Nursing Home New Grad Job Market? Please Advise!

U.S.A. Colorado

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Colorado Nurses, I need some help!!

Background info: I am a new grad with an ADN and I don't live in CO yet but I really have my heart set on moving there.

My question: Considering the job market, would it be silly for me to move to CO in hopes of finding a job in a nursing home or is it a possibility?

I'm trying to be realistic. I totally realize that i'm not getting a job in a hospital in CO with an ADN as a new grad with no experience.

Any input would be greatly appreciated! :geek:

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Nursing homes here are always looking. I have two friends that got jobs on the spot when they turned in their application and they are both adns

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Specializes in Med/Surg and ANCC RN-BC.

Colorado is a wonderful place to live. However, I would suggest you get a job here first before you move here. The market is saturated with new graduate nurses here with BSNs.

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Specializes in LTC, Agency, HHC.

Lizzie is correct. DO NOT move until you have a job! You are competing with tons of nurses looking or jobs. There are so many the licensing board can't even keep up with applications for new grads.

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ADNs with no true RN experience will struggle to find a job in CO. It is NOT impossible. I found a job after 2 weeks of being in Colorado and seriously applying. (I'm an ADN with 11 months CNA experience). I had to accept a position in home care. Hospitals reject you pretty quick, not a single hospital contacted me for interview. I interviewed with 1 home care agency and was turned down because 11 months of CNA experience was not enough--they said 'per regulations,' they needed a year. I interviewed at a nursing home; they never contacted me back. I was contacted by two other nursing homes to interview, but turned them down because I had accepted a home care position (the 2nd home care company I interviewed with). I also was contacted to interview with a nursing home/rehab center that's part of a national chain where I had done my time as a CNA. They set up the interview, then cancelled because I had no RN experience. I am pretty happy with the home care agency that I accepted a position with. It is a smaller company and they work with Children's Hospital pretty closely. I probably sent between 50-100 applications/resumes total. It is not necessarily my first choice of what I wanted to do, but it is an RN job and I will work towards getting where I want to be. I start my BSN in January.

That is my story. Look for a job before you come, network as much as you can. If you can get a year or two of acute experience (and a BSN wouldn't hurt) before you move here, you'll be in a better place. A first job as an RN in Colorado is NOT impossible, but it's not going to be easy. You are going to need to be flexible. Look at smaller companies, nursing homes and home care. You will have a better chance of getting a job in a rural market. Get as far away from Denver as you can, if possible. Good luck!

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Specializes in public health.

My friend got a job on the spot at a nursing home in Colorado Springs. Some of them (usually not the ideal ones) are desperate enough that they are willing to hire new grads. Also, another friend of mine who got a job with a home health agencies just got a promotion after working for them for 3 months. Now she is a manager. :)

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