Colorado New Grads- Do you have jobs?

JenniferSews · Feb 28, 2010

I'm employed, but not as a nurse. From my graduating class pretty much only the people who've worked as CNAs in hospitals have jobs. But even a few of those haven't found employment either, some who have worked at their hospital for 3-4 years! I graduated in December and took NCLEX Dec 23rd. I have spent lots of time looking and applying to every hospital and nursing home in the city. Good luck, I think it's a little better for BSNs.

Work in Progress · Feb 28, 2010

I am a Nurse Intern at Denver Health and I am hoping that will help. I have not heard much about the December graduating class at my school. Out of curiosity, where did you go to school?

JenniferSews · Mar 1, 2010

I went to ACC so I graduated with an ADN. Sadly I believed their threats and warnings about working while you are in the school the first year. Hospitals weren't hiring nurse interns when I was trying to get a job second year. If you're a nurse intern at DH you have a very good chance and I wouldn't worry too much. I'd start talking to your nurse manager now! If you're in the float pool, find a way to talk the manager on every floor where you float. Concentrate on DH and don't let that opportunity slip away.

e.lindsey · Mar 14, 2010

I graduated in May 2005 from a school in Ohio, passed boards in August, and lucked up with work in Sept. I am working in the areas of drug rehab and corrections. I hate it. So now I'm focusing my attention to jobs outside of Colorado

compassionRN · Apr 23, 2010

This is a tough market for a New Grad. I am VERY fortunate to be employed as an RN. I graduated almost a year ago. Most of those I went to school with still do not have an RN job. Be strong, don't give up! Be flexible, go out of state if needed to get a job at a hospital.

Rumor has it that as a New Grad, if you go work at a nursing home then want to work at the hospital: hospitals will not pass along your resume to get you hired. This is unfortunate, but reality. Especially as this rumor came from a Nurse recruiter in the area from a LARGE hospital!

Keep that in mind when you get a job offer, Best wishes! This is a tough market for New Grads, which is SO unfortunate. Jobs are scarce and the employers can be very picky!

Don't give up!!!! Congrats on passing! :yeah:

~Mi Vida Loca~RN, ASN, RN · Apr 25, 2010

This is a tough market for a New Grad. I am VERY fortunate to be employed as an RN. I graduated almost a year ago. Most of those I went to school with still do not have an RN job. Be strong, don't give up! Be flexible, go out of state if needed to get a job at a hospital.
Rumor has it that as a New Grad, if you go work at a nursing home then want to work at the hospital: hospitals will not pass along your resume to get you hired. This is unfortunate, but reality. Especially as this rumor came from a Nurse recruiter in the area from a LARGE hospital!
Keep that in mind when you get a job offer, Best wishes! This is a tough market for New Grads, which is SO unfortunate. Jobs are scarce and the employers can be very picky!
Don't give up!!!! Congrats on passing!

That is odd. I have met a few nurses at the hospital I do clinicals at that were working at nursing homes. They still started as new grads since the nursing home wasn't acute care but they got hired above other new grads for having some experience in a nurse roll.

I remember going to my Med/Surge clinical and being like HEY to one of the nurses I had during my LTC clinical. She was just hired on at the hospital. It's a very hard hospital to get into as well.

hope3456, ASN, RN · Apr 27, 2010

It is true that some (not all) 'acute care' nurse managers will consider you 'tainted' if you have worked in a nursing home. I worked on a subacute rehab floor in a LTC after nsg school and it was not that much different than the m/s unit i worked on later. I hung IVF's, maintained IV's and PICC lines, gave meds, changed drsgs, ect. I also put up with hazing from the other nurses since I was a 'new grad.' However, the NM of this m/s unit just knew that I had worked in a 'nursing home

' and judged me for it, instead of assessing me as a individual on what I personally could/couldn't do.

It is a problem in this profession that nurses are overly judgemental/discriminatory towards eachother.

katie5387 · Apr 28, 2010

Hi! I graduated in Dec. 2009 with my BSN and I still don't have a job. I've had a few interviews, but other than that I've found that most hospitals are looking for nurses with experience. Some of the recruiters that I've talked to have told me that a lot of hospitals don't want to spend the time or money paying for our training that they wouldn't necessarily have to give to an experienced RN. Just keep your chin up and keep applying to jobs...eventually something will happen!

Work in Progress · Apr 29, 2010

Thanks for all of the input. Someone who got an interview for UCH today was told that they had 514 applicants for 22 new graduate positions. Although they haven't finished contacting for interviews yet, I am going to write that one off as a loss- if I am wrong then I will be pleasantly surprised.

I know this makes me sound inflexible, but I am really not willing to work in a nursing home anyways, especially if it messes up my chances for floor nursing. I have just heard too many horror stories from new grads who worked in nursing homes.

As my manager at DH told me they are discontinuing the nurse intern position (and I will be out of a job at the end of the school year) and that they are not hiring new grads, I think I will have to apply for a non-nursing job anyways for the intermediate time between graduation to passing the NCLEX/starting a job. That way I can pay the bills while I am desperately searching for a new grad job. Thanks for all the advice and I will keep trying!

Work in Progress · Apr 29, 2010

PS I am trying to talk my hubby into the possibility of relocating if necessary. He is not too keen on the idea.

Melina · Apr 30, 2010

Not sure relocating will do a lot of good. To answer the OP, I am FINALLY working as a nurse in a job I love, but it took seven months of volunteer nursing, private duty and generally scrambling.