Can't get hired in a clinic.. with experience???

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Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.

Hello!!, so to get right to it, I've beeen an LPN for 3 years working in LTC... everytime I apply to work in a clinic.. I basically never get the position. I applied to one full-time position and it turns out, its really an on-call position if someone calls out and the two other clinics I applied to all want me to either have more experience or ambulatory experience?? Am I missing something.. I mean working in a facility in my opinion is much more demanding and experience warranted than working in a clinic? I've never worked in a clinic but the nurses mostly do assessments and appointments and some med passes, so why is that so different from what I'm doing now? This really confuses me.. a new grad can be put on a unit by themselves with 40+ patients but an experienced nurse can't get a job doing a much less demanding job? huh? I believe a nurse can hit the ground running in any environment as long as it's not an area that is completely unfamiliar to them like working in rehab and then going to ICU.. then of course they would need the experience.. but for a clinical job??? Am I missing something here?

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If you read these posts, there are lots of nurses who are burning out of inpatient patient care and look for jobs at clinics and doctors offices, nurses who are even willing to take a pay cut to leave their bedside jobs.

Maybe you are facing more competition for the clinic jobs than you realize.

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Specializes in Community Health, Med-Surg, Home Health.
If you read these posts, there are lots of nurses who are burning out of inpatient patient care and look for jobs at clinics and doctors offices, nurses who are even willing to take a pay cut to leave their bedside jobs.

Maybe you are facing more competition for the clinic jobs than you realize.

That is the truth! I work in a hospital clinic as an LPN. Our pay is the same as those that work in our in-house because we are in the same facility and same unions. I was fortunate enough not to have to begin working on the units because as a PCA, I also worked in the same clinic. My facility sponsored my education by giving me leave with pay as well as paid tuition, and I strongly expected that because of the heavy investment they placed in me; but, my supervisor pushed to get me back. I had to do 2 months of orientation in med-surg because I was a new grad, but believe me, I am not leaving the clinic. I do med-surg per diem for experience, but the clinic is my home. I can certainly see why a nurse may have a hard time breaking in.

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Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.

Thanks for the responses, I live here in NYC.. most LPNs work in LTC as in most other states.. usually the job just sits there until they find the perfect candidate.. my thing was why don't they just hire a candidate who is a nurse and who is qualified, sure the clinic setting may be new to me.. but I bet I could get in there and make it work.. it's nothing new.. as far as competition goes.. I think there as much more nursing jobs than nurses looking for work.. here in NYC, there are so many job positions for nurses hundreds to thousands but maybe there is some competition for this particular job I applied to.. even though I'm sure a month has gone by and they haven't hired anyone

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Specializes in Mental and Behavioral Health.

as far as competition goes.. I think there as much more nursing jobs than nurses looking for work.. here in NYC, there are so many job positions for nurses hundreds to thousands but maybe there is some competition for this particular job I applied to..

I am sure that the thousands of nurses who are out of work would like to knnow where this is that there are more positions than nurses to fill them. Bright young nurses who graduated last year and couldn't find a job in all these months, are now in competition with the newly- graduating nurses. They are willing to move anywhere. Just get on some of these threads, and ask them. New grads are taking graveyards in LTCs with 60 residents to take care of, just to have a job. They are taking terrible jobs. Dangerous jobs. The only jobs left are the really bad ones that no one wants.

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Specializes in Licensed Practical Nurse.

well I am including agency jobs and all the open houses I see for nurses including RN's I know someone who graduated with her RN recently and she found two positions in less than 2 months. I don't think there is a shortage of nursing jobs here in NYC.. of course hiring has slowed down due to the economy but everyday I open advance magazine or go online and see tons of new jobs posted! I just wanted to know what's the deal with clinical jobs.

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Specializes in oncology, med/surg (all kinds).

i went from acute care inpatient to outpatient clinic. it is far less physically demanding, however, the stress and work load is very different. not less, but different. and it is difficult to explain how--because if i tried you would say it didn't seem that bad. but i have tears and insomnia just like with inpatient. those of us who work in outpatient know that inpatient nurses think we have cushy jobs. and we are a suspicious of anyone we even think wants to work with us because it's less stress or better hours. the stress is different--very different and the hours are "normal" which i have decided kind of sucks because you have to do your appointments and errands on the weekends with the rest of the world. and you are tired at the end of your work day no matter what. some days i would rather be tired 3 days working 12 hour shifts than tired 5 days working 8 (which is never really 8 by the way and is often 10.)

i feel very lucky to have my out patient job, and it is so so so so very much less physically demanding, (i am such a big fan of continent patients!!!!!!) and we don't make appointments--we have other people who do that. my advice would be to get your foot in the door by doing the occasional PRN shift. also, related to a post i made yesterday about getting a hard-to-get job, you might consider sending the manager a letter with your resume and flat out asking for a chance. not bypassing HR altogether, but maybe hand delivering it to the clinic. just don't ask to speak with the manager--just leave it at the front desk. but make sure there is absolutely no hint of thinking the job will be cushy or you like the hours. you want to work THERE, with THOSE patients. in fact, you might even insinuate those pesky bankers hours are on the "con" side rather than the "pro" side. good luck!!!!!!!

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