I graduated nursing school and passed the NCLEX (June,2018).. I am having trouble finding any New Grad jobs in the hospital setting.. it seems like the ones that are available at this moment are a good 3-4 hours away (and I am having some car troubles at the moment). I am not a picky person especially because I do not have any prior experience in the healthcare field but, I do not want to settle for a job that is not in the hospital. I have considered applying at LTC, rehab, clinics as long as they are part time so I can still apply at hospitals but, even then I am having a hard time finding PRN/Part time positions that do not require any previous nursing experience...
Does anyone have any ideas when any new grad positions will be opening soon?
Also, during most of my searches for a New Grad RN it seems like Indeed is the only site that has jobs, is there any other websites that could be helpful?
I have looked at Nurse Residency Programs in AZ and at the moment all of them are a good 3-4 hour drive away from me, I have considered applying for them but, like I said my car is not reliable.. I am just waiting around for one to open a little closer to me
Is relocation an option? If so Tucson and Phoenix are good areas with new grad programs. I'm not sure of anywhere else in AZ..
I would say that you should take what you can get for now and gain experience, and while you're at it, get certifications: ACLS/PALS, even work on a degree. You may get offers you may not necessarily like but get your foot in, and then you can see what fits from there.
What city are you in? Are you close to Phoenix? Can you relocate for a year? My advice is to join the Facebook group New Grad RNs Arizona, you can connect with so many other new grads in your state and they are often posting new grad residencies.
Have you tried looking at Glassdoor or Monster they may have job openings as well? Perhaps asking your fellow peers who have currently have jobs in hosptials around your area? This may give you a reference and allow you to put your foot in the door at the hospitals they work at as well. Have you considered travel nursing? There are plenty of opportunities to work in the hospital setting as a travel nurse as well. The only con about this is that it is usually a contract at the hospital for a certain period of time. However, it will allow you to gain experience and you will be able get your foot in the door at that hospital and apply to a position that opens up.
Hope this helps
I'm piling on. This is such bad advice from some totally uninformed stooge.
Travel nurses are used as a short term answer to a staffing problem. Hospitals have no interest in training you. They want someone to hit the ground running and be done with you when they hire their own staff.
You can continue to wait for a better job offer to come to you or make arrangements to move to where the jobs are. Your window of opportunity to snag a new grad residency position is limited. You are gaining no experience now and will soon be an "old" grad with no experience and in an even more difficult position to find employment in an acute care setting.
I disagree that calling him out on his not useful suggestion is not "unnecessary".
Suggesting travel nursing to an inexperienced new grad needs to stop.
Lol, for some stupid reason I thought the OP wrote that which changes a lot!! Haha, my apologies. Being a travel nurse would be a TERRIBLE idea, couldn't agree more. A new grad probably wouldn't survive their first day as the staff expect you to know what you're doing and not be asking questions 24/7 like a new grad does (and should do).
Chazzie_Made_It, ADN
110 Posts
Is relocation an option? If so Tucson and Phoenix are good areas with new grad programs. I'm not sure of anywhere else in AZ..