in the area and the prices go up accordingly. Also, Cherry Valley is expensive and has almost no rental properties (almost everybody owns a home) but that's expected because Cherry Valley is one of the cutest small towns anywhere.

heriith · Dec 12, 2013

Rockford is like Chicago on a smaller scale. If you read the Forbes Magazine "worst cities" ratings Rockford and Chicago have almost the same score. In terms of nastiness, Chicago and Rockford are very similar and have a similar criminal population, except Chicago gives you bonuses ("Sears Tower", "Field Museum", "Lakefront") that you don't get in Rockford so Chicago will always be more desirable. Rockford has fewer shootings that Chicago, but it has more property crimes (theft, robberies, etc.).
The good side of Rockford is the East. I'm on Bell School Road and State Street, by the I-90 expressway. There are plenty of very nice homes there, lots of new development, restaurants, shopping, etc., new corporate offices. The population is mostly middle class.
However, since criminals from the West side use State Street to travel to nice areas as well, I wouldn't go exploring after dark even in the nice areas of Rockford.
Stay away from the West side of Rockford. Anything West of the river is bad. Anything around Swedish American Hospital is bad. There are crime maps posted by law enforcement that will show you where the clusters of crime are. The clusters are excellent tools to identify bad areas.
Most of the well-paid professionals I work with only commute to Rockford, but they live in the surrounding towns like Roscoe, Rockton, Byron, Polo, Sterling, Cherry Valley, etc. Those little towns are very nice, very nice housing, lots of middle class, little or no crime. Affordable housing. If you can live in one of those cute little towns, you really score.
We love new grads and hire them all the time, but the usual requirements still apply: you have to have a Bachelor's, be presentable, well spoken, no criminal issues, etc. but that applies to any job right now.
Swedish American is one of the top hospitals in the country, it will be Magnet Status in less than 2 years, but it's in the middle of a troubled area that has really declined in the last 30 years or so. If you don't like Swedish American, there are several others like St.Anthony and Rockford Memorial and many more. All of those hospitals are hiring new grads.
You can move to a crappy area like Rockford for 2 years, get the experience, several certifications, and after that you will be good to go anywhere you want to in the country. Our young RNs are doing this all the time, which is why we always hire new grad replacements because they run away as soon as we train them.
Be careful with the gigantic medical centers in the largest cities, competition for jobs is insane there, including competition from people who are not American citizens, but they can practice nursing in USA. Unit managers and HR recruiters there are behaving like goddesses, they expect you to get on your knees and kiss their feet. Screw them. One day the roles will be reversed and they will be calling you and inviting for an interview and you won't be giving two sh..its. Good luck and stay positive!!

Your information is so encouraging, im in my final year of bsc nursing, worried about how to hunt my first job.. im doing my bachelors from india but im from africa..do you have any advise for me.?

Nonetheless · Dec 13, 2013

A majority of the small towns I mentioned have very attractive prices. Byron is more expensive, maybe because the nuclear plant is there, so you have some nice salaries in the area and the prices go up accordingly. Also, Cherry Valley is expensive and has almost no rental properties (almost everybody owns a home) but that's expected because Cherry Valley is one of the cutest small towns anywhere.

Thank you very much!!!!!!!

I will write down the name of this hospital and apply to it after I graduate

schnookimz · Dec 13, 2013

I applied to all of these hospitals as a new grad. I had 1 year of lpn experience and 3 years of CNA experience and didn't get a call back from a single one of them. So I don't know if it's really all that easy.....

Also, if you are used to the chicago hospitals, I found these to be a bit more run down and to have less of the high tech perks and conveniences.

Concerto_in_C, BSN, RN · Dec 13, 2013

I applied to all of these hospitals as a new grad. I had 1 year of lpn experience and 3 years of CNA experience and didn't get a call back from a single one of them. So I don't know if it's really all that easy.....
Also, if you are used to the chicago hospitals, I found these to be a bit more run down and to have less of the high tech perks and conveniences.

I don't know, unless there's Chicago II somewhere and we are not talking about the same city, I had a different experience in Chicago. I had lots of clinicals there in 2006-2008. Yes, there are great hospitals in the city and burbs, but usually in upscale neighborhoods reflecting the ritzy population that lives around the hospital. Best example: Good Samaritan in Downers Grove. Everything is high class there, and the staff is nothing but the elite but alas, the patient clientele reflects that. Poor urban blacks don't go to Good Samaritan to get treated. Compared to inner city, it's like 2 different worlds.