Confused About What To Do

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Specializes in Ortho and Tele med/surg.

I graduated from nursing school about two months ago. June 17th. Right now I'm waiting for my ATT number to go ahead and take the NCLEX. The thing is, unless you currently live on the East Coast, it's hard to understand that nursing positions are scarce for new grads. Most of the people who have jobs only got the job through connections. Many new grads that graduated a year ago are still searching for jobs. Right now I am broke! I jokingly tell people that I live my life in negative world because I have so much debt. Right now I currently reside with my mother who is struggling to pay all the bills. Our insurance was almost canceled yesterday. It's hard for me to watch my mother carry the financial burden alone. I feel frustrated by this whole recession. I don't regret becoming a nurse, but I do regret the fact that I didn't decide to do it earlier where I could get experience or delay it, but many of us could not predict that economy was going to be this bad. When I first started nursing school 2 years ago, I wasn't worried about finding a job. I mean no matter how much you love a profession, let's face it, why would you choose a profession that has very little job opportunities?

Anyway, right now I'm thinking about seriously taking a year off and working as a nanny or just any job that will pay me. I can't sit around waiting for a nursing position. (Trust me I've applied to dozens and dozens of hospitals!)I don't even want an ideal nursing job. I just want to work to lighten the load for my mother. Right now I honestly feel confused. I really feel like walking away from the nursing profession for a little while. Looking at it from Maslow's perspective your physical needs come first right? I need to eat, a place to rest and live right? I really don't know what to do. I guess the best option I have is to move out of state for a while. I'm not opposed to doing that. I guess I'm just struggling with this decision. I feel trapped. Like some days I cry and I wonder why even choose this profession. I am not in a better situation now than when I first started out 2 years ago. It painful to think about. I'm just curious about the other new grads out there and how they are coping with all of this. I have the option of moving out of state, but what about the people who have a mortgage to pay? Life is weird sometimes, I guess you can NEVER be too sure about the future. Right now, in between studying for the boards, I spend majority of my time search for jobs not related to medical field.

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Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

I can't offer any advice on what to do because only you can decide what is best in your situation. Just wanted to tell you to hang in there and wish you the very best.

But...I live on the east coast and we have TONS of open positions if you may seriously consider moving. good luck.

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Specializes in Trauma & Emergency.

I know this isn't true of all places, but if you haven't taken your boards yet that may be a reason that you are not finding a job. Obviously I am aware that you can work as a Graduate Nurse but I also had many friends graduate in May who could not get jobs as graduate nurses. As soon as they took their boards and had a license number on their resume they had a huge increase in call backs. I also live on the East coast. When I was doing my LPN clinicals some of the institutions had openly admitted that they weren't hiring graduates anymore just purely because they spent 2 months precepting them while they waited to take their boards, ended up failing and they had to get rid of them. Obviously that is a waste of time & money for a facility. I'm not saying this is true or your case at all..just what I heard from a few charge nurses/department administrators.

My best advice is obviously do what you must to keep yourself afloat financially, take a non nursing job if you have to. But once you pass your boards resubmit your application with a license number and see how that works as well. Keep your head up & good luck--things have to get better right?

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Specializes in Med Surg.

I agree with AllSmiles, you HAVE to help keep you and your mother afloat now, then worry about the nursing job when you have your license. The nursing profession goes through its ups and downs just like any other (ask veteran nurses about the layoffs of the early 1990's) and unfortunately it's a down time now. It will actually look better on your resume if you have some kind of experience in the meantime. Also consider volunteering if you can manage the time. I worked as a Red Cross Nurse between graduation and my first job: great experience!

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Take a internship at a hospital and let them know that you are just waiting for your boards. SO you will have a leg up after your boards. I live in NY and am scared of what will happen in 16 months when I get out. You may have to go to VSNY, which starts at 72K and is hiring new grads. Good Luck.

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Specializes in Med/Surg, ICU, educator.

The East Coast is NOT the only place that is having issues with new grads not getting jobs, that seems to be the situation all over. I will keep you and your mom in my prayers. If you are willing to move, then do so. If not, take any job, not just nursing, and do volunteer nursing to get some experience. And remember, when you finally get that job, send mom a little cash--she deserves it!

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Specializes in Psychiatric Nursing.

I was in a very similar situation to yours about nine months ago, no money, no call backs, no jobs available. I ended up picking up shifts as a barista to pay the bills while I put in my resume to every job opening I could find. What was mentioned above about having actually having completed your boards is very true, once you actually have your license you will have more call backs. The whole job searching experience is an awful roller coaster of ups and downs: you find a job posted you think you would love, apply, start dreaming of what it would be like to work in that facility doing what you have worked so hard to do only to get an email stating "we regret to inform you that we choose a different canidate blah blah blah...." All I can say is hang in their it took me an additional month after passing my NCLEX to find a job. It was not my first choice but I figure you got to start somewhere and once the job market opens up a bit more and I have experience I will move. Our Thoughts and Prayers are with you. :icon_hug:

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Specializes in OB/Gyn, L&D, NICU.

I just went through this as a teacher. Worked for 3 years as a substitute making $7 per hour while waiting for a teaching job. When I finally got a job, it paid only $18K per year at a private school, then I got laid off due to my son's religious beliefs. Yes, it was in the contract I signed and it's legal, believe it or not. So 1.5 years of work to get the license (above and beyond my college degree), 4 years of low pay work, laid off...frustrating and now I'm going to change professions to nursing. I am a single mom with 2 kids to support. Hang in there. The others have given good advice - volunteer & work anywhere you can for $$ in the meantime. You need to get your face and skills known so they will hire you when they have an opening. Get to know the administrator of the hospital where you think you have the best chance, keep bringing in your resume (even if all applications are done online). You just want to get known. They should require a marketing class in college, lol.

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