The Unemployed RN

Nurses Retired

Published

Hello,

I've been unemployed since June-July, up till now. I thought there would always be a need for nurses. In the 80's hospitals were recruiting like crazy, talking about the nursing shortage and what not, and then we started seeing hospitals recruite nurses from the phillipines.. But that was more than 20 yrs ago, and i'm unemployed now so what happned to the nursing shortage?:confused:

I was wondering if anyone else is also having difficulty finding a job. I don't know if it's because my preference is to work in hospitals limiting the number of places i can apply to. But yet when I apply to home health agencies and nursing homes, LVNs get hired over me.There are about 8 hospitals around me and ive applied to all that fall within a 30 mile distance from my city. They keep on telling me the census is low and recently, since I have such a large gap in my work history, i think that affects my employment.

I'm qualified to work, so I'm just wondering if this is nationwide, local or just a bad time? Also, any advice would be greately appreciated. :nurse:

I retired last year after 38 years of nursing and thought I could easily find a casual job as an RN at the hospital where I worked, but havn't found a casual job in an area where I wanted to work. I taught at a local college as a clinical instructor 20 years ago, but my hours changed and couldn't do it again. I re-applied and was able to get a job as a clinical assistant/clinical instructor part time which is all I wanted to work. They were desperate for instructors, and I have had another college call me wanting to know if I wanted to work there. I have a BSN and anMSA, so I can't teach theory, which I didn't want to do anyway.

I think it is harder now to find any job in nursing, I thought I would have an easier time since I don't need benefits, but that has not been the case.

0 Votes
Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.

Know it may sound unreal to some... but I can't say I've ever personally experienced age discrimination.

(No spring chicken here either.)

Agree it's truly impossible to hide one's biography on apps or in the hiring process.

Good luck to all.

0 Votes
Specializes in telemetry, ICU, medical surgical.

Thank you all for replying.

It's been almost two years since I started this post and I find myself in the same situation, can't get hired. Shortly after posting here in 2011, I got a stipulation on my license, which is monitoring. My husband says that is the main reason why I haven't gotten hired. I have a year of monitoring, but how can I complete my monitoring if I can't get hired. I eventually did land a job, before I signed my board order in 2011, but once my board order was ratified, my director told me she had a "right" to discriminate against me because of my 1 stipulation. So I got fired.

She herself was an older nurse, past 60s, she was supposed to retire that same year, but continues to work till this day. After reading some of your posts here, I now understand why she would run trials and temporarily change policies in our unit for the purpose of saving the hospital money, just to please those above her. Meanwhile, everyone underneath her despises her. Oh, she was extra mean to me though.

I hate the fact that I get discriminated upon and it's not something that's protected, like age, sex, race, national origin etc. I'm 25, but for the older nurses posting who can't get employed, atleast your age is protected and if you feel you aren't hired because of your age, you can report them to the EEOC.

I am thinking of changing careers since it's been so hard for me to get a job, there are 2 major nursing programs close by, we have atleast 200 new graduate nurses each year from these 2 schools combined. Not to mention within 50 miles west we have atleast 2 more lvn,rn, programs as well.

That plus my stipulations, I might as well get pregnant, have a baby and line up at the food stamps line, lol. *sarcasm*

0 Votes
Specializes in telemetry, ICU, medical surgical.

These limitations that are out of my controll are what get me so sad and depressed. I dont have any DUIs, I am not a drug user, I don't have a criminal record, yet the board was so excessive. Not to mention the stigma associated with *stipulation* *encumbered*. I got a stipulated license because a patient under my care fell. He hurt his head, and because of that, I have board monitoring, can't work at home health, can't work agency or telemarketing, and have to work under another RN.

Working under another RN doesn't help when I apply to work at NH, since they usually have so many LVNs.

I understand the board is in place to protect patients, but seriously, I am a very caring and patient focused nurse.

So disapointed.

0 Votes
Specializes in Managed Care, Onc/Neph, Home Health.

I am very happy to report back, I got hired on with Humana.:D From 1997 until 2004, that has been my experience, with HMO's, Aetna and Kaiser Permenante. I am so grateful to work with Humana, after nobody else would hire me, only a nursing home. shame shame shame.....But our God is awesome. Good luck to the rest of my sista's re-entering the workforce, keep at it.

0 Votes

The nursing jobs are in ICU or ER and abundantly in travel nursing

0 Votes
Specializes in ICU, CM, Geriatrics, Management.
... for the older nurses posting who can't get employed, atleast your age is protected and if you feel you aren't hired because of your age, you can report them to the EEOC...

From friends in the biz... it's a huge undertaking and extremely difficult to win these types of complaints.

And the negative publicity associated with such a suit will likely not endear one to many future employers.

0 Votes
Specializes in critical care, ER,ICU, CVSURG, CCU.
These limitations that are out of my controll are what get me so sad and depressed. I dont have any DUIs, I am not a drug user, I don't have a criminal record, yet the board was so excessive. Not to mention the stigma associated with *stipulation* *encumbered*. I got a stipulated license because a patient under my care fell. He hurt his head, and because of that, I have board monitoring, can't work at home health, can't work agency or telemarketing, and have to work under another RN.

Working under another RN doesn't help when I apply to work at NH, since they usually have so many LVNs.

I understand the board is in place to protect patients, but seriously, I am a very caring and patient focused nurse.

So disapointed.

take another look at LTC! we all are trying to increase our star ratings with DADs...... the nursing home I am the DON at actually has two other RNs working full time, besides me...on the day shift......even if they had no other RN, the DON is an RN you can satisfy your stipulations with .......best of luck to you :x3:

0 Votes

Dear Diamondeye:

I feel your pain because I am in the same boat as you. I have been unemployed since October 2014. You have made me feel so much better. I am a nurse of 30+ years. My experience has been mostly in nursing homes/rehab centers, some hospitals as well. I have a degree in Surgical Technology, nursing and Respiratory care. I want to use these skills in the hospital. Working in a nursing home- you lose these great skills. I too want to work in the hospital and they tell me that they are looking for more qualified person. You seem like you have some good skills under your belt as well. How qualified do we need to be? I even looked for non nursing jobs and got absolutely nowhere. I applied in stores and their answer is Thank You for your interest in our company. We can't possibly call everyone due to the large volumes of applications. We will call you for an interview if your qualifications fit. I have worked in a store from 1996-200. I got some experience at least. We could have gotten a lot of work done sitting in front of the computer by now. LOL Employers know people are looking for jobs. They are just taking their sweet ole time. Unemployment is totally useless.

0 Votes

I get the same answer. You do have a good point about contacting the nurse managers These people are not worried about a job because they have one.

0 Votes
Specializes in Registered Nurse.

I have had similar problems. I live in a smaller town w/ two hospitals. Neither hospital likes that I have a choppy recent history over the last few years. I finally found a very part-time job (non-hospital). I think employers can afford to be picky. The colleges are turning out GN's all the time, and they have plenty to choose from.

Sorry...didn't realize this is an old post. I am rusty at this site. LOL

0 Votes

I got a part time with a health care agency. The only fish that did bite. Found them at a job fair

0 Votes
+ Add a Comment