The Unemployed RN - page 4

Hello Everybody,

I want to give some insight on returning to work. I was out of nursing from 2004 to 2012. I took an RN refresher course through Capscare. I am located in FL. This was a board approved program. I took it online. 80 hrs of theory, the 96 hr of clinical, all at your own pace. Well I got my FL RN license re-instated. I WILL NEVER LET THIS PRECIOUS 4X4 PIECE OF PAPER EXPIRE EVER AGAIN!!! Cost me sooooo much money to get it back. Anyhoo! All that was Oct 3, is the date issued my license. I thought it would be easy to get a job....so many ads for RN's. Med/surg, peds, all the fields. Even travel nursing. I have adult children, nothing holding me back. HANG IT UP. I have 29 years experience. Graduated in 1983 and worked full time until 2004, never a break. The market is huge for travel, and seems for OR. Well i have put my resume on Monster, Career Builder, and LinkedIN, oh yeah, SimplyHired, and Indeed. and have applied for I know over 80-90 jobs. Zero, nada, zilch, none, NOTHING. No bites. 1 LIL OLE NIBBLE. My feelingS were hurt. Well a recruiter called me. I was overjoyed. He questioned the "gap". I explained, stayed home to take care of family. He was like. ooooooooo, to be honest with you, it will probably be very tough for you to get an interview/get hired, because, hospitals will only talk to you if you have been working for 2 yrs. Thats what they call "experience", not the experience that we have as old school nurses. All of our experience is really null and void in these hospital eyes. The DON's are younger, and they are seeking younger (IMO). I am 49, I am still sharp. I have a very decorated resume which I am proud of. I am only seeking a regular Medical floor, wound care, piggy backs, cleaning poop, charting, and chaos, LOL. No looking to work in the ICU or some other high tech unit. They state online in the job description, "RN 6mo experience desired and BCLS" Thats it. Now why wouldn't they give me a chance? Its sad. But we have no nurse's union to go to bat for us. This is how it will be. I just thought I would share my experience. Just yesterday 2 Jan 13 I got hired at a sub-acute unit, I am so grateful. Its a start. I am happy with this.