Applying for grad nurse position-question about application?

[kristak]

So I started to fill out my first application for a graduate nurse position - I'll be graduating in May. The application wants me to account for my employment gaps - and there is a big fat one relating to my choosing to stay home while my kids were babies (and then, of course, for school itself). Do I say this? Will it look bad - will the hosp think that I may just quit my job if I have another one? On the other hand, my children are the reason that most of my extracurricular activities and "memberships" involved La Leche League and volunteering at their school, not holding bake sales for the NSNA.

Blech, I hate this process. Then they want to know if they can contact my last employer, which was a part-time retail job I held before I started the actual nursing program. I'd rather they didn't, as it is sort of irrelevant to anything and management has changed since then, as tends to be the way in retail.

Finally, there is the question of references. The app wants three job-related. But I am also getting references from my clinical instructors. Do I need both? I haven't had a real full time job since 2002.\

ADVICE, please!!

[itsmejuli]

Fill out the application truthfully, I always do no matter what a pain it is. Put down that you were practicing domestic management while you stayed home with the kids.

You can use your clinical instructors as references and don't worry about the retail job.

I don't know why employers want us to account for gaps in employment... unless some moron is going to admit to being in jail for 6 months.

[lweatherby]

Answer honestly. The hospital that hired me for their gn internship program did a complete and extensive background investigation, including verifying my previous employment. They hire an outside company to do these checks for them. They didn't ask the employers any questions about me, but they definitely contacted each one regarding the dates and job title and then contacted me with any descrepancies in dates. I was thankful for the gaps in employment..... fewer employers for me to have to remember and list. They asked if they could contact my current/most recent employer, but they did not contact them except to verify the dates of employment. I don't think they concerned that you have gaps in employment. It is expected and respected that mothers leave the work force to raise children. At least they know that you won't be leaving your employment with them to raise children. I don't know how intensely the place you are applying will be in verifying your info, but it will be better to just list things as they are and explain the truth, than to try and explain misinformation.