CAN'T FIND JOB AFTER SCHOOL!

susierav · Mar 27, 2020

I'm wondering the same thing. I've reached triple digits in job applications and have heard nothing. I'm in Cali and so I'm not sure if that is a significant hindrance but ???

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 27, 2020

You may need to look outside the hospital setting. While some of the hard hit areas may need nurses, in other areas, current staff is getting low censused or furloughed. My own department (surgical services) has cancelled all elective cases, allowing only those that are life threatening/life altering to proceed. That means we've got a lot of staff doing nothing. They are either staying home or helping with temperature scans. Without our 70ish admitted surgical patients every day, inpatient nursing units are not seeing patients filling their beds. These nurses are also either being low censused or redeployed. Our census has dropped from 80-100+% to around 20-35%. Many other facilities are probably seeing the same.

Psychnursehopeful, ASN, RN · Mar 28, 2020

This may the perfect opportunity for you if you're willing to make some moves. California, Texas, Florida, and New York need experienced RNs in hospital which means you could replace them in subacute positions like SNF, Rehab, LTC. Moving and being willing to take any job available would help. I'm blessed to go to a private school attached to a large hospital system that offers hospital positions to 60-80% of each graduating cohort. I have heard from many nurses that no one likes a stale new grad. So get in where you fit in and don't be picky or unwilling to move.

spider421, MSN, RN · Apr 3, 2020

On 3/27/2020 at 1:19 PM, short cake said:
Hey, I really need some advise on how to get employed after nursing school with no medical background/experience
I gradated in December, and have literally applied to at least 30 jobs (I'll take literally any position at this point but would prefer medsurg) by now but still no offer (just a couple of interviews / rejections). Its been close to four months already and I'm feeling really hopeless at this point! Is this normal?
Also, while I know Covid-19 as created an even higher demand for nurses, could this be that it has also made it even harder for new grads with no experience to get a job?
I would really appreciate any advise / input!

I feel the same way! Also graduated in December and still without a job... I would even take a CNA job (just to get my foot in the door) at this point but many hospitals won’t hire RNs as CNAs due to legality/scope of practice. I am based in CA and thought maybe with COVID-19, hospitals would hire anyone to help but it looks like new grads are again at the bottom of the totem pole, and to top it all off a few hospitals in my area have postponed their new grad programs.

allnurses Guide · Apr 7, 2020

Being a new grad definitely puts you at a disadvantage right now due to COVID-19. There are fewer nurses with time to properly orient a new grad and many hospitals are temporarily suspending residencies due to this, due to budget, limited PPE and the need for social distancing.

Expand your search outside of your immediately area and also expand it outside of acute care. The future of nursing is in LTACH, Rehab, Home Health, Public Health and other specialties that do not involve the hospital. You may find more opportunities there. Good luck!

the_murse_factor · Apr 8, 2020

I'm in Florida and I graduated in December also and had a job offer by February. However I must note that I'm single with no kids and I applied to multiple out of state positions. The job I accepted is out of state. I was willing to pack up and go where ever the job offer took me.

short cake · Apr 12, 2020

On 4/7/2020 at 8:34 AM, Nurse SMS said:
Being a new grad definitely puts you at a disadvantage right now due to COVID-19. There are fewer nurses with time to properly orient a new grad and many hospitals are temporarily suspending residencies due to this, due to budget, limited PPE and the need for social distancing.
Expand your search outside of your immediately area and also expand it outside of acute care. The future of nursing is in LTACH, Rehab, Home Health, Public Health and other specialties that do not involve the hospital. You may find more opportunities there. Good luck!

Thanks for your response! That's really what it seems like is happening, one of my classmate's cohorts actually got canceled due to covid-19 because they need the preceptors to spend more time on the floor...

Redhead,RN, BSN · Apr 17, 2020

Whatever you do, don't work in a nursing home. Once you do that, you will most likely never get a hospital job. I have several nurse manager friends who told me this when I graduated. It gives you a bad reputation even when undeserved. Keep looking and good luck!

amoLucia · Apr 17, 2020

Redhead, RN - please! You do NO justice to LTC nsg!. It is a specialty unto itself. In true reality, you've just bashed & demeaned all of us nurses who work/worked LTC because there's a need and we filled it. And whether we 'LOVED IT' with a passion or not, we do care for what we do.

1 hour ago, Redhead,RN said:
Whatever you do, don't work in a nursing home. Once you do that, you will most likely never get a hospital job. I have several nurse manager friends who told me this when I graduated. It gives you a bad reputation even when undeserved. Keep looking and good luck!

Another poster once defined that the alternatives for someone like OP were -

stay home, UNEMPLOYED waiting for that 'dream job' = no income, no skills, becoming 'stale', or

become EMPLOYED by accepting a second choice position = earning a decent salary and utilizing school education while learning new skills. And becoming better marketable.

Hmmm.

In these uncertain C19 times, there's 'slim pickins' out there for many like OP.

weibelem · Apr 28, 2020

Lately, I've been seeing a ton of postings from New York for new nurses. They clearly are understaffed at the moment. You could treat it like a temporary job, working there during COVID-19 as a way to get your foot in the door.