advice from other nurses

[BeOne77]

Hello,

I graduated from nursing school in 2010 very excited and ambitous about getting my first nursing job. I passed my boards with flying colors and anxious to start out in this new career field. I had worked as a nurse extern at a local community college my senior year but chose to quit shortly prior to graduation because I wanted to focus my efforts on school. I sent out scores of applications, made calls to nursing homes and agencies and made calls to doctors offices and went on foot to anything that seemed medical including urgent care centers and home care agencies. I had interviews with approximately 6 places throughout the 2 years I had been looking and none of them panned out. I ended up doing life insurance exams and health fairs with one opportunity working for the Red Cross answering inbound telephone calls for donor injuries which recently ended because it was not a good fit. I would really like to work in a hospital but all I get is that you must have experience. How am I to get the experience if no one gives me a chance or gives me the guidance needed to be the great nurse I know that I can be. I don't know what to do. All this schooling and loans cannot be put to waste. I am beside my self. I truly don't know what to do or where to turn except to my fellow nurses who must have some idea of how I can find work and start my careeer which I thought should have happened two and a half years ago. The hospitals want experience but aren't willing to give it. I am not even considered a new graduate at this point. The only positive to this is that I have an opportunity to do a refresher course with UD in february and a possible clinical placement with the hospital that I quit before graduation. And I am not sure if that hospital would consider my clinical as experience as a registered nurse or not. I did apply for a volunteer position hospital position this evening hoping that would at least keep me in the hospital and give me something to do with my days. Please let me know if you have any suggestions or advice as to what I can do at this point. Signed a fellow nurse who is struggling and shouldnt be. Thank you....

[BiohazardBetty]

Do you live in a rural area? I graduated in May of this year & had 6 interviews in my first 2 months after graduation... Maybe jobs are more scarce in your area? If that's the case, you may consider moving or commuting.

What do you mean the Red Cross job ended because it wasn't a good fit? That sort of makes it sound like they fired you... Which would further hurt your chances if finding a job.

Also, if you've really exhausted all of your resources & it's still not working out, maybe go back to school for something or decide if nursing really is the place you belong.

[BlueDevil,DNP, DNP, RN]

Go back for the refresher and hope that parlays into a job opportunity. If it doesn't, move to another part of the country. you cannot afford to stay there as an old new grad any longer.