Can't seem to get a job despite prior RN experience

[Wheaties]

I never fully understand the difficulties of new nurses trying to land a job in a hospital after graduating from nursing school, but now I know. I know it's hard to get a job. I have so much respect for all those nurses who have put in dozens to 20 to 40 applications before landing an RN job. I'm a a nurse with over 7 years experience in the same hospital working med-surg/tele, the same job since I graduated from nursing school. I left my job for 2 years to travel, and now I'm applying again. I applied to 2 places so far in a span of 2 weeks, got an interview. I got a response online saying I wasn't hired. It's kind of discouraging. I'm kind of sad about it. I made sure to apply to in med-surg/tele where my experience lies.

At this point, I also applied to 2 more positions, same sort of area, one in the ER, the other is a medical floor. I have an idea why I didn't get hired. I just don't interview well because I get nervous. I even wrote out nearly 10 pages of questions/answers to practice to get better. I even took an online refresher course.

Is it because

1) I've been in the same position for 7 years in the same hospital that hospitals look at it as a negative? I've seen my coworkers who leave my department after 1 year and go somewhere else.

2) I've been away from work for 2 years

3)i get nervous when I interview, and english isn't my first language. i try to go into detail but most of my responses are short and simple despite of it. how much does interview count for not getting hired?

So yeah, I'm kind of disheartened right now, of course I'm not giving up. I'm going to try and do better in interviews, I'm going to keep reviewing the nurse refresher course.

What else can I do, any advice and help is appreciated.

[Been there,done that, ASN, RN]

I live and work in Los Angeles. I'm surprised the more rural parts of California are not even considering hiring you, especially since you already live in that area. I am always reading about how rural parts of the country are understaffed, and yet here you are, someone with experience and not getting hired! SMH

Sure, it may be easier to land a new job if you are already employed, but I can tell you I've seen numerous times my hospital hiring new grads and then as soon as they have six months' experience to a year, they are out. Then the managers gripe about how they wasted money on them. Give me a break! I hope that's not what's happening in your situation, their hiring new grads over you.

Since you like traveling, have you considered travel nursing? You could earn more money that way, especially if you go to the more populated areas of California.

Travel nursing is not an option. The agencies and the facilities require current experience. Think about it. Big bucks have been spent moving the traveler, the facility expects a nurse that can hit the floor running.

[db2xs]

Travel nursing is not an option. The agencies and the facilities require current experience. Think about it. Big bucks have been spent moving the traveler, the facility expects a nurse that can hit the floor running.

True. Then maybe the next option is to consider starting "slow," as in a nursing position not in a hospital?

[cleback]

I remember your post from earlier when you were psyching yourself up about reviewing medsurg material and taking a refresher course. Honestly, I remember thinking how unnecessary the worry was. You were only out for 2 years after working a solid 7. Things change but not the most important things like assessment, patient education, collaboration. Also, seven years at a single employer is excellent. I'm not sure what is inside you that is making you turn a positive into a negative. Traveling... seeing other points of view... can also be a positive in nursing.

Is it possible you are inadvertently putting yourself down in the interview, or are over emphasizing the time away? I just feel an insecurity and a negativity in your posts... maybe recruiters or interviewers are also picking up on it.